For those interested in what I hope is a great book about the Leafs…

Whenever a person is “selling” something, there is always the risk of coming across as patting yourself on the back or just being crassly commercial or whatever. But the fact is, I am selling something. And given that I am really pleased with how my eBook “The Maple Leafs of My Youth: what being a Leaf fan means to me” turned out, well, if you can’t give yourself a bit of a boost, who will, eh?

So as part of trying to spread the word about the book (and this is not easy, I can assure you, given that it is not a traditional hard-cover book backed by a mainstream publisher!), today I am sharing some of the “reader reviews” the book has received since it has been available on iTunes and now on Amazon Kindle. (If you came here today expecting thoughts on the win over Dallas, the summation is this:  the Leafs won the same way they have won most of this season—one of their scorers scored, and their goalie was great.  There were some good efforts throughout the lineup from the “lesser lights”, and it was nice to see some Marlies get a shot.  But that was pretty much the story: not a 60-minute effort, but great goaltending and timely scoring.  We’ll all have more to say after the two telling games this weekend, I'm sure…)

Quick aside: for those who have asked, you can in fact read the book on your iPhone (or iPod Touch) if you download the Kindle iOS app and then purchase the book through Amazon.

The following are actual comments received from individuals who have downloaded the eBook.  (There are more comments available on the iTunes and Amazon preview page links.)

Here goes—and if it spurs you to download and read the book, great! It always feels good when I get word that people, whether regular VLM visitors or not, have made the effort to support my writing.

To those who have already bought “The Maple Leafs of My Youth”, thank you!  Volume II is being finalized as we speak, though it won’t be available for a while yet.

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A great read

A wonderful trip through the last true glory days of the Leafs, told in a way that evokes memories of watching hockey in a very different time.
Fun to pick up at any time to learn about another player or a new story and tough to stop reading.
Looking forward to the next edition and more on Lanny!

Must read for Leafs fans young and old

I became a Leafs fan unconsciously. The Leafs were surrounded me where I'm from, and my parents never let on that I might have had a choice in the matter. Michael's experience as a Leaf fan is far more captivating, coming from a Montreal Canadiens-oriented background with a intensely passionate Habs fan for a father - with whom he had a hockey fan rivalry so intense it often times went unspoken.

This book never tries to be a history lecture for the younger generation (like myself), which in part is what makes it so great; we can glean so much about what this team means to people, and gain invaluable insights into its history along the way, simply by enjoying the unique stories of this Leafs fan who has lived through it all. Fascinating perspectives.

A History Lesson For All Leafs Fans

I received an important history lesson thanks to Michael Langlois. I have been a Leafs fan all my life. My earliest memories of the team are from the mid 80's, one of the toughest eras in the team's long and storied history. Even at the young age of 5, I was gaining a sense of what it meant to be a Leaf fan. It meant many highs and lows but above all, it meant a loyalty and passion that is unlike anything experienced by any other fans of any team or sport imaginable. 


For all that I thought I knew about my beloved Leafs, Michael has shown me through his book that my knowledge of the Blue and White was only a drop in the bucket. Michael takes the reader to a time when there were just six teams in the league and some of the greatest talent imaginable took to the ice night after night. Rather than treat the exploration of this time as a history lesson, Michael tells stories about Leaf moments as he remembers them as a child growing up in a predominantly Montreal fan-filled home.

The combination of Michael's folksy approach and the magical feeling of the fifties in Canada during hockey season makes you feel like you were there for all the moments and memories, even if you weren't born for another twenty years! Michael has a rare talent that he expresses with an ease that makes you feel like you're sitting with him in his living room having a chat. That comfort and pure joy you feel reading this book makes it a must read for all Leaf fans and all hockey fans generally. I can't wait for the next installment!!!

Abiding Love of the Leafs

Many books have been written about the storied history of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Few capture the genuine emotion and anxiety filled nights, huddled around the radio, or those old black and white television sets, as we thrilled over victories, as well as Michael Langlois has in this well written book. The tales of the author's family, his break with his father's love of the Habs, the joy of collecting the Beehive cards, and the hero worship so many of us shared in our youth and continue to enjoy to this day, are brought beautifully to light. He brings small town life in Ontario into sharp focus. When we became hockey fans we were united in a common endeavor. While hockey is a huge part of our history, it plays an even greater role in our hearts. The players, the owners and the whole cast of characters are described in this thoughtful book, penned from the creator of one of my favorite blogs: Vintage Leaf Memories. For Leaf fans everywhere, this is a must read.

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Heart and Mind

“The Maple Leafs of my Youth” falls in the category of required reading for any serious fan of Toronto’s storied NHL hockey team. Author Michael Langlois foregoes the typical method of researching the life out of his topic and instead writes from memory and the heart, resulting in a “page turner” that gives us the rare perspective of a supporter’s memories of the Leafs team and their culture. Being slightly younger than the author and with a much less reliable memory, in reading this book I was able to understand the significance of the Leaf teams of the late fifties and sixties. With classic players like Johnny Bower, Bobby Baun, Tim Horton and the like, whose lore I more fully understand now, it is comprehensible why the Leafs inspire such dedication to this day. While fine as it is, I could really picture “The Maple Leafs of my Youth” as a coffee table book replete with historical photographs and illustrations. Hopefully, an illustrated version of this book will be available in the near future.

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Great Leaf memories

I recently downloaded The Maple Leafs of My Youth to my Kindle reader and I can't put it down. Michael Langlois' book has brought back many wonderful memories of the Toronto Maple Leafs of my own youth. I highly recommend this book to all Leaf fans, especially those who witnessed the Leaf glory years of the 1960s. For younger Maple Leaf enthusiasts this book provides a poignant and very personal history of a storied hockey franchise beginning in the late 1950s.

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I certainly appreciate the good words- and that so many readers have taken the time to post such complimentary thoughts about my book. I hope some of you who haven’t downloaded it yet will do so!