Monday, June 25, 2012

Announcing "The Best of Down Goes Brown" - In bookstores this fall, available for pre-order now

This is an actual real thing that now exists.
Hi everyone. Today I can finally share some news that's been filed away in the top secret category for the better part of the last year: I wrote a book, and it's coming out soon.

The book, creatively titled The Best of Down Goes Brown, will be released in September by Wiley Publishing. It's a paperback, and will list for about $20.

The book will feature 250+ pages of material, such as:
  • 46 old favorites
    (many of which have been revised and updated), including:
    - The suspension flowchart
    - The official map of an NHL rink
    - A detailed look back at game seven of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals, which due to a scheduling error had to be published twelve hours early
    - The Code: Hockey's unwritten rules revealed
    - The other former NHL stars who interviewed for Colin Campbell’s job
    - How the NHL stacks up against the NFL, MLB, UFC and others
    - The 1993 Leafs/Kings liveblog
    - A hockey fan’s guide to modern TV technology
    ... and more.

  • 24 chapters of exclusive brand new material, including:
    - The NHL War Room's top secret flowchart for deciding whether a goal counts
    - What an official suspension call really sounds like
    - A beginner's guide to advanced statistics
    - A history of the NHL in pop culture
    - In-depth comparisons: Eric Lindros vs. Peter Forsberg, and Mario Lemieux vs. Patrick Roy
    - A brief history of Wayne Gretzky
    - A period-by-period look back at the 2012 Stanley Cup final
    - A history of the NHL's greatest rivalry: Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs
    - The ten greatest coaches in NHL history
    - A complete transcript of every postgame call-in show ever broadcast
    ... and more.

  • Forewords by TSN's Bob McKenzie
    and James Duthie.

  • Update: You can now find a sample chapter and full table of contents here.

Here's some additional information about the book in a handy FAQ format, since long-time readers know that I'm incapable of just writing in paragraphs like a normal person:

When will this be in stores?
The date will vary depending on when it ships from publisher's warehouse, but right now it looks like mid-September. Just in time for the lockout that will make everyone not want to read about hockey!

Can I pre-order?
Yes. You can pre-order today from sites like Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, or directly from Wiley.

I'm from the Internet. What is this "paying for things" concept that you speak of?
I was a little hazy on that one too, but I'm told that apparently you can exchange money for things that you feel have value. It's all very confusing, but the accountants at the publishing house seemed to think this part was important.

Will there be an ebook version?
I'm told that there will be. Details to come.

What does "exclusive" new content mean?
It means that the new stuff will only be available in the book. It won't appear on this site or in the National Post, or (except for any excerpts they do for promotional purposes) anywhere else. If you want to read the new stuff, you have to buy the book and/or awkwardly read it in the store aisle while everyone stares at you.

Wait, Bob McKenzie and James Duthie wrote forewords? Do they even know who you are?
Well... not necessarily. Let's just say McKenzie covers this topic in his foreword.

Will there still be typos that I can race to be the first to point out?
Probably. Feel free to write pithy comments about them in the margins.

There will be more detail coming as the release date gets closer. I hope you all get a chance to check out the book and enjoy it. And once again, sincere thanks to everyone who has been reading, forwarding posts, sharing links and just generally helping the site grow over the years. You're the reason this sort of project was possible.





63 comments:

  1. Which buying option nets you the biggest cut?

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    Replies
    1. Probably the e-book version

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    2. I don't think it really matters. I have an affiliate ID on the Amazon ones so I get a few cents more on those, but not enough to make it worth using them if you wouldn't normally.

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  2. If I have $20 of expendable income, it will definitely go towards the purchase of a DGB book. Congrats!

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  3. congrats will definately be buying

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  4. Holy shit. DGB writes a book. Never saw that coming. Congrats!

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  5. I've never bought a book before because I'm borderline illiterate, so how much do books generally cost? Are they cheaper, more expensive, or the same price as a video game?

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  6. There must be some problem with the Wiley website price. $16.95 USD doesn't convert to $19.67 CDN.

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    Replies
    1. Didn't Canada ban the sequence of 1-9-6-7 since that's the last time the Leafs won anything?

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    2. a good one...

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  7. If there were ever to be a blog that would write a book and I'd read it, it would be DGB

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  8. "Will there be an ebook version?"

    Yes... It's called blog archives.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What does "exclusive" new content mean? It means that the new stuff will only be available in the book. It won't appear on this site or in the National Post, or (except for any excerpts they do for promotional purposes) anywhere else. If you want to read the new stuff, you have to buy the book and/or awkwardly read it in the store aisle while everyone stares at you.

      Delete
  9. Congrats! It is about time a genius gets the credit.

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  10. Please have the best and nightmare Leafs teams in there! And all 17 Wendel moments! (Complete with Youtube videos.. In a book).

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    Replies
    1. Now we're talking. A bonus flip-book of Wendel's greatest hits? Would be a best-seller.

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  11. hopefully will Kindle this

    Yes kindle is now a verb for books that doesn't denote 'tossing into a fire'
    Excited for the Habs / Leafs segment

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  12. "Hockey's most hilarious blogger"?

    Really? Have you READ some of Eklund's stuff?

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    Replies
    1. We have a winnar!

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    2. my sources say that's 5e probable

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  13. Congrats from Sweden!

    I hope my favorite DGB-joke is in the book: The hilariously delusional opinion that Clark beat McSorley just because Marty had a boo-boo on his left eye and despite the fact that the ref had to come in and save Clark from the beating he was recieving!

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    Replies
    1. Also from Sweden. DGB is great $%!+!

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  14. How about a pop up book.. with interchangeable players.. and zebras... So I can beat the shiznit outta the Maple Leafs and Crosbaby..

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  15. Will definitely be buying this one. Good work DGB.

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  16. Will there be a braille version available?

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  17. This is amazing!!!!

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  18. Good luck with this... I hope ya make the NYT's best-seller list!

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  19. Congratulations!

    I'm a long time reader and I will buy this book. Thank you for making me smile so many times and making me check out things that I have somehow missed about NHL (After all, most of the stories written here are kind of inside humor - unless you follow NHL, you don't understand what's the funny part in thing X). Keep up great work!

    Arto Kilponen
    Espoo, Finland

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  20. This is the best news I have heard all day... and I just found out I'm going to be a dad!

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  21. Joel, I feel really bad for your coming kid and the mother-to-be.

    "Who cares if I get a kid? There's a book coming!"

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  22. I'll bet it has lots of pictures.

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  23. This news satisfies me.
    Kudos buddy.

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  24. Looking forward to the book. However, one major concern. No mention of Wendel Clark anywhere. I'm expecting at least five chapters on the topic....

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  25. This is awesome. You're awesome. PREORDERED AWESOME.

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  26. I see Duthie's gonna be in this book.

    I'm assuming he dies in the last chapter.

    Although earlier would be nice too, if it doesn't mess with the flow of the story.


    Thanking you in advance,

    - Not Norm Ullman.

    P.S. Will be buying a gross, so my friends can enjoy the death too. We all hate Duthie.

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  27. Forwards by Duthie and McKenzie? Mike wasn't available?

    Please, please, please for all that is holy, get the whole Mike from Philly saga is included.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That would be awesome. The second appearance too.

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  28. Yessss! Nicely done, DGB. And thanks for the heads up. I can't wait. :))

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  29. If the book is anything like DGB _before_ the National Post signed on, I'm interested. Otherwise, it'll be a bore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You might enjoy him at Grantland then. He writes in that conversational "I'm a fan you'd drink and watch games with" style that he used to, and doesn't force corny formats ("25 ways to tell if your favourite hockey player is actually a face-eating zombie" or whatever). That, and his pretty good twitter account, give me a little more faith in this.

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  30. I can't wait to buy this book. Its been such a waste to continue to print out the blog articles to line the birdcages.

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  31. || Forewords by TSN's Bob McKenzie and James Duthie. ||

    According to the cover shown, McKenzie's is an AFTERWORD. Bloggers....

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  32. Just preordered it. Congrats from the deserts of Arizona.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. See? THEY DO EXIST! I TOLD YOU!

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  33. "The Best of Down Goes Brown"

    $20 for five pages? That seems a bit overpriced.

    ...wait, why is Wendel Clark approaching me with his stick up in *OOF*



    (just kidding, of course! can't wait to read it)

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  34. I certainly won't be reading this...

    *Stares nervously behind to see Pronger and Chara cracking their knuckles*

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  35. You're the reason this sort of project was possible. charging us real money (read us currency) to read reruns after we make you famous by reading, commenting on, and fwding the originals.. i see what you did there. well played mcindoe..

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  36. Living in Brazil, I'll be waiting for the ebook version (already requested a Kindle version on Amazon)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As a follow up - if you have ANY control of the situation, don't let them region-lock the ebook.

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  37. Now I know what to ask my other half for on my birthday.

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  38. When I see you at the Cup parade on Bay St. will you sign my copy?

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  39. Guess what this is available on amazon.de as well!

    ReplyDelete