My 2026 Summer* Reading

*with one or two exceptions

As August approaches its apex, I’m reminded, as always, that I haven’t read as much as I’ve wanted to. Part of this has been due to a busier-than-usual couple of months, with multiple family events out of state, a good friend’s wedding, and a move to the other side of Dallas. Understandable it may be, but I still feel the lack of having read as much as I would have liked to.

Still, I’d like to share a few of the books I have read over the last little while with you, as well as one from a couple of years ago. We did this last year, as you may recall, and I wanted to relay a couple options for those of you out there looking to kill some time on vacation or wind down during these absurdly warm summer evenings in Dallas.

While it’s not available for purchase, let’s preface this list with a book that I know some of you already picked up from Steve Hill on Tuesday night in Allen: a collection of all of the SportsToons Dallas Stars editorial illustrations from the 2025-26 season.

I’ve made sure to purchase Steve’s prior collections from the last couple of years, because they’re unique, well-done, and as excellent a Season in Review as you’ll find anywhere. These are fantastic books to flip through if you want to jog your memory about everything from a fun postgame press conference to a regular season overtime goal, and Steve puts a sneaky amount of care into getting the details right.

Anyway, keep an eye on the SportsToons socials, because I’m sure he’ll let you all know when you can get your hands on this year’s copy. As always, it’s well worth the wait.

The Down Goes Brown History of the NHL, by Sean McIndoe

If you’ve ever run across any of Sean’s work, you know he’s probably the funniest hockey writer of the last 15 years, and that may still be underselling him. Sean’s combination of dry wit and historical knowledge made him mandatory reading back in the Blogger and Vice days, certainly in the halcyon days of Grantland, and most recently at the Athletic.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Sean knows more about NHL history than 95% of other writers out there, and that makes him the perfect person to pore over that history. You will learn more about the NHL’s history from this read (which is surprisingly quick for a history book) than you will from most encyclopedia. Sean also has an uncanny ability to make connections through the decades that remind us that some of the most unbelievably insane moments in NHL history aren’t as far removed from us as we tend to think they are.

As Sean himself puts it:

This is the story of the 100-year history of the NHL, with an emphasis on the moments that were confusing, funny or just plain strange. You'll learn about the formation of the league and the Original Six and the Richard Riots and expansion and The Trade, for sure. But you'll also learn about the long-forgotten original rules , and the time a team wore earmuffs on the bench, and the team that once named Mr. Rogers captain, and the NHL tough guy who fought Muhammad Ali, and the time a team realized it had been spelling its own name wrong for 60 years, and how Harrison Ford kept Joe Sakic from becoming a Ranger.

Anyway, pick the book up here and also anywhere. Sean also recorded the audiobook himself, if you’d prefer to go that route.

I’m biased because I think the world of McIndoe’s work, but I genuinely think this is one of those books every hockey fan would improve their life by picking up. Knowing is sometimes much more than half the battle.

The Best Team Money Can Buy, by Molly Knight

For a lifelong Dodgers fan like me, this was absolute catnip. Unfortunately, it’s also quite pertinent to the current moment in Major League Baseball, when the league is actively deploying marketing slogans like “level the playing field” against its highest-spending teams.

We won’t get into the whole flap about the lockout that the lower-spending owners are all clearly jonesing for, because we’d all be better off reading about how the Dodgers actually went from a team in bankruptcy to the juggernaut they are today. Knight’s book contained tons of interviews I’d never seen before, covering everything from the preposterous Frank McCourt¹ era and divorce trial (which led directly to the media rights deal the league tries to blame others for today) to Clayton Kershaw’s gut-wrenching disappointments in the first half of his career.

Even if you’re not into the Dodgers or baseball, this is a story of how sports ownership works, and how badly it can go when it doesn’t. It’s incredibly well-sourced, written in compelling fashion, and consistently evocative. It’s a great read, and you will be a smarter sports fan for having done so, even if you still don’t like the Dodgers afterward.

It’s on Amazon.

Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir

Yes, there’s a movie with Ryan Gosling, and it’s pretty good! I made a point to read the book before the movie after having read The Martian after having seen the Matt Damon film, as I wanted to try things the other way ‘round this time. I’m glad I did, too.