Alan Livingstone MacLeod has a lifelong passion for history, hockey, and writing. Since retiring from the field of labour relations, he has transformed his passion into two books ( Remembered in Bronze and Stone: Canada's Great War Memorial Statuary and From Rinks to Regiments: Hockey Hall-of-Famers and the Great War) and a number of public lectures commemorating Canadian efforts in the First World War. He divides his time between Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and Victoria, BC.

Alan Livingstone MacLeod's profile page

MacLeod provides a lively history of the evolution of ice hockey and the several leagues that led to the formation of the National Hockey League and its appropriation of the Stanley Cup. At the same time, he makes no attempt to sanitise the horrors of the Western Front and often manages to refer to unexpected details, such as specifics of 'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda,' written by Eric Bogle in 1971. The diverse subject matter in the hands of a less capable writer could easily have resulted in a choppy, unsatisfying narrative. Yet here the result is a pleasure to read.

Ormsby Review

"MacLeod recounts the tales of men like [Percy] LeSueur who served their country between 1914 and 1918. MacLeod’s writing is lively and brisk, and the book features plenty of historical hockey photos that fuel our nostalgia for “the good ol’ hockey game.”

Canada's History

There are so many stories, all well-presented and very interesting. MacLeod . . . has been a hockey fan all his life and dedicated the book to John (Junior) Hanna. He has a knack for telling a tale, and these are interesting yarns indeed.

Cape Breton Post

[From Rinks to Regiments ] is a fascinating exploration of hockey's connections during the conflict, told through the stories of the men who played and served (and managed and refereed). There's enough detail on the military side of things to satisfy that side of the equation, and plenty of hockey for fans—and a whole lot for everyone to learn.

Greg Oliver, Bulletin of the Society for International Hockey Research