This authorized, illustrated biography follows Wayne Gretzky from the early days of discovering his passion for hockey to becoming one of the world's most successful, respected & admired celebrity athletes - the reigning hero of a generation. This stunning book provides a unique & original perspective about Wayne Gretzky by emphasizing his amazing professional career & off-ice personality through an insightful text & a compilation of outstanding visual material, much of it seen here for the first time. Written by sports biographer Jim Taylor, the text is complemented by dozens of interviews with a wide selection of people whose lives have intertwined with Wayne's from his early days in the backyard rink to his modern day position as hockey's "Great One." The book showcases a fascinating collection of photographs, important artifacts, mementos & trophies, assembled from the Gretzky family archives & personal friends & associates, The Hockey Hall of Fame, internationally acclaimed sports photographs & the archives of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. Finished with an up-to-date statistical appendix detailing the over 60 NHL records Gretzky holds as he single-handedly redefines the game of hockey, this remarkable gift volume will be a lasting legacy to the Gretzky legend for generations to come.