We've talked quite a bit about Swing Your Sword, the incredibly informative book by Mike Leach and Bruce Feldman. When Leach was hired by Washington State the book became a must-have for fans, though it was already a great read no matter the context. Leach is an interesting guy like that.
Now the paperback is coming, and it'll have a few relevant updates for fans of the Cougars. Along with the Swing Your Sword we already know and love, Feldman and Leach added in some new stories -- most notably an update about Leach's new job as the head man at Washington State.
I haven't read the book or the updates, obviously, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's worth your time. In fact, I'm positive it is. The original was great, but the paperback, with an update on Leach's career, is especially relevant for Washington State fans.
If you're wondering why I always recommend the book and sneak it in every now and again, it's mostly because of Bruce. For a long time, I've admired his work and he always seemed like a cool guy. Maybe cool isn't the word, but down-to-earth perhaps.
I've been fortunate enough to exchange messages with Bruce quite a bit over the last seven or eight months and I've been struck by how genuinely kind he is. He's one of the good guys in this business, making it easy to recommend the work he does at the snap of the finger without prompt. That and he's a talented writer who finds great stories and tells them in a captivating way.
This book is his baby -- or his and Leach's baby, I guess. They put quite a bit of work into it -- Bruce, especially -- and it's something that deserves your attention and a few of your dollars. I still use Swing Your Sword as a reference with significant frequency and am looking forward to diving into the paperback and learning even more.
Now that I've made an impassioned plea, go buy it. Support the authors and learn something in the process.