Sometimes BN’ers Grow Up to Be Book Writers

Remember BN’er Oswego Chris?

If you’re newer around here you might not, but Chris was that guy who was always posting thoughtful, long, interesting pieces over at the Message Board and in the comments, many of which found their way onto the front page here at BN. If you’ve been around for a while, though, you may have noticed that Chris essentially disappeared last Summer.

Everything’s OK with him, mind you. Better than OK, actually.

The reason Chris disappeared is because he decided to take those writing skillz and put them to better use. He wrote a freaking book. A 293-page beauty of the sort that people like me always say they’re going to write, but never actually have the stomach to sit down and complete. Chris had a brilliant idea, he set about doing the work, and today he can sit proudly as a published author.

I feel very fortunate to have been included, in a very minor role, in the process, which allows me to bask vicariously in his badass accomplishment. Chris also invited me to write the foreword for his book, so now I can say I’m a published foreword author! (And BN receives a portion of the proceeds of the book sales, so I dig that part, too.)

The book, which I am proudly holding in my hands:

beyond bartman

The title gives you the essence of what Chris’s book is about, but obviously that’s just a taste. In short, the book dives into why the Bartman/curse/goat/whatever explanations for the Chicago Cubs’ more-than-a-century of championship-less baseball are bullcrap. In meticulous detail, Chris goes through 104 individual reasons why the Cubs haven’t won it all since 1908. So, what the book ends up reading like is a different kind of history of the Cubs organization.

Broken down by category, the “reasons” look at things like near misses, bad drafts, front office woes, players that got away, financial issues, and so much more. I remember when Chris first told me about his idea for the book, and, after suppressing the urge to steal it (I kid), I couldn’t get over what a great idea it was. The Chicago Cubs organization has a rich history, and this book explores it – all through the lens of explaining, in practical and real terms, how they could have gone so long without winning it all.

I very much enjoyed the book, as well as playing a small part in the process of putting it together. Chris has accomplished something very special, and I wanted to make sure you all had a chance to give the book a look. (It’s something of a proud moment for BN.)

You can purchase the book on Amazon in hard copy or e-book form, and you should give Chris a hand for getting this book done. I know how much work goes into something like this, and how easy it is to give up. Imagine dedicating every free moment you have for the next year to a project that is near and dear to you. That’s what Chris did. He rocks.

And, no, Chris did not send the goat head to Wrigley Field as a publicity stunt.

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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