Jeremy Lin: Why Book Chronicling Linsanity Is Outrageous

Nothing like striking the iron while it’s hot.

Jeremy Lin has only been in the conscious of sports fans for around 18 days, yet he has captured the attention of America faster than you can say the word “Tebow”.

Now the Hachette Book Group will be publishing the book entitled Jeremy Lin: The Reason for the Linsanity (via USA Today).  Timothy Dalrymple will be the writer and plans on releasing the book to stores in May.

The book won’t just be about the last two-and-a-half weeks; it will chronicle his high school and collegiate career at Harvard as well.

It’s going to be a book that has about five pages worth reading.

What don’t we know about Linsanity that we haven’t already been told?

We know he grew up in Palo Alto, California and was spurned by Stanford before landing at Harvard. We know he had a strong career before landing with the Golden State Warriors after going undrafted. He didn’t play much, was cut and then was cut from the Houston Rockets before landing on the New York Knicks NBDL team. He found a spot on the Knicks’ roster and got his chance. He took full advantage and is now a sensation and inspiration for Asian-Americans and underdogs everywhere.

Bam. I just gave you the entire plot summary.

I’m sure Dalrymple will go much farther in depth on the racial implications of having the only Asian-American in the NBA play like a star, and the effect it has had on his family, friends and the league. That could be pretty compelling.

Other than that it’s just too early to be writing a book about this. Any good story has a beginning, middle and an end. Right now the Jeremy Lin story is just beginning. Like Tim Tebow penning is autobiography at the age of 23, the story has no ending right now for the 23-year-old Lin.

What if Lin is back to the bench in May? What if defenses figure him out? Yes, I’m aware he has the ability to be a starter in this league, but you never know. The minute he fails America will move on to the next hot story.

There are so many other great stories to be told that already have endings. I’m not saying the Linsainty isn’t terrific, because it is, but let’s at least wait until the year is over to write it. Reminder, he has nine starts to his name.

This is a clear money grab by the Hachette Book Group and they are smart for doing so. With rookie cards going for $4,000 on eBay, two Sports Illustrated covers in a row and people swooping up his jersey as fast as the salesmen puts them out, the market for a book is there.

Plenty of Knicks fans, Asian-Americans and people looking to be inspired will scoop it up.

Just make the book half-priced. The story is incomplete.