rinder: The Brad Nelson Story is more than just the entertaining tale of Magic's exceptional 2010 Player of the Year as told by Rich Hagon. The journey that began with Grand Prix Oakland and ended at Pro Tour Paris is contained within the scope of Brad's saga, but there is so much more to the story. At its core, Grinder is an exploration of what it takes to excel. It's the chronicle of a man adrift and his decision to seize a destiny, overcoming all odds and all opponents en route to victory.
Brad's drive and passion have earned him a reputation as one of the most fearsome and respected players on the planet, but there are other Brad Nelsons you've never met. There's a Brad learning to play Magic with his Elves deck, a Brad losing every PTQ Top 8 he plays in, and a Brad who gets nervous before his first feature match. There's even a Brad questioning whether he's good enough to be playing professional Magic in the first place.
His craft may be Magic: The Gathering, but Brad's story transcends the game and speaks to an essential element of human nature: our desire to succeed.
Grinder seamlessly weaves untold legends of the Magic: the Gathering sub-culture, with the compelling journey of a random guy that poured enough blood, sweat, and tears into the game he loves to eventually become America's first 'Player of the Year' in over a decade, joining only Hall of Famers Jon Finkel and Bob Maher. Rich Hagon has long been one of the game's most colorful storytellers and shares the tale of Brad's meteoric rise to fame as only he can.
- Patrick Chapin
It felt like Brad Nelson came out of nowhere to win the Player of the Year title in 2010, but this story shows that his success was anything but sudden. Rich Hagon's book shows players what it really takes to be an "overnight" success.
- Brian Kibler
A story of a true master as told by a master storyteller.
- Brian David Marshall
This might very well be the first book I've ever read from start to end in one sitting. Wow. I went in thinking to skim a couple pages and ended up sitting for close to four hours devouring every sentence. It was honestly one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read, and I am proud to have this be part of Magic's Legacy.
- Gavin Verhey
Hagon delivers a powerful portrait of Magic's best player, Brad Nelson. After finishing this book, my only question was whether Brad Nelson or Jace, the Mind Sculptor was more dominant in 2010.
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