Recommend me a good NFL book

Something for someone fairly new to the sport but with a growing interest. I'm interested in reading the Dallas Cowboys one ("Boys Will Be Boys") but is there something besides that (more essential perhaps?) I should read?

Don't sully your growing interest with Dallas Cowboys sideshow stories. Read about Bill Walsh or Paul Brown.

anyone else? it would have been wise to ask this question when season is taking place i guess

Oh, I didn't mean to sound condescending. I just think the 90s heyday of the Cowboys was more of a soap opera than it was good, sound football. If I was just starting to learn, I'd definitely want to read up on some of the innovative coaches/coaching that led to the game being what it is presently.

i read "the league" by david harris recently but its prob not for beginners & its really more management/behind the scenes stuff. i was staggered by how detailed it was

this perhaps? - http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Winning-Edge-Brian-Billick/dp/1571671722

I've not read it, but the fact it's fetching those kind of a used prices makes me think it's worth getting ahold of.

Paper Lion - George Plimpton. So much great old stuff in here, lots of hall of famers.
The Crunch: Pat Toomay - Cowboys but awesome. It's like a Rosencrantz & Guildenstern view of the Landry era.
The Best Game Ever: Mark Bowden. I love almost everything Bowden writes so my bias is pretty heavy.
The Birth of the New NFL: Larry Felser - editing is pretty lax but it's a great overview of how the NFL became the NFL. I found all the backroom deals really fascinating.

oh yea i should read paper lion

It's so good! I can't recommend it highly enough. The stuff with Night Train Lane is some of my favorite football writing.

wow i never saw the price of that bill walsh book! "paper lion" looks good indeed, ill check that one out.

i enjoyed a few seconds of panic, v. interesting perspective

I just checked my local library system to see if that Walsh book is available. It is not. ;_;