Writing a book about University of Tennessee football isn't exactly a fresh idea. But when it's as readable as Marvin West's latest offering, it's still a good idea.

If you're a Vols fan, "Legends of the Tennessee Vols" ($24.95, Sports Publishing LLC) deserves a starting berth in your literary Big Orange lineup.

As West, the former Knoxville News Sentinel writer and sports editor, points out in his introduction, determining which players and coaches from so vast an enterprise qualify as "legends" can be problematic.

So many stories to tell. So few pages.

In this instance, West distills the roster down to 26. The chronological order runs from Robert Neyland to Al Wilson.

Others of recent vintage might qualify for some future press run. It generally takes a few years of reflection for a legend to come to fruition.

West had hands-on knowledge of the majority of this cast. He grew up in Knoxville, got his start in journalism at the UT student paper and for many years observed the program for the News Sentinel.

His personal notes and columns from his days on the beat were among his source materials. It doesn't get much more authentic than that.

Readers will enjoy re-covering some familiar ground with the greats, such as Neyland, Majors, Holloway and McEver. But there's plenty of detail you don't already know to flesh out the stories.

This season, UT has reached out to its past, retiring the numbers of Reggie White, Peyton Manning and Doug Atkins.

West dishes up good stuff on each: Atkins in trouble with The General; White telling ghost stories to young UT football campers; did Manning really lock Branndon Stewart out of a quarterback meeting?

The other portraits are worthy. Steve Kiner was quite the pugilist. A practice-field encounter between 1960s star Steve DeLong and 1938-40 star Bob Suffridge was poignant.

I don't know that anyone has dedicated an entire book to Doug Dickey, but here is a fascinating chapter.

Whether the stories are from West's experiences or gleaned from previously published material, the telling is fresh.

West's style is direct and distinctive. If you happened to read the News Sentinel from the mid-1950s to the early 1980s, you will fall easily into the familiar cadence.

If you've never read West, here's a good place to start.

And I'm not just saying that because he hired me many moons ago.

Mike Strange is at best a novice book reviewer and may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.