Vancouver’s Olympic and Paralympic experience wrapped up months ago, but John Furlong’s work steering the ship isn’t over quite yet. The head of the Vancouver Organizing Committee dropped by The Vancouver Sun office Friday as he begins a nationwide tour to promote a new commemorative book, With Glowing Hearts, to capture the stories of the people, places and patriotic spirit of the 2010 Winter Games.

“We think the book works as a great piece of history,” Furlong said at a meeting with the newspaper’s editorial team. “It’s a happy book, full of optimism,” he said. The colourful tome, published by Wiley Canada, weighs about three kilograms and contains 400 pages of behind-the-scenes photos, facts and quotes from athletes, volunteers and street-party enthusiasts.

Among the memories is a special page dedicated to Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died in a horrifying crash during a practice run just hours before the opening of the Games. It also contains a feature pictorial collection of Games artifacts, from the good-luck charm Hayley Wickenheiser’s son gave her, to the iconic red mittens, and a complete listing of medallists and participant names, from Olympic and Paralympic athletes to the 25,000 volunteers.

The idea was to create the sense of “really being there, at every event and special moment, as an insider,” Furlong said.

For his own part, Furlong said he’ll never forget the hard work and dedication of the Vanoc team.

“It wasn’t easy,” he said of the years of effort and organization that went into preparing.

“Everyone in the organization became part architect in what ended up happening.”

The book is available at both Chapters and Indigo bookstores, as well as from independent sellers and online. Several of Canada’s medal-winning athletes are expected to join the national tour to sign books.