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slovenlymuse's review against another edition
4.0
Unbelievable that something written in the 80s could be so sharply relevant today.
ifinlay642's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
4.0
A brilliant piece of journalism that captures one glorious, tension-filled moment in American history. You do not need to be a fan of (God knows I'm not), or even understand the rules of American Football (Lord knows I don't) in order to appreciate Friday Night Lights. Although it is ostensibly about football the sport is merely a tool used to examine life in Odessa, one of the US' many middle America boom-to-bust small towns. Several of the players are co-opted in order to delve into the class, race and religious issues and experiences that dominated the experience of life outside of the cultural capitals. It is in these chapters that Bissinger is at his finest discussing the terrifying precariousness of oil towns or the long-running campaigns to desegregate the schools deep into the 1970s. Other chapters focus on day-to-day life of several different players which are interesting although a tad-repetitive. Whatever repetitiveness is forgiven however by the final fifty-pages of gut wrenching tension that had me reading well past my allotted work break time. I genuinely did not know I cared so much for Ivory Christian, Coach Gaines or the rest of the Permian Panthers.
jonnaylor's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
suebrownreads's review against another edition
2.0
Couldn't finish this one. I guess you need to be a football fan.
shelvesofotherworlds's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
abbeyhar103's review against another edition
4.0
A great documentation of west Texas life and football, which inspired one of my all time favorite tv shows. This goes into issues of race and education, as well as the economic state of the town of Odessa and how that relates to football, which was very interesting. It's a way of life that is completely foreign to me, but Bissinger certainly brought it to life. Sometimes his writing leaned a bit towards the sensational, with sudden flashbacks, sub plots or the use of way too many hyperbolic adjectives, but overall he told this story nicely. It was also very obvious how much he cared about the students on the football team, as well as the residents of the town.
jhommas's review against another edition
4.0
If you are a fan of high school football ball and the the inter working of a team, coaches and community read this book. It is not the TV show. The book is so much better.
graemeh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
maa_pix's review against another edition
3.0
A good read about high school football, it covers the season of the Permian Panthers of Odessa Texas in 1988. But more than that, the author goes into great detail about the history of the community and it's relationship--it's obsession--with the game.
For those who have seen the movie, the book is very much more in-depth, and focuses a lot less on the coach and much more on the players. Plus it was interesting to see how the movie changed the real story to make things more dramatic, the story of Boobie Miles in particular. I found his real story more compelling.
For those who have seen the movie, the book is very much more in-depth, and focuses a lot less on the coach and much more on the players. Plus it was interesting to see how the movie changed the real story to make things more dramatic, the story of Boobie Miles in particular. I found his real story more compelling.