Return once again to the enduring account of life in the Mojo lane, to the Permian Panthers of Odessa -- the winningest high school football team i...
read full description
reviews
Mar 03, 2009
Charles
rated it: 
If you think this book is about high school football in Texas, you're pretty much wrong. There is a fair amount about football, but this book is really a sort of sociological study of a small Texas town where Football is played. There is a lot about the difficulties of the local economy after the oil slump, and in general the book gives what I thought was a fairly negative view of the people and their preoccupations.
I almost never like movies better than books, but in this case I More...
I almost never like movies better than books, but in this case I More...
2 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Nov 06, 2007
Paul
rated it: 
I was on an airplane one Friday night when I was reading this book. As the plane took off from Cleveland I noticed a high school football game in progress. I could see the lights.. the two teams on the field.. the crowd and the marching band. I watched the field as long as I could. Just at the point when I couldn't see the stadium anymore my eye caught the lights of another football field. Then.. when I looked out over the countryside I noticed that there were football games in most of the
More...
0 comments
like
(13 people liked it)
Jul 29, 2009
Dan
rated it: 
My friends Matt & Cassie introduced us to the television show "Friday Night Lights" this past winter. I had only heard of it on blogs before then and never really paid any attention to it.
Wow, was I late to the party. The television show is excellent and I highly recommend it, even if you don't like football.
Being the bookworm that I am, I had to find the inspiration for the television show. I actually bought a copy of the book for my friend Matt for Christma More...
Wow, was I late to the party. The television show is excellent and I highly recommend it, even if you don't like football.
Being the bookworm that I am, I had to find the inspiration for the television show. I actually bought a copy of the book for my friend Matt for Christma More...
May 07, 2011
Eric
rated it:
I came to Friday Night Lights in a bass-ackwards sort of way: first, my wife got me hooked on the popular TV series; then, I recently watched the feature film; finally, the film raised enough bothersome questions that I had to read Buzz Bissinger's book.
The book was a revelation. Compared to it, the film is a silly piece of Hollywood sports schlock, and the TV series (which I admit to liking a lot) is scarcely more than a sanitized Beverly Hills, 90210 set in West Texas. Like the vid More...
The book was a revelation. Compared to it, the film is a silly piece of Hollywood sports schlock, and the TV series (which I admit to liking a lot) is scarcely more than a sanitized Beverly Hills, 90210 set in West Texas. Like the vid More...
0 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
Jan 29, 2012
CJ
rated it: 
CJ Herron
Mrs. Ebarvia
World Lit
10/21/08
H.G. Bissinger was born in New York City in November of 1954. He spent time writing for the Philadelphia inquirer. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger is about a small town in Texas called Odessa. Permian High school football is a way of life and almost every kid dreams of wearing the black and white under Friday night lights some day. Permian’s goal in the 1988 season was to reach the state championship. T More...
Mrs. Ebarvia
World Lit
10/21/08
H.G. Bissinger was born in New York City in November of 1954. He spent time writing for the Philadelphia inquirer. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger is about a small town in Texas called Odessa. Permian High school football is a way of life and almost every kid dreams of wearing the black and white under Friday night lights some day. Permian’s goal in the 1988 season was to reach the state championship. T More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 20, 2008
Mary
rated it:
In the 1980s, the Permian High School football team enjoyed a status most people can only dream about: girls that pampered the players for the school year, a town followed their season with bated breath, twenty thousand fans showed up for games on Friday nights. Following the 1988 season, Friday Night Lights focuses on the town of Odessa, Texas and the social problems it faces. This is not a feel-good football story like Rudy or Remember the Titans. Though football is definitely a big part of th
More...
Mar 18, 2008
Michael
rated it:
"Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, and A Dream"
By H.G. Bissinger
Before I knew of the book, I knew of the TV show, which itself grew out of the film adaptation. And I knew it was about high school football in the heart of Texas where football and religion were one and the same. I don't count myself as a fan of sports movies but I do watch them from time to time, but you won't find me actively searching for one. So it went with "Friday Night Lights". T More...
By H.G. Bissinger
Before I knew of the book, I knew of the TV show, which itself grew out of the film adaptation. And I knew it was about high school football in the heart of Texas where football and religion were one and the same. I don't count myself as a fan of sports movies but I do watch them from time to time, but you won't find me actively searching for one. So it went with "Friday Night Lights". T More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 08, 2009
Hydra
rated it:
I figure that I'm from Texas where football reigns supreme. I figure that I love the TV show. I figure they filmed the movie & TV show in my neighborhood. I figure that Coach Caesar gave it an excellent review.... So, let me read this & see what I think. I'm about 1/4 way through the book & I've already dreamt about Odessa, TX, once.
Odessa's and West Texas's obsession with high school football is truly fascinating, and at times, very depressing. I gobbled up the first 3/4 of More...
Odessa's and West Texas's obsession with high school football is truly fascinating, and at times, very depressing. I gobbled up the first 3/4 of More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 18, 2012
In the small town of Odessa, nestled in the heart of West Texas, high school football is a way of life. Every Friday night people from far and wide descend upon the stadium of their national pastime. The story of Friday Night Lights is not just a story of athletic prowess or football glory, and although those themes are present, the heart of the narrative is about the town Odessa itself and its relationship with life, race, and of course football in the late 1980's. The hopes and dreams of a com
More...
Nov 23, 2011
If there is a story to tell, Bissinger finds it and tells it. Not only does he introduce each character, their origins, their goals, their dreams, their strengths, their weaknesses, but in most cases he goes at least a generation back, discussing how each character’s family wound up in Odessa and the relationship they have with their athlete sons. He tells the entire history of Odessa, from inception to the modern day. He creates a town that is deeply committed to high school football, but at gr
More...
Oct 28, 2011
Anthony
rated it:
Quite simply one of the best books I've ever read. Against the backdrop of high school football, Bissinger weaves a captivating tale of a town and state grappling with race, class, and a host of other major issues. The access Bissinger had to players, coaches and other people give this book a realism and authenticity that just makes the story, struggles and triumph leap off the page. The authors recounting how the oil boom and then bust shaped the landscape of Texas and how hard times elevate
More...
Oct 18, 2011
Isaiah
rated it:
Friday Night Lights
The story is about football. Under the lights the football team named Permian went to the championship. The main character is Dominick. Dominick was the QB for Permian and he took them to the championship game. He lost his best runny back Ricky Bobby. HE took an adventure to different states to compete to go to the championship game. My favorite character of this book is Ricky Bobby because he had a broken knee and like 4 weeks after he broke his knee he played on pl More...
The story is about football. Under the lights the football team named Permian went to the championship. The main character is Dominick. Dominick was the QB for Permian and he took them to the championship game. He lost his best runny back Ricky Bobby. HE took an adventure to different states to compete to go to the championship game. My favorite character of this book is Ricky Bobby because he had a broken knee and like 4 weeks after he broke his knee he played on pl More...
Oct 14, 2011
Zach
rated it:
I believe that the author’s purpose in writing this book was to inform the everyday soul of what feelings and hardships the football players and school go through on a day to day basis. As the book went on you got a felt the emotions of the players, coaches and community members after not only a win or a loss but also before, during and after the games.
The author’s style was a unique one; it was presented as if the reader were watching a documentary film. The story took you throu More...
The author’s style was a unique one; it was presented as if the reader were watching a documentary film. The story took you throu More...
Sep 30, 2011
Jill
rated it:
In 1988, H.G. Bessinger left his job as newspaper editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer and spent one year in Odessa, Texas following the Permian Panther football team. High school football in Texas = CRAZY. Million dollar stadiums filled with 20,000 fans every Friday night and people who literally LIVE for high school football.
The author said his intent was to study and write about the way high school sports bring a community together...but along the way he found "the most ugly More...
The author said his intent was to study and write about the way high school sports bring a community together...but along the way he found "the most ugly More...
Sep 22, 2011
Patrick
rated it:
I’ve been a fan of Friday Night Lights, the movie and the TV series, and after reading an episode review at the AV Club which suggested the book had a rich sociological analysis within the story inspired me to pick up H.G. Bissinger’s book that spawned the film and TV show. I guess you could say that the central theme in the book is football as the all encompassing spectacle that ties together the West Texas community that backs its powerhouse highs school team the Permian Panthers, but through
More...
May 24, 2011
Brandon
rated it:
Friday Night Lights
Friday night lights by Bissinger, H.G is one of my favorite books of all time. This book keeps me reading every time I see it because it’s about the struggle of a small town rallying behind their football team. This town has nothing at all but to go out every Friday and watch their team win and defeat all odds. This book caused me to feel many things. I can relate to it because I’m a smaller football player but talented so this book I can relate to. It makes me More...
Friday night lights by Bissinger, H.G is one of my favorite books of all time. This book keeps me reading every time I see it because it’s about the struggle of a small town rallying behind their football team. This town has nothing at all but to go out every Friday and watch their team win and defeat all odds. This book caused me to feel many things. I can relate to it because I’m a smaller football player but talented so this book I can relate to. It makes me More...
Aug 28, 2010
Justin
rated it:
This was an excellent book, chronically the 1988 high school football season of the Permian Panthers in Odessa, Texas. While the focus was football, it also touched on the socioeconomic factors in the community that led to its rabid and unhealthy obsession with high school football and the undercurrents of class warfare and racism in the town of Odessa.
Reading this brought me back a bit to my own high school football days. Though the community interest in football in my hometown didn More...
Reading this brought me back a bit to my own high school football days. Though the community interest in football in my hometown didn More...
Dec 07, 2009
Mike
rated it:
This book has become something of a legend, it seems (movies and TV shows will do that). It's been on our shelf for years, and with football season in full swing, I decided I'd finally get it down and read it. My expectations were pretty high.
And it was pretty good. There's huge potential here for drama, of course--high school football as the savior of a run-down West Texas town--and the author paints a vivid portrait that is fittingly exciting, moving, and often shocking. It's a grip More...
And it was pretty good. There's huge potential here for drama, of course--high school football as the savior of a run-down West Texas town--and the author paints a vivid portrait that is fittingly exciting, moving, and often shocking. It's a grip More...
Nov 21, 2009
Kirsti
rated it:
Affecting, amusing, alarming, appalling account of the winningest high-school football team in Texas. (Apparently this review was brought to you by the letter A.) Along the way, Bissinger discusses popularity, racism, sexism, fresh-baked cookies, memories, oil, home economics, class conflicts, statutory rape, algebra, the savings-and-loan crisis, lowered expectations, skewed priorities, algebra, and armed robbery.
Some of my favorite passages:
Coach Belew: "I want one More...
Some of my favorite passages:
Coach Belew: "I want one More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Nov 16, 2009
Steven
rated it:
Friday Night Lights is a true-life account of the Permian Panthers in their 1988 season. More importantly, it’s an account of the isolated town of Odessa, Texas and the pressure they place on the team to perform. This non-fiction book, turned movie, turned television show reaches into the psyche of Middle America and tells the story of many rural towns which invest in the success of their high school football team in light of economic downturn.
This book is contrasted between the pove More...
This book is contrasted between the pove More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Nov 03, 2009
Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights is a really good book. First of all, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sports or football. That’s one of the reasons why I Like this book, because I am a huge football fan. Second, I think the author wrote this book because this is a true story about the Permian Panthers run through the Texas State Playoffs and it’s a great story of how they got there, so it needed to be told. Next, the thing that kept me reading this book was during the More...
Friday Night Lights is a really good book. First of all, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sports or football. That’s one of the reasons why I Like this book, because I am a huge football fan. Second, I think the author wrote this book because this is a true story about the Permian Panthers run through the Texas State Playoffs and it’s a great story of how they got there, so it needed to be told. Next, the thing that kept me reading this book was during the More...
Oct 13, 2009
John
rated it:
This book followed the 1988 Permian High School Panthers. They were a team from Odessa,TX. The team made a run at the high school state championship that year in there class. The book is based off true events, a lot of people compare it to Hoosiers. Really though its quite different. There are a lot of misplaced priorities in this town, racism becomes ugly, football was all that matter and academics were put on the back burner. it follows 4 main football players and the coach. The book talks abo
More...
Oct 01, 2009
Raleighhunter
rated it: 
I'm glad I bought this at Half Price Books so the author didn't make any money off of me. I always read the forward of any book and this one, the author tells you up front he is looking for a sport to bash to be the next "A Season on the Brink" and Texas makes an easy target. The writer tells you he has an opinion of Texas before he heads south and writes the story based on his preconceived notions, not anything he actually saw in Texas.
The writer finds negative stories abou More...
The writer finds negative stories abou More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jul 14, 2009
Alison
rated it:
Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, and A Dream by H.G. Bissinger is both a powerful and disturbing book about a community’s obsession with its town’s high school football team. Bissinger creates a story that runs through the 1988 season of the Permian Panthers and its long standing tradition of winning games. He examines the team, 6 players, their families, the coaches, and the town in its economic downturn. Football is what held the town together. The 10th anniversary edition also holds a
More...
Jul 14, 2009
Yen
rated it:
Having grown up in Miami, I am familiar with the obsession in high school football and the relevance of those Friday night lights; an obsession that permeates through to parents, teachers, law enforcement and practically the whole community. The difference is found, however, in the context of which this game is played. This book wasn’t written about a team in a metropolitan city, but about a small town in Texas in 1988. Permian High School in Odessa, Texas was a football powerhouse; completel
More...
Jul 12, 2009
Rebecca
rated it:
I had a terrible time trying to get into this book. I decided to pick this book up because my mother absolutely loves the TV show, which I have never seen. Maybe it was because the book was written by a sports columnist, or perhaps it was simply because it was written about sports in general, but I just never enjoyed reading it. I appreciated the experience of muddling through it, however, because I know someday as a literature teacher I will inflict books upon my students that they will stru
More...
Dec 26, 2011
Traci
rated it:
This book was not what I expected it to be at all. Was it a good book? Yes. But as a football fan, I was let down by this book. As a southern girl, I was let down by this book. And as a person from a small town, I was let down by this book.
The author admits that he has preconceived notions going into the season, and he does absolutely nothing to prove himself wrong. He claims that although the book is set in Odessa, Texas, that you could really substitute ANY small town with a large More...
The author admits that he has preconceived notions going into the season, and he does absolutely nothing to prove himself wrong. He claims that although the book is set in Odessa, Texas, that you could really substitute ANY small town with a large More...
Aug 11, 2011
Lani
rated it:
I actually read this book back in college, possibly twice in the same semester. It was required reading in a sociology class, and then also as I recall, an elective book for an education class I took at the same time. My perspective on it then was probably quite different than reading it now...
It's an interesting book. The obsession with high school football is a foreign concept to me since I went to a science and tech school that considered itself lucky if it won the homecoming game More...
It's an interesting book. The obsession with high school football is a foreign concept to me since I went to a science and tech school that considered itself lucky if it won the homecoming game More...
Dec 17, 2009
Tyler
rated it:
"High school athletics were not easily seen through. When kept in perspective, of course, there is no reason to see through them: sport is sport, and lots of fun, and there is nothing particularly bad about separating boys and girls in the afternoon and organizing them into teams and seeing to it that they burn off their surplus energies chasing one ball after another. Unfortunately, in most small towns, the perspective soon slips. The adults of the town, and particularly the men, tend to p
More...
Nov 29, 2008
justme
rated it:
This is more than just a book about football. Let that be known.
This is about a West Texas town that is as God fearing as it is football loving, where high school football is not just a past time but a culture, a tradition, and a serious source of hope for the thousands that come out to each football game.
Young boys dream about playing for the Permian Panthers from the time they're old enough to walk and young girls aspire to be Pipettes, their cheerleaders. The boys that More...
This is about a West Texas town that is as God fearing as it is football loving, where high school football is not just a past time but a culture, a tradition, and a serious source of hope for the thousands that come out to each football game.
Young boys dream about playing for the Permian Panthers from the time they're old enough to walk and young girls aspire to be Pipettes, their cheerleaders. The boys that More...
