Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream

by H.G. Bissinger

Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream

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1383 ratings, 3.96 average rating, 250 reviews (more data...)

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published

September 28th 2004 (first published 1988) by Da Capo Press

binding

Mass Market Paperback, 357 pages

isbn

0306814250 (isbn13: 9780306814259)

description

Secular religions are fascinating in the devotion and zealousness they breed, and in Texas, high school football has its own rabid hold over the faith...more

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All ratings | 5 stars (416) | 4 stars (582) | 3 stars (305) | 2 stars (65) | 1 star (14) | avg 3.96

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Paul

Paul rated it:

(review of isbn 0224076744)

11/06/07

Read in October, 2007

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

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CJ rated it:

(review of isbn 0739446347)

10/28/08

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. The competition is high and the...more 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. The competition is high and the road is tough, but will they find a way to get it done?
What I found interesting in the novel Friday Night Lights was the descriptions of the characters and the setting. For example, in the beginning of the novel they described Odessa (the town) and Boobie Miles (star running back) extremely well. The descriptions were always clear, and I felt like I knew the characters and I lived in the Odessa. I also found the point of view changes very interesting. In the novel there were many point of view changes; in one chapter the point of view was from Boobie Miles. But the next was from a former Permian High player from the 1960’s. Next I found that the language was interesting because the novel was based in Texas and some words I have never seen before or spelled differently. For example morning was spelled as mornin. Finally I thought that the plot was interesting and it had twists and turns.
The weaknesses I found in the novel were that there wasn’t too much plot about the football games, more about practices and the day of a game. In the novel there was not much game plot. Another weakness I found was the racism. I realized that people are still racist and it made me feel uncomfortable. The next weakness was that there wasn’t a main protagonist. It was many peoples point of view and the book could have been better if it had a protagonist. Finally a weakness that came to my attention was the adjectives.
Even though the novel Friday Night Lights had many weaknesses, it still was one of my favorite books. The strengths towered over the weaknesses and it was very enjoyable to read. I am looking forward to seeing the movie this weekend. If you love football like I do, I would recommend reading this Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissinger
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Michael

Michael rated it:

(review of isbn 030681529X)

03/18/08

Read in March, 2008

"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". The film adap...more "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". The film adaption came and went in theaters and I thought nothing of it. The same went for its DVD release. And pretty much the same thing happened for the first season of the TV series. But slowly I started to hear things about the franchise, especially the TV series. One of the things I heard was that the TV series expanded on the themes and ideals that were explored in both the film and the book.

And before I knew it, within a month's span, I picked up the first season of the TV series, the DVD of the film, and with luck on my side I found a copy of the book at the bargain bin center of the bookstore. I watched the film and the plight of the Permian Panther's bid for the 1988 Texas State Championships and for a brief moment realized the intensity that came with the game. But two hours was just not enough. I wanted more. So I went to the TV series and devoured it up. It touched on many things that movie danced around and by the time I finished the season, I decided I had to read the original source material that started it all.

It's the middle of March now and I remember starting the book at the start the year. I had watched the movie back around November and I wasn't sure if I would remember the characters but sure enough I soon did. Before long, names such as Boobie Miles, Mike Winchell, Billingsley, Chavez, and Coach Gary Gaines lived in my mind as I read the book. Though I knew of what was going to come because of the movie, what I didn't account for was the wealth of information that H.G. Bissinger had incorporated in the book. There were histories towns, people, racism, and the Permian Panthers themselves. This book was not simply about football in West Texas but it is rather a bigger picture at a slice of life in this section of America.

In some ways Texas is a microcosm of the nation. Both Texas and the nation went from boom to bust in the Eighties during the time of 'big oil'. Racism was as much as a hotly debated topic of concern as it is for the nation. Football itself for the area has strong ties to racism and town histories and state championships.

But it's the concentrated concern of the high school football athletes that's always front and center. Just as most of the world seems concentrated at the years of high school and college, it is this sentiment seen at its height and ugliness with high school football. Boys have been brought up with the desire to play football and go all the way. Just like ancient gladiators or Spartans or Romans, do they fight with all their might on the field. The towns cheer for them. The towns cheat for them. The towns fight for them. The towns live through them. And all this comes to a head on a single day, on a single night: Friday nights.

- Michael Midnight...less

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Ginya

Ginya rated it:

11/29/08

Read in November, 2008

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 make it onto th...more

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Hydra

Hydra is currently reading it

12/01/08

bookshelves: currently-reading

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.

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Donna

Donna rated it:

05/24/08

bookshelves: nonfiction

Read in April, 2008

recommended to Donna by: ARRT Nonfiction Genre Study

You may find this book filed under sports, but it's about a whole lot more than football. The local high school football team is the catalyst for school desegregation, local politics, and educational achievement. This book helped me understand alot about an America I don't know much about.

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Claire

Claire rated it:

10/23/08

Read in January, 2005

OK, you Texas girlies especially, if y'all watched TV or read the sports page of the Dallas Morning News while we were in high school then y'all will remember Odessa Permian and all the RAH RAH behind their program. Coming from Texas where football and everything that goes with it is KING, I could really relate to this (true)story including some of the victims that the game leaves behind. (Won't mention names from RHS, but some are painfully obvious.) Really shows how fleeting the glory of being...more

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Wendy

Wendy rated it:

10/19/08

Odessa was a town located in West Texas . It was considered one of the worst towns on earth. Molly Ivins, a columnist for the Dallas Times Herald described Odessa as an, “armpit”. Even though this town got criticized for multiple reasons, there was a lot of passion in this town. What everyone had in common was the passion for football. This was something that stood out and no one criticized about Odessa .

Football became really important, but can football determine o...more

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Mary

Mary rated it:

09/20/08

bookshelves: library

Read in September, 2008

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 par...more

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Shannon

Shannon rated it:

08/27/08

Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger was a story about the friendship, determination and love that was shared between a small town and their local high school football team. Bissinger recites this story in a very blunt, realistic way. The story is real, a real football team with real players. He explains the life story of teenage football players such as the lonely story of Mike Winchell, the boy who lost his father when he was just a child, or Don Billingsly the gu...more Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger was a story about the friendship, determination and love that was shared between a small town and their local high school football team. Bissinger recites this story in a very blunt, realistic way. The story is real, a real football team with real players. He explains the life story of teenage football players such as the lonely story of Mike Winchell, the boy who lost his father when he was just a child, or Don Billingsly the guy who is at all the parties and dates all, and I mean ALL the girls. Or maybe Brian Chavez, the intellegent senior who at the top of his class and plans on going to Harvard. Or last but not least Boobie Miles (no pun intended) who ruins his career but getting his knee crushed in during a game. The town they live in is called Odessa and is staged in the 1980's. Bissinger explains the boom and bust of the oil industry in their town, which is the main source of income. Even though desegregation has begun in virtually everywhere in the United States, behind closed doors, Odessa is still racially divided. The only places blacks are accepted is on the football field.

This book didn't exactly keep me wanting for more, there wasn't much action going on unless there was a football game going on or the playoff teams were being determined. Bissinger explains the story as if anyone who is reading it know every little detail about the game of football. I am not that person. But in the books' defense, I probably should have known that by the title. The author seems to get too in depth about the small, irrelevant things, which gets the reader bored very quickly. Overall, the book wasn't exactly my type.

But the real question is, what did I learn from this book? I learned that race may still divide people on the outside, but on the inside everyones the same, with the same hurt, and happiness that any other person would have whether or not they show it. Also, I learned that with family and friends you can achieve anything. ...less

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Mary

Mary rated it:

07/27/08

bookshelves: read-recently

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: people interested in sports, social history, racial attitudes and oil politics

Friday Night Lights came out while I lived in Texas in the late 80's and early 90's. I remember the strong feelings it generated - namely, hatred. As an outsider, I never participated in the Friday night rituals but you couldn't miss the lights of the huge high school fields all around the Metroplex and, of course, west Texas football was famous long before the book. I'd been wanting to read a sports book and picked this up finally at a book swap shelf. Well worth a read, in FNL Bissinger qu...more

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Jason

Jason rated it:

07/09/08

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: high school football fans

Growing up in West Virginia Friday nights in the fall were quite special. My brothers and I have been football fans since we were quite young. I have many great memories of going to high school games with my grandfather, dad, and brothers to cheer for the local high school. Even when the team was not that good there was just something magical about Friday night football.

After I moved to Marland after college the lights of Friday night began to dim. Hight school football is not as big a d...more

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lindsay

lindsay rated it:

07/23/08

Read in July, 2008

The title of this book led me to believe I would be reading an uplifting and reverential tale about the glory of high school football under the Friday Night Lights in Texas. After reading it, I have a difficult time imagining a more dismal or depressing story. Chronicling a football team in Odessa, Texas through the 1988 season, we see that the players, and indeed the entire town, elevate football over everything else in life. A high school education is laughable (even for the non-football pl...more

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Joseph

Joseph rated it:

(review of isbn 0306809907)

05/30/08

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in May, 2008

I came to this book in the wrong direction. I first saw the television show, before seeing the movie upon which it was based. Only now do I get around to reading the book that set the whole thing in motion.

To make a long story short, it's great. Having seen its descendants, there weren't a lot of surprises, but it was nice to see that (at least before the final section of the book about the postseason) it cares more about the town than the team, carefully documenting the rise and fall of ...more

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Daniel

Daniel rated it:

06/12/08

I had to read this book for a class back in college and thought it was going to be drudgery. But then, I have a unique perspective into what happened in the small, West Texas town where this all takes place. I was at some of their games during those seasons. I went to high school at one of the rival schools in the same division with Odessa Permian and we beat them and bounced them from the playoffs the season before Friday Night Lights took place. So, I have a vivid memory of Ratliff Stadium sha...more

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Lucas

Lucas rated it:

04/03/08

recommends it for: SAJ, LD, Alan, Yung Millz, Adam

As the inspiration for what is currently the best show on television, H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights is the timeless tale of Odessa, Texas, and its beloved Permian Panther football team. Odessa is a town completely obsessed with high school football. Each Friday night, the streets are completely deserted-every store is closed with "Gone to the Game!" signs pinned on their front doors. The tradition and prestige of the Permian Panthers is something the citizens of Odessa take prid...more As the inspiration for what is currently the best show on television, H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights is the timeless tale of Odessa, Texas, and its beloved Permian Panther football team. Odessa is a town completely obsessed with high school football. Each Friday night, the streets are completely deserted-every store is closed with "Gone to the Game!" signs pinned on their front doors. The tradition and prestige of the Permian Panthers is something the citizens of Odessa take pride in, in addition to the multiple Texas State Championships. Heading into the 1988 season, the Panthers were expected to achieve nothing less than yet another state championship. Anchored by fleet-footed running back Boobie Miles, along with quarterback Mike Wynchell, the town of Odessa along with the students in Permain high school amounted heaps of pressure on the football team to succeed. Bissinger writes in a calming, relaxing tone as he describes Odessa's fanatical obsession, almost as if the town is surreal. Football players are treated like kings, each with their own personal cheerleaders who make them gifts and baked goods. All of the pressure eventually leads to the demise of some Panthers, including the career ending injury of Boobie Miles. In a blowout win, Boobie vouched with his coach to continue playing, when coach let him in the game, Boobie promptly tore his ACL on the first play from scrimmage. After this, reality set in. He could do nothing else but play football, and without this in his life, he was as gooda s dead. Bissinger's detailed following of Odessa shows how people can take things way too far. In this case, the town of Odessa as a whole does not realize how much their relentless fixation with the football team hurts its students mentally. When you are pushed to do well every single night, some people can crack under the pressure. However, Friday Night Lights is not a tale of sorrow, as Bissinger incorporates interesting anecdotes along with a subtle sense of humor into his writing. The depth in which Bissinger studied a high school football program is reason enough to read this compelling novel. ...less

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Michael

Michael rated it:

(review of isbn 0306813742)

08/06/08

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in August, 2008

I appreciate so much the honesty and candidness of this book--which won the author the animosity of the town that he wrote about. He tells us about their admirable, small-town qualities and their flaws with the same openness. Like Bissinger, I grew to care very much about these players and their team, and the town they represented. Despite their flaws, I found myself rooting for them because I came to know who they were as people. I sat reading the last chapter, hoping, like the fans of Odes...more

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Katie

Katie rated it:

09/15/08

I have to start by saying that I read this book waaay before the movie and TV show came out. I understand that sometimes, you don't really get inspired to read something until you hear about a film version coming out, and that's okay, but that wasn't the case here. Oh - I'm ALWAYS completely against owning books (or even getting caught reading books) that have the stars of the film on the cover. Anyway.

This book is good whether you're reading it for the sports or the sociological (or ...more

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Jody

Jody rated it:

(review of isbn 0306809907)

02/02/08

bookshelves: 2008, read-during-peace-corps

This book is a great example of storytelling non-fiction journalism. I’m not a big sports person. But I’ve always loved sports narratives in movies and outdoor adventure in writing. What made me read this book is sadly and randomly my love of the television show Friday Night Lights. I was surprised at this book. It’s an excellent social commentary on the US educational system and how sports, while they divert our attention from more important issues (as many a liberal and myself included f...more

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Mary Catherine

Mary Catherine rated it:

10/26/07

I love football and am slightly obsessed with it come September. So I loved this book. But the great thing is that you don't have to love football to enjoy it.

The book follows a Texas high school football team through one tumultuous season. The author moved to a small town in Texas where football is king and lived there for a whole year. He chronicles what happens when a town that's fallen on hard times places all its hopes and dreams on teenagers' shoulders every Friday night.

The portra...more

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