Cris's review
Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger
While I am a big football fan, you do not have to be a football fan to enjoy this book. The author basically lived with the Permian Panthers football team in Odessa, Texas for one season in the late 1980's. During his stay, however, he became fascinated with the town (which at the time was somewhat down on its luck). Bissinger discovered that high school football and the way it was received encapsulated a lot of the good and bad about that portion of American society. As someone from a big city on the east coast whose high school did not even have a field, let alone a football team, I found this fascinating.
At one point Bissinger points out that more than likely a similar scenario is played out in small towns throughout America every fall Friday night. He further tellingly points out that in 1988, the year he was with the team, then candidate and V.P. George H.W. Bush went to Odessa on a Friday night and watched the Permian Panthers play. Michael Dukakis did nothing similar. ...more
At one point Bissinger points out that more than likely a similar scenario is played out in small towns throughout America every fall Friday night. He further tellingly points out that in 1988, the year he was with the team, then candidate and V.P. George H.W. Bush went to Odessa on a Friday night and watched the Permian Panthers play. Michael Dukakis did nothing similar. ...more
Glad you liked it man. I should add this to my list too.
