Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.g. Bissinger Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream
Book Review: A Fascinating True Life Story Which Teaches Much!
Summary: 5 Stars
I read Friday Night Lights by Buzz Bissinger approximately three years ago. I have just re-read it after having finished "Our Guys" by Bernanrd Lefkowitz, the tragic tale of a town where the star football team members rape a retarded woman and how it's dealt with (or perhaps more accurately -- all but denied) by the town.Lights is a compelling read that makes it easy to hang on to even if one isn't the greatest fan of football. In reading a number of other reviews on this book, I view many of those as defensive reactions from people of the town or from some who know people of the town. This is sad because Lights isn't an indictment of Odessa, Texas. It is EVERYTOWN, USA. There is a great deal of U.S. universality to the story. Yes, one town was spotlighted. Often this is how we learn our greatest lessons in life... by observing human behavior in one setting and considering how it applies to ourselves and the places we live -- to our little world.Bissinger didn't betray the citizens of Odessa. He was not an "undercover" agent spying on them. The people of the town knew he was a reporter; apparently quite a likeable one. Why they expected the lionization of their town and their team as a result of the fact that the reporter was a nice guy is beyond me. Bissinger has proven himself to be an outstanding and objective observer of the culture of Odessa. And, while I don't personally know him, he had nothing against Odessa as a town and probably still doesn't (although he did receive death threats as a result of the book so I don't if that has by now changed his view at all.)Bissinger did what a good journalist does; he told the story of his objective observations. Unfortunately, from this reader's perspective, not a fun or loving or wonderful story. More accurately, I see Lights as a tragic flaw in the culture of our country. When we take kids, encourage them in what I consider one of the most violent sports we consider legitimate, turn them in to "legends" -- albeit only temporarily (while they're playing and winning), we collaborate in physical and psychological damage to our young people. When it's over, most of them have trouble putting it all in perspective -- some never do. They are forever wandering looking for the exhiliration of the attention, the cheers, the fans and the rush they experienced while a member of a winning football team. That we allow this in the midst of one of the most sensitive and critical periods in a human being's life -- adolescence -- makes it even more dangerous, with greater psychological than even physical risk, in a very physically dangerous sport.I tend to disagree with Bissinger that Football became so important for almost every member of that small down because of all that they had lost they needed something to hang on to.This story is an upper, middle and lower class story. It is every town. It is every high school and college that offers Football.I think the lessons we need to consider as a result of this masterfully narrated story are deep annd important ones. What should -- not what is -- be important to the educational and socialization process for the young of our society. For me, I've come to the conclusion that if we continue to allow Football to be played in this country, we need to change the rules. We need to much more intensively educate teachers, coaches, parents and kids themselves on keeping the "sport" in proper perspective. I'm not personally convinced it's doable. I have to conclude that while we have some nice catchphrases to describe this sport (among others in the same category) and its values -- teamwork, competition, physical fitness, working with others, discipline etc... and on and on, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE ABOUT WINNING. After the "win," I'm convinced there's a degree of cultural addiction to the violence in this game. Go to any football game and watch the fans instead of the game; any observer will see a very significant number in attendance who are screaming for more aggression, more violence -- and are taking some very significant psychological satisfaction from it. Exactly what needs are being met in this vicarious manner likely depend on the individual. Yet, what I have the most trouble with is a large majority of our society meeting their own needs for aggression through small groups of very vulnerable younger members of our society. This is unconscionable, it in my personal view is deeply immoral. If we're looking for a better human being in our generations to come, it might be well to consider how to address issues of violence. That this is regulated violence makes no difference at all. We can't keeping using kids to meet unmet needs that we ourselves may have. This is a paricularly urgent lesson for parents. Far too many parents are using/abusing/allowing their offssspring to be physically and psychologically abused in order to try to relive their own "glory days" or in trying to finally attain through their kids, the heights, they themselves were unable to reach in their earlier lives and now regret. We have names for this from the simple word scapegoating to more complex psychological diagnoses called Munchaussen's by Proxy where a disturbed individual uses someone else, quite often their own children, to deliberately cause physical harm to as a result of their own deeply disturbed self imaages. Maybe it's time to stop and consider education and socialization a little more carefully and consider what's best for kids and the society of tomorrow. I can only help but conclude that part of the solution would involve immediately cutting Tackle Football, Ice Hockey, Boxing and Competitive Weight Lifting. While there may be some ostensible higher order of value to any of these sports, generally the realization of that expected "value" is most often forsaken in the need to win, in the domination that occurs and with the more likely result of often permanent physical and psychological damage -- both for men's and women's teams.Thanks Bissinger, you've offered a real eye opener to any of your readers that may work toward a better society for tomorrow. Outstanding!Book Review: An extensive look at football and social issues
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a high school football coach, and I found Friday Night Lights to be a disturbing view of how we push kids too far. More importantly, though, it is about a town where most people think and act a like, where the only constants are death, taxes, and Permian Football. The chapters about the bust and segregation were struck me because Bissinger writes strongly, and backs his findings with people's actual acconts. Anyone who enjoys football will enjoy reading it. I've never been to Texas, but I fell in love with Mojo. It's the kind of pride I wish all towns could have.Book Review: An extensive look at football and social issues
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a high school football coach, and I found Friday Night Lights to be a disturbing view of how we push kids too far. More importantly, though, it is about a town where most people think and act a like, where the only constants are death, taxes, and Permian Football. The chapters about the bust and segregation were struck me because Bissinger writes strongly, and backs his findings with people's actual acconts. Anyone who enjoys football will enjoy reading it. I've never been to Texas, but I fell in love with Mojo. It's the kind of pride I wish all towns could have.Book Review: So so writing, rambles about things unrelated to the team
Summary: 1 Stars
The author writes a preface that gives away too much of the outcome of the team. He rambles on about things that are not only not related to the team but are just plain boring. The only good parts are when he talks about the players personalities.Book Review: How could you give it less than five stars?
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is the whole truth, full truth, and nothing but the truth of corruptive competition in high school football. Sure it happenned in Texas, but the same deeds occur elsewhere. Beside the Bible this is the second greatest book ever writtedn.