Bleachers

If you're not into football, this book isn't for you.

Perfectly captures the longing for the past and the process of letting go into the future. I love reading the legal thrillers but I don't keep them. This one I kept and over the years have read it three times..

John Grisham uses high school football in a small town to have us take a look at what really matters. A group of friends come together to mourn the loss of their football coach. The characters are well developed and you feel as though they are your old friends by the end of the book. The book addresses regrets, the need for forgiveness, and the importance of friends. You will enjoy this book even if you aren't a fan of football.

For those that have given ill reviews to Mr. Grisham's latest, I suspect they were never involved in small-town sports, especially football. Reared in a small, Texas town, football was a way of life for me, much like it is for the environs of Messina. Reading this book in a single sitting, I couldn't help but live my glory days again. We were adored and pampered by our people, and that is something that only high school football will allow a great many, young boys and girls. Thanks, Mr. Grisham, for such a great story.

I am a woman,62 years old. Out family moved to a small Texas town in 1972, population 21,000 (then). Where football was KING!...especially on Friday night. To read this book brought back to me all the nostalgia of a by-gone time. When there was unity in a town, where everyone pulled together for one common purpose, shallow for some, very important for others. A great book. I felt the emotion, I could hear the crowds again, the thrill of the team entering the field. Thank You John Grisham!!

There are no lawyers, judges, juries or DA's in "Bleachers" by John Grisham.It is a simple, unpretentious story eloquently told.The high school football team put a small Southern town on the map after a new coach was hired. Eddie Rake, the coach for 34 years won numerous state championships and had an eighty-four game winning streak.More important than the stats was the influence, inspiration and affect he had on his players. They were considered the elite, not only of the school, but the town as well.The coach is dying and players return for the vigil and funeral of the man they both loved and hated, revered and feared, adored and abhorred.Generations of players mingle, stories are swapped and long held secrets are revealed. A powerful book that will make you laugh, cry and cheer---and in the end feel uplifted and reaffirmed.You cannot ask for more than that.

Not your typical Grisham courtroom thriller, but a well thought out book that keeps you wondering what will happen next. A quick read, but well worth it.