Bleachers

Rating:
Summary: I don't know much about football, but "Bleachers" was okay
Review: I'll openly confess that I hardly know anything about football (I disdain sports in general), but I read this book simply because John Grisham wrote it. I read Grisham's latest offering, "Bleachers", in about three hours (Tuesday evening, December 16th). From a literary standpoint I don't know why this book is considered a novel, since all that "Bleachers" really can be considered is a short story bound in book form; I detected no real plot, there was hardly any character development at all, plus there wasn't much description of any kind; and, what's more, character dialog wasn't that awe-inspiring or memorable.
I can't figure out why Grisham doesn't stick to writing what he's fairly good at writing--somewhat suspenseful legal-thriller-genre novels. Yes, I tolorated the short story "Skipping Christmas", which was also bound in book form and considered a novel. Yes, I really liked "A Painted House", the six-part magazine story--having been published in "The Oxford American"--that turned out to be a full-sized novel. But I guess I didn't expect Grisham to, after two regular novels ("The Summons" and "The King Of Torts"), again depart from the legal genre.
I'm thinking that with these other stories, "Bleachers" included, Grisham is writing what he *desires* to write; but with his legal novels, Grisham is writing what he *has* to write.
Nevertheless, Grisham knows more about football than I know, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee a worthwhile book.
I collect Grisham books, so I'll be adding a copy of "Bleachers" to my bookshelf, but I'm glad I was able to read it beforehand.
I'm mildly anticipating John Grisham's next legitimate novel--"The Last Juror"--due early next year.
If Grisham wants to write outside the legal-thriller-genre, that's fine with me, but why not develop stories with enough substance to make them worth the time and effort it takes to compose them, which would then make the stories full-length novels?
Meanwhile, Grisham's latest offering fell a bit *short* of my expectations; and, as if that weren't enough, "Bleachers" didn't teach me a thing about football. Yet, ironically, I didn't read the book for the story, I read the book for it being a product of Grisham's body of work.
Perhaps someday John Grisham will realize that he's better off writing his legal novels; then, instead of putting out a book a year, he can maybe take the time and creative energy used to create short stories and put such time and creative energy into continuing to write decent legal-thriller books (to make up for a few of his earlier works that weren't all that they could've been).
But, in the meantime, I still don't care a thing about football.

Rating:
Summary: Poor effort by Grisham
Review: Grisham in an attempt to show again that he is capable of writing more then a legal thriller, came short in the writing of this book. A Painted House was a fine effort by Grisham and it displayed some of his depth as an author. Bleachers definitely seemed the most contrived work that Grisham has published yet. His legal thrillers over the last few years have been fairly inconsistent, from the horrible The Summons to the fairly decent King of Torts. However, this book was his worst yet.

It took a static character in a dead football coach, and made him your stereotypical "Bear Bryant" like High School Coach. Outside of that, he has the All-American Quarterback that was injured in college, and forever is in the shadow of his once-greatness. Grisham could have done a lot more with this character, but instead he just uses him rather statically to tell the story. He could have dealt a great deal more with the pain that Neely was feeling and the gut-wrenching emotion that he must have dealt with in years past of thinking what might have been had he not been injured.

Instead, Grisham uses every steretotypical football character and can only manage to fill 160 pages with the story. He has the kid that gets screwed up with drugs playing big-time college football and will never be the same. He has the old bruiser linebacker that just likes to hit people on and off the field. etc. etc. Grisham does not allow you to care for any of these characters, and since the book is so short, it makes you wonder if he even knew what to do with the characters. There was a scene in the book describing a football game that goes on literally for 20 or so pages that is basically just a description of what went on in the game itself. There is some commentary from the players. But it really doesn't go into the range of the emotions, these type of players would have felt during the game.

The good news is, if you decide to read this book, then you probably have only wasted a couple of hours due to its length. The bad news is that you have just used time reading Grisham's worst novel this far. Grisham's basic plot line wasn't bad, and his idea to write a sport's story is a good one, however, he did very little with his story then have overrused characters that are static and without emotion.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: A non-typical grisham book. Short and sweet. Reads very fast and is difficult to put down.

A must read for anyone who has played for a "legendary" coach.

Rating:
Summary: Not one of Grisham's best but I'll take it
Review: I am thankful that Grisham didn't produce another stumbling lawyer just out of law school who coincidentally bumps into one of the biggest pharmaceutical fraud cases. This was another breath of good, fresh air. Just like his previous novel "A Painted House" which deviated from his lawyerly ability. This was an all-around good book but there are a couple of things that bothered me. I don't think that Grisham likes any type of love making or affection between the main character and his object of desire. All that I have read and felt from Grisham considering the main character and his lover is friction. Grisham also doesn't give a description of the main character. Am I wrong to state that leisure reading is supposed to expand our imaginations. How can we expand our imagination when we can't even picture what the main character looks like. The only character that is given any description is Nat. He is just-out-of-the-closet and bookstore owner that is given any hint of a description.

If you are a Grisham fan, I would consider purchasing it. If not, wait until it comes out in paperback.

Rating:
Summary: Save Time, Read the Flap
Review: This is basically how I felt about this book. I have enjoyed Grishams many other novels. I did, however, prepare myself that Grisham was attempting an out of character attempt at a sappy reminicient novel. You can read the flap summary and figure out what the outcome of the book will be.

I figured out the "big secret" of the championship game, in the first few chapters. No twists, no suprises as normally is a Grisham trait.

I finished the book quite quickly. I think you can safely say that no movie will be made from this novel!

Rating:
Summary: southern small town has priorities out of whack
Review: And isn't that typical? I grew up in a town almost this bad in Texas. High school football rules the social structure, and that's all many people live for. The book is short, easy to read, with a modest amount of drama. But it isn't very suspenseful or "fulfilling". It is only moderately entertaining. I read it in one day.

Rating:
Summary: The internal strife of a small town former hero...
Review: Grisham strays far away from his typical legal battle du jour in this tale of the internal struggle of a former small town hero. The main character Neely Crenshaw is a former star quarterback and must battle his own demons to figure out how to pay homage to his former coach. There is a secret that has haunted them both for years, and no one in town ever found out the truth...until now...

If you enjoy heart-touching fiction in the style of Mitch Albom ("Tuesdays with Morrie", "The Five People You Meet in Heaven") then you very well may enjoy Grisham's latest. However, if you are looking for his usual action-packed legal thrillers, then this is not the book for you. Keep that in mind and this book can be a good read for almost anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Not his best, not his worst
Review: Having coached varsity interscholastic sports for over 25 years, I was pleasantly surprised by John Grisham's Bleachers. Yes, there are various books on this same topic that are better written. And at 160 or so pages, it is rather light. But it deals with some universal themes that occur with any person who plays or coaches a sport. Things like the fine line between love and hate for a coach. Sometimes we hate coaches for the torture and discipline they put us through, but love the results and the fact that coaches push us to our limits. Often times, coaches see things in us that we might not know we possess. It's also surprising to find out at times that the coaches we revere as gods are actually human, after all. It was also interesting to read the dynamics between the various players of different teams and different generations. For some former athletes, playing on a championship team becomes the most defining moment of their lives. On the minus side, I thought Grisham could have done a better job at character development. Also, I'm a little skeptical of commercially successful authors who publish such short novels. It's as if they're just putting something out there to meet a deadline. Still, Bleachers has some redeeming qualities and it proves to be a quick but enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: Better than I expected
Review: Enjoyable read for a cold afternoon. Finished it in an hour or so. Maybe copying Losing Season by Pat Conroy?

Rating:
Summary: Friday Night Football: Take the Spartans over the Lawyers
Review: Grisham has written a slim novel about high school football, which those of us from Pennsylvania understand is also played elsewhere in the country. But without players like Unitas, Namath, Marino, Harris, Kelly, Montana, Moore, Ham, Cappalletti, etc. I dont know why they bother.

In any case, Grisham crafts a well written story about a dying coach who is a mix of Paul Bryant's committment, extreme training, sense of fairness (especially related to the integration process), and Woody Hayes' volatility and self-destructive behavior. Coach Rake has won 13 state titles in 30+ years at Messina High and was ultimately fired over the heat exhaustion death of a player, in a Sunday morning torture session reminiscent of Bryant's Junction Boys.

As word circulates that the Coach is facing a fourth and long with no time outs remaining, the former players return to Rake Field for a vigil. Their ages range from 30 to 60, but most have never achieved any greatness since their high school football careers ended at 18.

Neeley is the protanganist here, an all-American quarterback who has not been back to Messina since his career ended with a cheap shot to his knee in a college game. He starts to deal with issues such as why he dumped the true love of his life for a groupie with incredible legs and an inviting back-seat, and how he really feels about the coach who took him to the state championship, where an unfortunate confrontation occurred, that is only now being discussed.

Grisham tells a story well here, with clever foreshadowing and fascinating characters. Fortunately, no lawyers appear until a minor character pops up to give a eulogy at the funeral. The interaction of the players from several generations allows the story of the school's integration to be told, clearly Rake's actions then were his finest hour, along with his counseling of former players gone off the track or out of the closet.