69 pages 2 hours read

Buzz Bissinger

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

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1990

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger chronicles the 1988 season of the Permian Panthers, a high school football team in Odessa, Texas, highlighting the town's intense dedication to the sport and examining players' lives, class dynamics, racial issues, and the community's social and political landscape. The book contains racial slurs.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Buzz Bissinger's Friday Night Lights is lauded for its insightful exploration of high school football and its impact on a small Texas town. Critics praise its vivid storytelling and deep character portraits. However, some find its depiction of economic and racial issues overly harsh. Nonetheless, it's widely regarded as a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Friday Night Lights?

Ideal for sports enthusiasts who admire gripping narratives like The Blind Side and Moneyball, fans of Friday Night Lights by Buzz Bissinger are captivated by real-life drama, high school football, and societal issues reflected through a small-town lens. This reader relishes deep dives into the American sports culture and its community impact.

RecommendedReading Age

15+years

Lexile Level

1220L

Book Details

Topics

Sports

Race / Racism

Sociology

Themes

Relationships: Teams

Society: Community

Relationships: Friendship

Genre

Creative Nonfiction

Journalism

Biography