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 enlarge | Author: John Grisham
Publisher: Doubleday
Category: Book
List Price: $175.00
Buy Used: $0.47
You Save: $174.53 (100%)
New (7) Used (19) Collectible (1) from $0.47
Avg. Customer Rating:  445 reviews
Sales Rank: 2693127
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Limited
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 176
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.1 x 1
ISBN: 0385511973
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780385511971
ASIN: 0385511973
Publication Date: November 18, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Average Script for a Lifetime Movie September 16, 2008
Former players by the dozen, including former top recruit Neely Crenshaw, come back home when word spreads that legendary high school football coach Eddie Rake is on death's door. They gather on the old high school bleachers to wait and reminisce about the football man who has had a dominant impact on a small Southern town and the lives of each of the young men. The story principally focuses on Neely and his ambiguity-laden relationship with the old coach. Why did the great coach's greatest player end up filled with animosity toward the master? Is the coach nothing but a bully? Or is he, in the end, quite a lot more?
I doubt that any person who has watched any of the scores of overwrought sports films that glorify a brutal coach will be surprised by any of this book's hundred and fifty or so pages. All the cliches are present: the tough practices, the kids who can't hack it, the kids who attain glory by following the strictures of coach's doctrine, the unexpected kindness of the hard-nosed coach, etc., etc. All this comes with the same lack of thoughtfulness and new ideas. All that's missing are the phony-looking big hit and diving catch scenes. Quite possibly the number one book in Grisham money/effort ratio. In other respects, this book is not notable.
 A Great Story! May 22, 2008
I picked up this book being very skeptical, not knowing what I was diving into because I had heard and read some pretty bad reviews on this book. I love John Grisham and keeping in mind that he is famous for his legal thrillers I didn't really know if I was going to like this book or not. Boy I have never been so glad to be wrong in my life. I read this book in 3 days wishing it wouldn't end. I LOVED the story. I related to it a lot being from a small town myself and living somewhere where our high school football team has built a winning tradition. Not nearly as superb as the Messina Spartans in the book though I might add. I was very moved by the book and I really don't read a lot of this type of fiction. I was moved pretty close to tears towards the end. I can't belive this book doesn't have a high average rating than the one that is on amazon. I really recommend this book to anyone who loves high school football, or to anyone who lives in a small town that revolves around high school football during the fall. John Grisham proves the power of his story telling with this book and although I do love books like The Firm I think he shows us with this book that he can dive into other types of storytelling and keep us captivated just as much. Kudos Mr. Grisham! Kudos!
 A Review by Kevin C., a 7th Grader May 21, 2008
"Number 19 was a high school all-American, a highly recruited quarterback with a golden arm, fast feet, plenty of size, maybe the greatest Messina ever produced." Number 19 is Neely Crenshaw, former Messina Spartan quarterback. Neely has returned to his old hometown of Messina, where his former coach, Eddie Rake, is on the verge of death. Neely's number is the last retired Spartan number, and his return brings back memories of the good old days of Messina. Ultimately, he wonders if Rake loved him or hated him.
Neely meets many of his old teammates, who mostly have changed. Neely, through meeting them, strongly changes thruought the story. Neely and friends spend a lot of time reminicsing- of great games, good times, and friendships. Nate is his former punter, who has changed in an interesting way. Silo, the big goof, is still his same old self.
There are plenty more characters to keep the reader occupied.
This Friday Night Lights-ish story is a step in a new direction for Grisham. It uses vintage football lingo, so non football fans may have difficulty following it. The plot is stable enough to carry the story along, but it's nothing new. However, Grisham does a great job of keeping a reader hooked by adding new characters, who each add something unique to the story. this may be my first Grisham book, but I have heard that his other books are better. Overall, i give Bleachers a 4/5.
A Must Read For Former Football Players May 16, 2008
Grisham departs away from his normal lawyer dramas and this is what makes this book so refreshing. Having been a former football player myself, this book deeply hit those old memories. Walking upon the gridiron that we labored on since we were barely able to pull our shoulder pads on. This book's plot is pretty much figured a quarter way through, yet Grisham still compels the reader to continue along. Overall anyone who enjoys the sport of American football will enjoy this book, anyone else won't understand the importance of the way football brings together boys and makes them into men, forming a long lasting brotherhood.
 It was just OK April 18, 2008
It just wasn't my thing. It was recommended to me so I gave it a try.
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