Reading Blog Post 1

I finished reading the preface, prologue and first chapter of H.G. Bissinger’s Friday Night Nights: A town, a team and a Dream. What made me want to read the Book was mainly due to the fact that I am a devoted watcher of the television series, which I fell in love with from the very first episode (though ever since the first season, which is the part based on the book, it hasn’t been as captivating). I also had seen the movie, which in several aspects is more faithful to the book (e.g. characters, town). Ironically enough, on the cover they chose to put pictures of the TV series characters that differ not only by name, but also by number and personality. Another reason that made me want to read this book, is simply that it is a football book. Having read John Grisham’s Playing for Pizza, I knew that that genre was very appealing to me.

Usually when reading a book, saying one has read the preface, prologue and first chapter will not reveal that much of what the book is about. These 42 pages set the tone for what is to come later. In the preface, Bissinger tells his story of how he was inspired to write the book, how he chose Odessa, and his stay there, which was very interesting. The prologue does the job that a first chapter would usually do. It introduces you to the town and their attitude towards high school football and the main characters and their traits. It does so by taking the reader through the thrills and spills of one of the games on Friday night. The first chapter is an introduction to the town Odessa, home of the Permian Panthers. It first gives its historical background: how Odessa is an oil town, how it goes through highs and lows ― quite a depressing town. Bissinger then goes on to explain the importance of Permian High School football. In Odessa, Panther football doesn’t only bring almost the whole town together on Friday night, it keeps it alive.