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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780385340878
ISBN number: 0385340877
Label: Delta
Manufacturer: Delta
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 192
Printing Date: May 29, 2007
Publishing house: Delta
Release Date: May 29, 2007
Sale Popularity Level: 47950
Studio: Delta
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
High school all-American Neely Crenshaw was probably the best quarterback ever to play for the legendary Messina Spartans. Fifteen years have gone by since those glory days, and Neely has come home to Messina to bury Coach Eddie Rake, the man who molded the Spartans into an unbeatable football dynasty.
Now, as Coach Rake’s “boys” sit in the bleachers waiting for the dimming field lights to signal his passing, they replay the old games, relive the old glories, and try to decide once and for all whether they love Eddie Rake – or hate him. For Neely Crenshaw, a man who must finally forgive his coach – and himself – before he can get on with his life, the stakes are especially high.
Amazon.com:
With Bleachers John Grisham departs again from the legal thriller to experiment with a character-driven tale of reunion, broken high school dreams, and missed chances. While the book falls short of the compelling storytelling that has made Grisham a bestselling author, it is nonetheless a diverting novella that succeeds as light fiction.
The story centers on the impending death of the Messina Spartans' football coach Eddie Rake. One of the most victorious coaches in high school football history, Rake is a man both loved and feared by his players and by a town that relishes his 13 state titles. The hero of the novel is Neely Crenshaw, a former Rake All-American whose NFL prospects ended abruptly after a cheap shot to the knees. Neely has returned home for the very first time in years to join a nightly vigil for Rake at the Messina stadium. Having wandered through life with little focus since his college days, he struggles to reconcile his conflicted feelings towards his former coach, and he assays to rekindle love in the ex-girlfriend he abandoned long ago. For Messina and for Neely, the homecoming offers the prospect of building a life after Rake.
Physically a narrow book, Bleachers is a modest fiction in many respects. The emotional scope is akin to that of a short story, with a single-minded focus on explorations of nostalgia and regret. The dialogue, especially that of Neely's friend Paul Curry, is sometimes wooden as characters recall Messina history in paragraphs that were perhaps better left to the narrator. But Grisham has otherwise written a well-made, entertaining--if a bit sentimental--story. --Patrick O'Kelley
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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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!
Rated by buyers 
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"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 Saturday 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 very first Grisham book, but I have heard that his other books are better. Overall, i give Bleachers a 4/5.
Rated by buyers -
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.
Rated by buyers 
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It just wasn't my thing. It was recommended to me so I gave it a try.
Rated by buyers -
It's a good story; makes you want to know whats coming next. Majority of these reviews here have given out the plot, so I am not going to repeat it here.
John Grisham is my favorite writer. For anyone who is Grisham's fan you will love this novel. It's not what Grisham's story is about that makes you love his books but its rather the way he lay down his characters and the way he narrates the story.
Grisham tells a tale to which many of us can relate personally, no matter what it is it can be a small thing from a Christmas dinner to a street lawyer reading a news paper to a crack addict, but you will still love it.
Having listened this book on audio, it is very entertaining because it is read by the author himself with several actors who sounds very much like the radio sports broadcasters, e.t.c.
Loved it.
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