if bissinger's friday night lights was thought to expose some of our country's social ills regarding america's obsession with football, this book took those same ills, placed them under the petri dish and vivisected them with wicked anatomical detail. we have some complex and messy issues floating around out there and i'm no less guilty than most i know and find myself plenty conflicted by the implications of this story, as touching and vile as it is.

fortunately, the timing of this read couldn't have been better in that i'm sure i'll be feeling better by the time the pigskin starts flying through the air again.