Reid Forgrave

It was difficult to relate to the "good ol' boy" mentality of what it takes to be a real man - guns, football, "sucking it up" when injured, etc. But as I got through the book, I appreciated the author's skill at presenting the story of Zac Easter's short and tragic life without judgment. America loves football, because of the violence or in spite of the violence. The revelation of CTE injuries presented a difficult reckoning for the NFL and beyond. Forgrave presents both sides of the controversy very well. In the end, I was glad to have read it.… (más)

This was excellent, tragic, eye-opening, and gut-wrenching. The work explores the role of football in American culture and the future of football in light of CTE and other concussion based trauma and damage. These two themes center around the life of Zac Easter. An Iowa football player. The story follows Zac’s youth and high school career and exposes the dangers of football and the dedication Americans have to it.

After finishing this book, the reader is left to question why football persists in popularity despite the risks, how it is ingrained in the American psyche, and what it is about the sport that galvanized communities. Most of all the book is the tragic story of Zac and how he represents the contradictions of football in the U.S… (más)