Pigskin Literature

Book Buzz is a blog produced in collaboration with neighborhood librarians from Houston Public Library, Harris County Public Library and the Bellaire Library.

After these last two weeks of Harvey, we are looking for signs of normalcy and predictability. School schedules are in flux, weekends are spent cleaning up, but it is September and football games are the signs I associate with this time of year (although the Houston Astros are keeping me interested about baseball for a while longer). Texas is a football state and the start of a new season of football games and the hopes of a championship brings a needed distraction.

Football fans range from the heartfelt high school game, the college rivalries and the glitzy pros. Even if you do not understand or even care for the sport, the camaraderie of the fans is fun and the food served at these gatherings is delicious.Tailgating has its own selection of cookbooks to pour over this fall.

Normally one does not associate football with literature, but there are some titles for the fan and the non-fan alike that are of interest:

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The story about 13-year old Michael Oher who left a desperate situation to go to college and ultimately the NFL.  Yes, this is the story behind the movie of the same name.

Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream by H.G. Bissinger. Now considered a classic, this title shows how deep football runs in many small towns and communities.

And for something more basic: Football For Dummies by Howie Long and John Czarnecki. It can be said that we are fans of the teams not of the sport, so if you want to learn about the game, check out this title.

For me, football is about food and there are two good titles to watch for as you prepare for your next game day:

Fan Fare by Debbie Moose. A book filled with 100 recipes to celebrate a year of sporting events.

The Tailgating Cookbook by Bob Sloan. The 140+ recipes will help you score a touchdown.