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COACH RAKE

Some books deserve to be held with warmth and love close to the reader's chest once done. Bleachers is one such book. In a small town called Messina, celebrated soccer players gather after many years to pay homage to their veteran coach Rake as he is about to breathe his last. This unfortunate moment also turns out to be a time for reflection for these players who are now the shadows of their former selves. As they wait to bid farewell to their beloved coach, the chaps dwell on the bittersweet moments they had shared with Rake. Only Grisham can produce an animated football show through carefully chosen words to his readers. The commentary part of the novel transports the readers to a stadium filled with frenzied crowd. I have not been a football fanatic but those few pages made me want to know and understand the terms and jargons used in such an exciting game. Grisham has beautifully blended human sentiments, sportsmanship, team spirit and vigour. Bleachers is. a wonderful rendition of what goes on in Soccer Field beyond scoring goals. 

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