Book Review of
When the Men Were Gone
In Marjorie Herrera Lewis’s debut historical novel the inspiring true story of high school teacher Tylene Wilson—a woman who surprises everyone as she breaks with tradition to become the first high school football coach in Texas—comes to life.
“A wonderfully touching and beautiful story…Tylene makes me laugh, cry, and cheer for her in ways I have not done in a long time.”—Diane Les Bocquets, bestselling author of Breaking Wild
Football is the heartbeat of Brownwood, Texas. Every Friday night for as long as assistant principal Tylene Wilson can remember, the entire town has gathered in the stands, cheering their boys on. Each September brings with it the hope of a good season and a sense of unity and optimism.
Now, the war has changed everything. Most of the Brownwood men over 18 and under 45 are off fighting, and in a small town the possibilities are limited. Could this mean a season without football? But no one counted on Tylene, who learned the game at her daddy’s knee. She knows more about it than most men, so she does the unthinkable, convincing the school to let her take on the job of coach.
Faced with extreme opposition—by the press, the community, rival coaches, and referees and even the players themselves—Tylene remains resolute. And when her boys rally around her, she leads the team—and the town—to a Friday night and a subsequent season they will never forget.
Based on a true story, When the Men Were Gone is a powerful and vibrant novel of perseverance and personal courage.
Lynn's Review
I am not a huge football fan, yet I loved When the Men Were Gone, by Marjorie Herrera Lewis. You don’t have to know anything about football to enjoy this book. But if you love football, I think you will love it! When All the Men Were Gone is based on a true story of a small town football team in Texas during WWII. This story reads like nonfiction because it is based on a true story.
This is one of those stories that you know happened during WWII. So many men were gone to war, lost in the war, or injured in the war. The women had to step up and do things that they had never done before. One of the things that I really liked about this book was that it took place in the U.S during the war. There are so many fiction and nonfiction books about WWII, but most of them happen in the Europe or in the Pacific. This book gives you a little different view because it is about the people left at home during the war. This book would be a great gift for a football fan or mother of a football player.