“Deafness, unlike a physical handicap, is essentially a language barrier with the hearing world.”–Thomas Fuller, The Boys of Riverside: A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory
I really enjoyed this book. It is the compelling and inspirational true story of the football team from a small deaf school in California whose success on the gridiron captured the hearts and imaginations of people all over the country. This book presents a little different side of high school football–the passion without the noise and success through unique communication. Thomas Fuller shares the individual stories of several players and coaches as well as their unlikely quest for success. He also gives a brief history of deaf schools in the United States and the controversies regarding sign language and cochlear implants.
This is a book for the deaf and hearing communities. It has heart, conviction, and a group of young men you can’t help but cheer for. If you like a good sports underdog story or just a good book in general, you can’t go wrong with “The Boys of Riverside.”