Review: Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports by Alden R.

[roughink]

Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports by Alden R. Carter is an enjoyable young adult read.

The book is a series of short stories on various figures in the Argyle High School student body, from the popular to the bullied, the outgoing to the introvert. The stories are humorous, touching, and really very believable. Carter captures teens as they are: with little or no polish, but does so in a way that is not pandering or unnecessarily crude. He portrays both male and female characters accurately and in a way that I believe any teen could relate to easily.

Carter displays an aptitude for portraying the American teen with relative accuracy (and perhaps just the right amount of optimism). The writing is humorous, and true to the game of football and the rules of high school. It is successful in capturing the technique of having many interlocking characters and story-lines while still being an easy read and allowing the reader to become attached to each story-line and character as they continue. It is also note-able for addressing larger issues such as first love, bullying, different types of families, and racism without patronizing or beating the reader over the head with solutions. It is a fun, introspective read about the nature of high school and teen issues, and I think Carter is a genuine talent in the Young Adult field.

Three out of Four Stars