The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

By Michael Lewis

c. 2006

                As a rule, when a book is based on a movie, I always read the book first.  Maybe I’m just literary inclined, but 99% of the time, the book is just better.  Reading the book first lets your imagination really picture the characters, before seeing Hollywood’s interpretation (did anyone really think that’s what Edward looked like—I did not).  Plus there’s the added bonus of being informed enough to educate your friends on how wrong the movie got it wrong (ahem, Da Vinci Code and Harry Potter 6).  

                So, I always read the book before I watch the movie, unless of course I didn’t know there Was a book.  This was the case with The Blind Side.  I love a happy movie, and I enjoy football, so naturally I headed off to the theater and sat down with my popcorn (I love popcorn almost as much as happy endings).  The movie was great, just delightful –for a short time my new aspiration was to be just like Sandra Bullock in that movie.  And as the end credits rolled I saw ‘Based on a book by Michael Lewis’.  A book!  Fantastic!   So to the library I went, it took a while, I was not the only person who thought to read The Blind Side, in fact I believe I was number 47 on the list, But eventually I settled down for a good read. 

                The Blind Side is not solely confined to the story of football player and success story Michael Oher.  The author Michael Lewis also examines some of the history of football, specifically the growing importance of the Left Guard position.  Apparently Left Guards protect the quarterbacks Blind Side.  The importance of the position became clear after Lawrence Taylor (the original LT) sacked Joe Theismann, breaking his leg in two places. When a right-handed quarterback throws the ball, his raised arm causes him to have a blind side, which LT exploited.  The Left Guard is the defensive position assigned to protect the quarter back from the offensive right tackle and thus protect the quarterback’s blind side.  This is what I learned from The Blind Side.  There’s quite a bit more football theory in this book, if the name Bill Walsh means something to you, then you’re ahead of me.  Anyway, I tended to skip some (ok most) of the theory.  Luckily for me, Lewis splits the two parts into separate chapters, so it’s easy to skim the theory, and focus on the story, if that’s your desire. 

                As far as the story, the author does a very good job of showing us a window into the lives of the Touhey family and Michael Oher’s journey.  Some of the anecdotes are recognizable in the movie, but the book also dives into a couple darker episodes in Oher’s life including a disagreement with a teammate that turned violent.   But that does not change the overall feel of the book as a story of triumph over circumstances, and a story of good people doing their best. 

                You should read this book if:

                                You like a feel good story-You enjoyed the movie-

                                You're looking to brush up on your football history

                You should not read this book if:

                                Your heart is made of stone and you like it that way-

                                You hate football