When the Men Were Gone – Marjorie Herrera Lewis

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication Date: October 2nd, 2018

Page Count: 240

From the Jacket:

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.

Rating: 

I absolutely love reading debuts. There is something really wonderful about taking part in a dream come to fruition. I have no doubt that writers put their heart and soul into all of the books they write, but I like to imagine that there is an extra something that goes into that first published work. Lewis’ debut checked a lot of boxes for me. It’s a historical novel based on a true story that has a strong female protagonist who defies societal norms, and bonus–it’s written by a woman. All of these things drew me in and ultimately got me over my initial skepticism about reading a book set in a small Texas football town. Growing up in Texas, I understand how much importance is placed on football and the variety of consequences that go along with that.

In the south, football is life, and the town of Brownwood is no exception. Tylene Wilson grew up learning the ins and outs of the game from her father and has developed a deep love for it. She follows the games obsessively, writes her own plays, and regularly questions calls. Being a woman means she’s not allowed to play herself, but that hasn’t stopped her from attending every game. The school where she works as assistant principal has only ever canceled one season, back in 1918 due to the war. A few decades later a new war requires a new generation of men to go fight, and the team finds themselves unexpectedly without a coach and without an acceptable replacement. Tylene knows that for many of these seniors, this last football season is the only thing between them and enlistment, so she takes it upon herself to find one.

After an exhaustive search and a failed trial period with a potential new coach, it becomes obvious that the only way this season can continue is if Tylene is willing to coach it herself. Now, I expected to be frustrated by a this book, especially considering the location and time period. What I could not anticipate is how much of my frustration would be directed at Tylene. As the chapters went by, I kept expecting for her to volunteer herself, but she never does, not even when her own husband suggests it. The stories I typically read about women in unconventional roles (both fiction and non fiction) are full of confident young girls who do not like or agree with their lot and have the courage to change it. In When the Men Were Gone, Tylene refuses to consider herself as an option! These feelings did not abate, even when I tried to place myself in her shoes, growing up in this very traditional patriarchal society where football is a game for men. Being frustrated by a women who is merely a product of her environment is an uncomfortable feeling.

It’s no spoiler that she ultimately comes around to the idea of coaching herself and begins to work very hard to get everyone else on board with Team Tylene. At this point in the story I was able to stop feeling frustrated with her and start being frustrated with the men trying to get in her way. Balance restored. Phew. I flew through the rest of this book, inspired by Tylene’s tenacity and resourceful attitude. I was charmed by the boys she coaches, infuriated by their fathers, and brought to tears on more than one occasion. When the Men Were Gone is a heart warming story that proves what can happen when we step up and shed the boxes we’re forced into.

A big thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.