When we received our advanced review copy of Sideline: Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore Collection here at HLS.com headquarters, we were a little confused. First of all, it’s not really what we do. We don’t review a lot of books because, well, some of us can’t read. And others of us don’t read anything that doesn’t involve a hobbit. So we weren’t sure why the publishers would ever think of us for this important task.

The second thing that confused us was we weren’t sure what to make of the book. Under what category would this book fit? Sure, it instantly made a handsome coffee table book in my living room, admired by the dozens of dignitaries and important people who visit me every week, but this book seemed to be trying to say something more than your usual piece of low horizontal space decor. Indeed, if you look deeply within the book, you’ll see that, in the right context, this book has answers to questions we may never have thought to ask.

On first blush, the book strikes a visceral impact with it’s cover. And sure, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, but you can dismiss one based of poor imagery. Sideline does not suffer from poor imagery. Three handsome visuals share equal billing here, reminding the reader of the excitement, tradition, and pride for Our Lady that lay within the bindings of this work. The cover creates excitement and anticipation for a reader who will enthusiastically devour this tome page by page.
The reader turns over the cover of Sideline, and, ah, yes, there he is. The man of the hour. The hero of our story, who will guide us through the twists and turns of the pages ahead: Charlie Weis, looking so fashionable in a navy colored, 97/3 poly/spandex blend golf shirt with white sleeve trimmings. It’s a shirt that says it’s wearer can have fun, but kick ass while doing so.

The reader is also greeted with some imposing ideas in these first few pages. Can I, the reader, really afford the $349.00 Notre Dame football signed by Charlie Weis while still feeding my family and not suffering the difficulties of divorce? Can a man really have too many autographed Golden Helmets behind his work desk? At the reasonable price of $549.00, I think not.

On the next page, the plot thickens to a delicious stew as we see that this year, we will not be purchasing #10, #3, and #83 replica jerseys. No, this is a new book for a new time, and in this time, it’s all about the #11, #7, and #9.

This book is far from perfect. Indeed, the narrative is a bit lacking, and we find ourselves, as readers, confronted with some very difficult situations. The Rugby Shirt on page 16 is a nice example, as we find ourselves struggling with the author’s notion that you can just slap the requisite interlocking “ND” any damn place on any old thing, and we will just gobble it up and ask for seconds. It’s as though the author has begun to resent his reader, and wishes to punish him or her like a poorly dressed middle schooler.

The story also falls into some of modern day’s trappings, assaulting the reader with not-so-clever interpretations of Crocs, here compelling and forcing the idea upon the reader with a clumsy use of inserts. But just as these devices start to feel to the reader as though it’s all just too much to stand, the author pulls the ship back on course with some familiar, but comforting symbolism. Two toddlers embracing each other, reminding us all that everything works out in the end, and you can subliminally trick your offspring into cheering for the old gold and blue.

The entire story finishes up with a climax of baubles and bangles, all within the context of a very familiar theme, and then the reader, who went through so many hills and valleys with the author, is treated with a satisfying denouement in which the reader learns that not every year needs to be remembered for its over-abundant use of alliteration and consonance in the form of gameday tee shirt slogans.

While the book moves quickly and one finds oneself wishing for more explanations to go with the accompanying imagery, this is, perhaps, the author’s best work in years. Telling the story just as it needed to be told, without falling into Dostoevsky-level ramblings or pretense. I find myself struggling to not give too much away while still conveying the beauty and artistry contained within the pages of Sideline: Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore Collection

3.5 out of 4 possible Cheers.

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