The Silver Linings Playbook is a novel a man’s attempts to reenter society after being in a “neural care facility” for several years. The man is “Pat” he is in his mid 30’s and we meet with him just as his mother signs him out of the facility (what Pat calls the “Bad Place”) and brings him and a load of prescriptions and an appointment for a psychiatrist.

Pat is really concerned about ending the “apart time” with his wife Nikki and thinks that if he really changes himself to become a more positve person, and to be kind instead of right, and if he can lose enough weight by doing multi-hour workouts and running ten miles a day then the apart time will end and he will be reunited with Nikki.

When Pat gets home we see part of the reason he is so messed up. His father is totally disconnected from his family and is a big fan of the Philidelphia Eagles and lets their winning and losing determine his mood for the coming week.

The best parts of the book concern the dedication and daffiness of the football fans. The elaborate hours long tailgate parties complete with generators, satellite televisions, and lazyboys. Pat’s doctor it turns out is part of the “Asian Invasion” fans, all from India who come in their own bus and wear identical jerseys. 

Anyway, to cut to the chase, this is a book about a messed up guy who slowly finds his way back into life and learns to face his demons and face reality. I loved it and I’ll give it four stars. 

The book was made into a movie. I can’t say one is better than the other. They are two separate things in my mind. Check out my movie review.