The Boys of Riverside Audiobook By Thomas Fuller cover art

The Boys of Riverside

A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Boys of Riverside

By: Thomas Fuller
Narrated by: Thomas Fuller
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.75

Buy for $15.75

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The incredible story of an all-deaf high school football team’s triumphant climb from underdog to undefeated, their inspirational brotherhood, a fascinating portrait of deafness in America, and the indefatigable head coach who spearheaded the team, by New York Times reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief, Thomas Fuller.

"The Boys of Riverside is another example of how anyone can achieve their dreams, making what appears impossible, possible.”—Marlee Matlin, Academy Award winner

In November 2021, an obscure email from the California Department of Education landed in New York Times reporter, Thomas Fuller’s, inbox. The football team at the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, a state-run school with only 168 high school students, was having an undefeated season. After years of covering war, wildfires, pandemic, and mass shootings, Fuller was captivated by the story of this group of high school boys. It was uplifting. During the gloom of the pandemic, it was a happy story. It was a sports story but not an ordinary one, built on the chemistry between a group of underestimated boys and their superhero advocate coach, Keith Adams, a deaf former athlete himself. The team, and Adams, tackled the many stereotypes and seemed to be succeeding. Fuller packed his bags and drove seven hours to the Riverside campus.

The Boys of Riverside looks back at the historic 2021 and 2022 seasons in which the California School for the Deaf chased history. It follows the personal journeys of their dynamic deaf head coach, and a student who spent the majority of the season sleeping in his father’s car in the Target parking lot. It tells the story of a fiercely committed player who literally played through a broken leg in order not to miss a crucial game, as well as myriad other heart-wrenching and uplifting narratives of players who found common purpose. Through their eyes, Fuller reveals a portrait of high school athletics, inspiring camaraderie, and deafness in America.

©2024 Thomas Fuller (P)2024 Random House Audio
Football People with Disabilities Sports Feel-Good Coaching Student
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

A Book Riot Best Book of the Month

"Remarkable... [Fuller] offers a new take on the classic “Friday Night Lights” story... Through the journeys of the deaf players, their coaches and their families, Mr. Fuller expands our idea of what it means to communicate. Deafness may seem like a disadvantage on the football field, but the players turn it into an asset."—Wall Street Journal

"Fuller follows two winning seasons for the Cubs, recounted in narrative nonfiction at its finest, filled with drama, detail and action... Fuller keeps the chapters short and dramatic, the pacing quick, the sentences tight. He does not hint at the outcome but lets the story unfold."—Los Angeles Times

"An irresistible tale of triumph over adversity... [Fuller] charts the Cubs’ remarkable journey from perennial losers to championship winners for the first time in the school’s 68-year history."—New York Post

What listeners say about The Boys of Riverside

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    23
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not just a Sports story

Don’t think this is just a book about football!

It’s so much more than that!

It provides detailed insight into the world of the deaf athlete and how deaf people have been treated over the centuries. I had no idea any of this happened and it definitely will make you think About the disability We call deafness and how we have or have not done our best to help these people integrate themselves into the world.

And of course, the sports story could not have been made up because it actually happened. Definitely a great read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

PERSISTENCE

Motivational, determination, courage, defeat & victorious. Truly an inspiring true story! Thank you Tom Fuller. Also, learned a lot about deafness in history. Makes me want to learn ASL.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The story was so good and inspiring

It’s a must listen. You don’t need to be a football fan to enjoy the story. It’s not just about football.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Feel Good Story

Engrossing story and performance. I'm not a football fan, but I found myself cheering on the team!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating and Uplifting

Beautifully written and thoroughly researched, Fuller brings so much impact to this story of a high school football team’s journey.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful