What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story
On a Sunday in May 2008, an F-5 tornado struck the town of Parkersburg, Iowa, killing eight people and destroying 250 homes and businesses within 34 seconds. The next day, Parkersburg’s beloved football coach, Ed Thomas, made a stunning “God willing, we will play our first home game here on this field this season.” One hundred days later, the home team scored a victory on the field they dubbed “The Sacred Acre,” serving as a galvanizing point for the town to band together and rebuild. But just as Parkersburg was recovering, another devastating tragedy struck. While working with a group of football and volleyball players early one morning, one of Ed’s former students walked in and gunned him down point blank. Ed Thomas was 58. The murder of this hometown hero spread across national news headlines. Ed’s community and family reeled from shock. Yet the story doesn’t end here. What happened next proves that even a double tragedy is no match for faith, love … and the power of forgiveness.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2011
57 people are currently reading
526 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
October 10, 2011
This is a book where the quality of the book itself has to be separated from the quality of its story or protagonist. By all accounts, Ed Thomas was an amazing person: great coach, noble human being, honorable person, inspiring all-around. This book, unfortunately, is not of the same caliber.
On the day Coach Thomas was murdered, I was teaching summer school to a class where half the students were coaches and activity directors. Some of them had bumped into Mr. Thomas in their careers as players and coaches, some of them knew him only by reputation. Each of them grieved. We talked about leadership and strength, especially in adversity. Mr. Thomas's son, Aaron, gave some inkling of the family's strong faith when at a press conference he asked the community to remember the Becker family (the family of the young man who'd killed Aaron's father) in their prayers. The Des Moines Register ran weeks of stories about the Thomas family, about Mark Becker and his family, about the trial, and about the Parkersburg community, which had rebuilt after a tornado. Thomas's football field, referred to in the title of this book as "The Sacred Acre," was a symbol of the town's ability to rebuild after disaster. It is a wonderful story of a small town united in common purpose and of Thomas' faith and work.
Tabb's retelling of the Parkersburg / Thomas tragedy is choppy. Apparently he interviewed people who knew Thomas, so he has some anecdotes and remembered speeches, and lessons learned, and those are all good, but one has to get through the choppy writing to find them. It is more like reading an outline than like reading a coherent narrative. There are powerful parts that could be expanded -especially the feelings of the Thomas family - but they are brief and superficial. Perhaps that is a function of wanting to protect the Thomas family's privacy, which is understandable. The author comes down negatively against Mark Becker, who needed mental help that he did not receive, itself a tragedy. Expanding that story and talking with the Becker family, if they were willing, would have made the book stronger. Given how quickly this book came out after the event, maybe Tabb just needed more time to write it, and more editing and coaching along the way.
On the day Coach Thomas was murdered, I was teaching summer school to a class where half the students were coaches and activity directors. Some of them had bumped into Mr. Thomas in their careers as players and coaches, some of them knew him only by reputation. Each of them grieved. We talked about leadership and strength, especially in adversity. Mr. Thomas's son, Aaron, gave some inkling of the family's strong faith when at a press conference he asked the community to remember the Becker family (the family of the young man who'd killed Aaron's father) in their prayers. The Des Moines Register ran weeks of stories about the Thomas family, about Mark Becker and his family, about the trial, and about the Parkersburg community, which had rebuilt after a tornado. Thomas's football field, referred to in the title of this book as "The Sacred Acre," was a symbol of the town's ability to rebuild after disaster. It is a wonderful story of a small town united in common purpose and of Thomas' faith and work.
Tabb's retelling of the Parkersburg / Thomas tragedy is choppy. Apparently he interviewed people who knew Thomas, so he has some anecdotes and remembered speeches, and lessons learned, and those are all good, but one has to get through the choppy writing to find them. It is more like reading an outline than like reading a coherent narrative. There are powerful parts that could be expanded -especially the feelings of the Thomas family - but they are brief and superficial. Perhaps that is a function of wanting to protect the Thomas family's privacy, which is understandable. The author comes down negatively against Mark Becker, who needed mental help that he did not receive, itself a tragedy. Expanding that story and talking with the Becker family, if they were willing, would have made the book stronger. Given how quickly this book came out after the event, maybe Tabb just needed more time to write it, and more editing and coaching along the way.
November 10, 2011
Sacred Acre is an amazing book. I live in Iowa and I know we were all devastated when the F-5 tornado hit Parkersburg killing eight people and destroying over 250 homes and businesses. The state of Iowa was even more devastated when they heard that Parkersburg High School football Coach Ed Thomas was murdered by a former student and player. I knew this book was going to be good, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so good that I could barely sit it down at night.
This book betrays an inspirational message when things get tough you have to keep on fighting. Like Ed Thomas he told Parkersburg that they would play their first home game on their home field, even though the tornado hit and destroyed about everything. He believed that anything was possible if you set your mind to it.
Ed Tomas was a beloved Coach, husband, father, and friend. This book shared with us that he was more than a coach he was a church elder, mentor to students, and players. It is amazing how one guy can have an effect on so many people. Reading this book kind of made me angry, because I don’t understand how someone can take someone else’s life especially someone that has an impact on so many people. I think it is amazing though instead of Ed Thomas’s family and community grieving about his death they are rebuilding what he started and striving each day to do things in his memory.
This book reminded me of our hometown football coach, he just doesn’t coach football he teaches us life lessons that will help us in our future. This book was amazing and I recommend it to anyone that loves football, or anyone that likes to read about amazing people and hometown heroes.
This book betrays an inspirational message when things get tough you have to keep on fighting. Like Ed Thomas he told Parkersburg that they would play their first home game on their home field, even though the tornado hit and destroyed about everything. He believed that anything was possible if you set your mind to it.
Ed Tomas was a beloved Coach, husband, father, and friend. This book shared with us that he was more than a coach he was a church elder, mentor to students, and players. It is amazing how one guy can have an effect on so many people. Reading this book kind of made me angry, because I don’t understand how someone can take someone else’s life especially someone that has an impact on so many people. I think it is amazing though instead of Ed Thomas’s family and community grieving about his death they are rebuilding what he started and striving each day to do things in his memory.
This book reminded me of our hometown football coach, he just doesn’t coach football he teaches us life lessons that will help us in our future. This book was amazing and I recommend it to anyone that loves football, or anyone that likes to read about amazing people and hometown heroes.
July 18, 2011
The Sacred Acre is an amazing story about an equally amazing man who managed to do great things when all odds were against him. He was able to because he never stopped believing. Ed Thomas is the kind of man you would want on your team. He was an incredible football coach but more importantly a great man in his community. He was loved and respected by all and was always able to look on the bright side.
I am not a football fan but still loved this book. Our community was recently hit by an F-5 tornado - its path was only 5 miles from my own home. I am seeing how long it takes to recover so I find it incredible that Thomas was able to get his football field and players ready for the new season.
If you want to be inspired (and don't mind shedding a few tears or more) this is the book for you.
I am not a football fan but still loved this book. Our community was recently hit by an F-5 tornado - its path was only 5 miles from my own home. I am seeing how long it takes to recover so I find it incredible that Thomas was able to get his football field and players ready for the new season.
If you want to be inspired (and don't mind shedding a few tears or more) this is the book for you.
May 18, 2015
I have had this for so long, a gift from my Mom, but Sunday I read the book. It was so powerful that I teared up in several places. It really made me think about reaching out to those around me and making a difference.
March 25, 2018
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. I have wanted to read it for a long time. It is a 'wow' book, so inspiring, so moving. I will admit, one of the reasons it was so powerful for me was because I lived it. I lived 20 miles from Parkersburg. I remember exactly where I was when the tornado which opens the book rolled through Parkersburg. We were on our back deck, celebrating a baptism with extended family. We noted the sky getting really dark to the northwest but didn't think anything of it till my parents were headed home west on 20 and called to tell us to turn on the tv to find out what was happening because they were meeting tons of emergency vehicles. Only then did we learn about the devastating tornado. I can also tell you exactly where I was and what I was doing when Ed was shot. I was walking around the neighborhood, listening to the radio on headphones when they cut in with the news. I remember stopping and talking to neighbors. Everyone was in shock, no one could believe this could happen, could happen here, and could happen to such a nice/great/upstanding/outstanding man. I also remember the shock, disbelief, confusion and outrage when it was learned that the hospital released the shooter without notifying the police. "If only..." So yes, I did already know the major events of the book. I did not know some of the details and backstories which made it all the more poignant. What really stood out for me, and I'm sure what Ed would have hoped would be the message if anyone were to write a book about him, was the way his wife and two sons dealt with his death. Each of them had their own conversation with God and each came around to the same conclusion, though through different paths and Bible verses. If they can find good in this and forgive...lessons for all of us. I shed tears throughout the book. It was well-written and an enjoyable read, as much as can be, given the tragic events. If everyone would read it and take his message to heart, the world would truly be a better place. RIP, Coach. You were a fine example and a good and faithful servant.
October 23, 2025
The book The Sacred Acre is a tragic story about a small town in Iowa getting hit by an EF5 tornado. After the tragic event, the coach of the local high school football team, Ed Thomas, stated that they will rebuild. This rallied the town to join together and rebuild their community. Ed also had memorable quote: “God willing, we will play our first home game on this field this season” (Tabb). This upped the already high supportive energy of the town and had them work harder to rebuild. Unfortunately, on June 24, 2009, Ed Thomas was shot point-blank in the school locker room by one of his former students. Shocked by this news, the small town banded together to help heal the now gloomy town. But this story shows the power of teamwork and the importance of family, as shown by the small town of Parkersburg.
The “Greats and the Lousys” refer to the goods and bads of the story. Some of the truly wonderful “Greats” is the area where it happened. Being close to our town it gives us a whole different revelation, rather than someone from say, New York, where they don't get tornadoes. Also, just the detail said in the book. It describes the horrible EF5 tornado and its destruction. As well as quoting Ed Thomas’ humor. Now the only lousy thing I could find was that the book was quite graphic. From the tornado to the murder, it is described in great, stunning detail.
This might be a deterrent to a more youthful audience. But it is still a wonderful story, plot, and it will leave the reader wanting to read more. This book would be a good read for anyone related to sports or tragic natural disaster lovers.
References
Tabb, M (2011). The sacred acre: The Ed Thomas story. Zondervan.
The “Greats and the Lousys” refer to the goods and bads of the story. Some of the truly wonderful “Greats” is the area where it happened. Being close to our town it gives us a whole different revelation, rather than someone from say, New York, where they don't get tornadoes. Also, just the detail said in the book. It describes the horrible EF5 tornado and its destruction. As well as quoting Ed Thomas’ humor. Now the only lousy thing I could find was that the book was quite graphic. From the tornado to the murder, it is described in great, stunning detail.
This might be a deterrent to a more youthful audience. But it is still a wonderful story, plot, and it will leave the reader wanting to read more. This book would be a good read for anyone related to sports or tragic natural disaster lovers.
References
Tabb, M (2011). The sacred acre: The Ed Thomas story. Zondervan.
April 25, 2024
Sacred Acre is a book written about the great life of Ed Thomas who is the main character in this book. I love the main character. He shows a lot of emotion and he is very inspirational and has an impact on everyone, all of his players, his kids and grandkids. Another reason I love this book is the organization. It has quotes at the top of the page and YouTube links at the bottom and a page in the middle that has pictures on it. Sacred Acre is an amazing book because of the characters and the layout of the text.
One of the reasons I liked this book was the characters. Coach Thomas was very hard working, religious, and wasn’t afraid to show emotion. After a E5 tornado tore through his town he took charge in cleaning up but was very emotional about his classroom, the football field, and other parts of his school and house being destroyed. The author states “ Ed Thomas was a man who lived the gospel, loved his family and believed in doing things the right way.” I like how the author asks his family for more information about him. And I just in general like the main character because he’s such a good person and I think it wears off to his children, grandchildren, and his students.
The other reason is the organization of the book. There are quotes of the main character at the top of the page before every chapter . I like how it does that because those quotes that he says my football coach says them to. It also has YouTube links at the bottom of the page if you look them up it shows the video of what they are talking about. And it gives you a visual and it shows them in real life talking about the situation. It catches my attention and makes me want to get to the next page to see if there are more links. It also makes me want to finish the chapter to see another one of his quotes.
In conclusion I think that this is a great book and a great read. I felt a lot of emotions while reading this. I love how the main character shows emotion and has an impact on many people's lives. I also love how the author organizes the books with quotes and links at the bottom the catches the reader's attention.
One of the reasons I liked this book was the characters. Coach Thomas was very hard working, religious, and wasn’t afraid to show emotion. After a E5 tornado tore through his town he took charge in cleaning up but was very emotional about his classroom, the football field, and other parts of his school and house being destroyed. The author states “ Ed Thomas was a man who lived the gospel, loved his family and believed in doing things the right way.” I like how the author asks his family for more information about him. And I just in general like the main character because he’s such a good person and I think it wears off to his children, grandchildren, and his students.
The other reason is the organization of the book. There are quotes of the main character at the top of the page before every chapter . I like how it does that because those quotes that he says my football coach says them to. It also has YouTube links at the bottom of the page if you look them up it shows the video of what they are talking about. And it gives you a visual and it shows them in real life talking about the situation. It catches my attention and makes me want to get to the next page to see if there are more links. It also makes me want to finish the chapter to see another one of his quotes.
In conclusion I think that this is a great book and a great read. I felt a lot of emotions while reading this. I love how the main character shows emotion and has an impact on many people's lives. I also love how the author organizes the books with quotes and links at the bottom the catches the reader's attention.
April 25, 2018
I actually stopped reading my other book because this one was so compelling and uplifting. I was inclined to like the book because I remember the coverage of the tornado and then Coach Thomas' death. It's just a heartwarming story about a humble, faith-filled man and a town who endured tragedy but still remembered what Coach Thomas taught them about forgiveness, perseverance, and faith. Is it the most well-written thing I've ever read? No, but message more than makes up for the flaws in my (admittedly very biased) opinion.
November 18, 2024
Ehhhh. This was written by a pastor so there is a ton of time focusing on evangelical Christianity. This would have been better if written by a seasoned sports writer. There is so muc more here that has been left out.
June 21, 2025
Took me a while as it wasn’t as much of a binge read as books I usually read. But as an Iowan, a coach, a teacher, and someone still dealing with grief for my brother, it hit pretty hard. A must read honestly.
December 17, 2017
This book is AMAZING!!! You honestly don’t even have to like football to read it. It’s all about the life of an incredible man that lived in Parkersburg, IA. I love how it talked about his failures and how he came back from them. Ed Thomas won the NFL national coach of the year, and also produced four NFL players out of a small town. It also talked a lot about his role he played in the community. When Parkersburg got his by an F-5 tornado, he played a huge role in rebuilding the community. After the tornado hit, most of their school was demolished. Everyone in the community thought they would have to join with another school district. However, he made sure that didn’t happen and gave the whole community hope for the future. Sadly, he was killed by one of his former players which devastated many.
August 23, 2016
I have lived in Parkersburg my entire life. Through the tornado, and through the shooting.
People might think they know how much of an impact Ed Thomas had in our school, and our community but really, they have no idea. You have to have been in Parkersburg, been in the high school and been at the Sacred Acre for some Friday night football. Then you can talk.
Ed Thomas had such a huge impact on our community. I can't even imagine what our school and area would be like if it weren't for him. You can't explain it. Our high school would be so different, our football team would not be nearly as good, and our community wouldn't have handled the tornado like we did. Ed Thomas helped us through the tornado and taught us how to handle adversity, which helped us through the shooting.
Most of the credit after the shooting has to go to the Thomas family, though. About 24 hrs. after his father was murdered, Aaron Thomas went and did a press conference on his dad's death. Not many people could have done that. Jan Thomas went to the same church as the Beckers and continued their friendship. The community also handled it really well, considering the circumstances. Because of the example that the Thomas family set, they continued to welcome the Becker family into the community.
I would say that the worst things about the shooting were losing Ed Thomas, and the 22 kids who saw it happen. They were mostly freshmen and sophomores. I knew a few of them and it was traumatizing to them. The person they all looked up to, being shot right in front of them.
Aplington- Parkersburg is so strong from what happened, after the tornado and the shooting. Our town has grown and become closer. After the shooting you'd feel like people you've never met are your friends because the felt the same way you did and knew what you were going through.
People might think they know how much of an impact Ed Thomas had in our school, and our community but really, they have no idea. You have to have been in Parkersburg, been in the high school and been at the Sacred Acre for some Friday night football. Then you can talk.
Ed Thomas had such a huge impact on our community. I can't even imagine what our school and area would be like if it weren't for him. You can't explain it. Our high school would be so different, our football team would not be nearly as good, and our community wouldn't have handled the tornado like we did. Ed Thomas helped us through the tornado and taught us how to handle adversity, which helped us through the shooting.
Most of the credit after the shooting has to go to the Thomas family, though. About 24 hrs. after his father was murdered, Aaron Thomas went and did a press conference on his dad's death. Not many people could have done that. Jan Thomas went to the same church as the Beckers and continued their friendship. The community also handled it really well, considering the circumstances. Because of the example that the Thomas family set, they continued to welcome the Becker family into the community.
I would say that the worst things about the shooting were losing Ed Thomas, and the 22 kids who saw it happen. They were mostly freshmen and sophomores. I knew a few of them and it was traumatizing to them. The person they all looked up to, being shot right in front of them.
Aplington- Parkersburg is so strong from what happened, after the tornado and the shooting. Our town has grown and become closer. After the shooting you'd feel like people you've never met are your friends because the felt the same way you did and knew what you were going through.
July 28, 2012
What an inspiring read. Much better than I anticipated. And, I discovered what a strong connection our DC-G coach had to Ed Thomas. Also, the attorney that prosecuted this case works with my mock trial team. So I kind of felt like I had been exposed to all the aspects of this tragedy. However, the story of the mission of Ed Thomas' life and his affect on others is truly remarkable. In my top three for the summer.
March 18, 2013
I felt so many emotions reading this book. Admiration, inspiration, sadness, shock, anger, hopefulness and the list goes on. I think people born and raised in Iowa are typically hard working, caring individuals. Ed Thomas exemplified these traits in addition to being a strong Christian. I really hope my children can someday reflect on an educator and/or coach who provided such a positive impact on their lives as Ed Thomas did for countless individuals. Thank you for sharing his story.
May 28, 2015
One word...Amazing!!! This was such an inspirational book and made me wish I had been lucky enough to have met Coach Ed Thomas. I highly recommend this book. And at the end of the book Coach Thomas' wife said it very well...
If only good things happen in this world, no one would ever see a need for God. It is not that God causes sin, sin is the absence of God!
Hebrews 13:5-6 "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Very well written.
If only good things happen in this world, no one would ever see a need for God. It is not that God causes sin, sin is the absence of God!
Hebrews 13:5-6 "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Very well written.
March 21, 2022
My book Sacred Acre was based on a true story written by Mark Tabb. Sacred Acre had really good characters that are relatable to me. The main character was Ed Thomas. I think that he is really relatable to coach Jay Roozeboom. I really like the plot in this book because Ed Thomas has to overcome a lot of challenges and he never gives up. And it seems like he is always busy doing something for someone else.Ed Thomas is a high school teacher and football coach in the great football state of Iowa. He coaches a small school in Iowa called Aplington-Parkersburg which is two schools combined into one for football. Ed Thomas had to face a lot of adversity in this book. There was a tornado that touched down in Parkersburg Iowa and destroyed the whole town and most importantly Ed’s field The Sacred Acre.
I really like the plot in this book because Ed Thomas has to overcome a lot of challenges and he never gives up. And it seems like he is always busy doing something for someone else in some way or another. He lives his life trying to have an impact on each of his students and players. It doesn’t matter how good of a student or athlete you were, he wanted to help you achieve your goals. After the tornado hit his town he made sure that all of his neighbors were okay. It didn’t hit him until after he made sure that all of his neighbors were ok, that his house was completely destroyed and all of his belongings were thrown across the town of Parkersburg. He is also worried about where the kids will go to school and get their education. He volunteers as the drivers ed instructor and he cleans up the town and the school. I really enjoyed the plot of this book because it always keeps you wondering what is going to happen next and if Ed Thomas can overcome adversity and complete the task at hand. Ed Thomas is such a determined man that nothing will stop him even a tornado. Ed Thomas is always busy from coaching football, to teaching drivers ed, and taking care of his Sacred Acre.
Ed Thomas is the main character. I think that he is really relatable to coach Jay Roozeboom. We first get introduced to Ed Thomas on page 9 of the book. Ed Thomas is married to Jan Thomas. Some of the other important characters are Ed and Jan’s sons Aaron and Todd Thomas . Ed Thomas is so relatable to our head coach of our high school football team because winning isn’t everything to him. One of my favorite quotes that Ed Thomas says on page 85 it reads “ We never talk about winning to our players. We talk about doing the little things correctly, about doing what is right, about being first on and off the field”. Ed is so determined to change how you look at life. Another favorite quote from Ed Thomas is on page 3 it reads “ I want my legacy to be that I wasn’t just a football coach, but a man who tried to live a Christian life and impact others”. This just shows that Ed cared about every single player that ever put on an A-P Falcon jersey no matter if you were good at football or not. On page 207 Ed Thomas said “There are three things necessary to be successful in life: faith and a relationship with God, using our power to choose to do what is right, and hard work. I think that Ed Thomas is so relatable to Jay Roozeboom because Coach Roozeboom always says that he loves his three F’s. Faith Family Football. Another reason why I think that Ed Thomas is so relatable to our football coach is because he makes an impact on everyone in his player’s lives. And everyone in our four towns knows who he is. Jay Roozeboom also relates to Ed Thomas by caring about his players no matter if you are an incoming freshman or 4 year starter he will treat you the same way. He also shows all his players respect and he is also a highly respected individual in our communities just like Ed Thomas was. All around I think my Book Sacred Arce has really relatable characters that is one of the reasons I liked my book.
I think that if you like sports and non-fiction books this is a book for you. I also think if you want to find a really good book that touches your heart about a great person and great football coach this is the book for you. I think that if you played football at West Lyon under Coach Roozeboom you should read this book. The end of this book may shock you if you haven’t heard of it before reading it. I wish that I could’ve have played football under Coach Ed Thomas
I really like the plot in this book because Ed Thomas has to overcome a lot of challenges and he never gives up. And it seems like he is always busy doing something for someone else in some way or another. He lives his life trying to have an impact on each of his students and players. It doesn’t matter how good of a student or athlete you were, he wanted to help you achieve your goals. After the tornado hit his town he made sure that all of his neighbors were okay. It didn’t hit him until after he made sure that all of his neighbors were ok, that his house was completely destroyed and all of his belongings were thrown across the town of Parkersburg. He is also worried about where the kids will go to school and get their education. He volunteers as the drivers ed instructor and he cleans up the town and the school. I really enjoyed the plot of this book because it always keeps you wondering what is going to happen next and if Ed Thomas can overcome adversity and complete the task at hand. Ed Thomas is such a determined man that nothing will stop him even a tornado. Ed Thomas is always busy from coaching football, to teaching drivers ed, and taking care of his Sacred Acre.
Ed Thomas is the main character. I think that he is really relatable to coach Jay Roozeboom. We first get introduced to Ed Thomas on page 9 of the book. Ed Thomas is married to Jan Thomas. Some of the other important characters are Ed and Jan’s sons Aaron and Todd Thomas . Ed Thomas is so relatable to our head coach of our high school football team because winning isn’t everything to him. One of my favorite quotes that Ed Thomas says on page 85 it reads “ We never talk about winning to our players. We talk about doing the little things correctly, about doing what is right, about being first on and off the field”. Ed is so determined to change how you look at life. Another favorite quote from Ed Thomas is on page 3 it reads “ I want my legacy to be that I wasn’t just a football coach, but a man who tried to live a Christian life and impact others”. This just shows that Ed cared about every single player that ever put on an A-P Falcon jersey no matter if you were good at football or not. On page 207 Ed Thomas said “There are three things necessary to be successful in life: faith and a relationship with God, using our power to choose to do what is right, and hard work. I think that Ed Thomas is so relatable to Jay Roozeboom because Coach Roozeboom always says that he loves his three F’s. Faith Family Football. Another reason why I think that Ed Thomas is so relatable to our football coach is because he makes an impact on everyone in his player’s lives. And everyone in our four towns knows who he is. Jay Roozeboom also relates to Ed Thomas by caring about his players no matter if you are an incoming freshman or 4 year starter he will treat you the same way. He also shows all his players respect and he is also a highly respected individual in our communities just like Ed Thomas was. All around I think my Book Sacred Arce has really relatable characters that is one of the reasons I liked my book.
I think that if you like sports and non-fiction books this is a book for you. I also think if you want to find a really good book that touches your heart about a great person and great football coach this is the book for you. I think that if you played football at West Lyon under Coach Roozeboom you should read this book. The end of this book may shock you if you haven’t heard of it before reading it. I wish that I could’ve have played football under Coach Ed Thomas
February 21, 2025
Imagine going to a high school where your football coach gets murdered by a former player. The book Sacred Acre by Mark Tabb discovers and tells about a young high school student/football player who killed his coach. Not only this but there was also lots of other things going on in the book leading up to this tragic event. Tornados roared over the town, wiping out houses, buildings, etc. “Please God don’t let anything heavy come down on top of me.” (Tabb, 2012, p. 26) said Todd. From a terrible tornado storm to the murder of the football coach.
In this book there are many different tragedys and things that go on during this story. There was a lot of ups and downs in this book but it depends on how the reader views the book and what they see in it. I recently read a book containing both "great" and "lousy" parts. There are many "greats" or good parts of this book and some "lousy" or bad parts. This book took place in 2007 in Aplington IA about 2 hours away from where we live today. This book is based on facts, real events, and real people, this book even includes some real pictures from that time!
Some “Greats” about this book are that there is very good detail, real-life images, there is a lot of problem-solving, lots of inspiration, and even in the back of the book, there is a team roster of the AP Falcons and acknowledgments to many important people. This book shows how great of a coach Ed Thomas was and how he treated each player with respect. He didn't deserve to be murdered by a former player who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He had lots going on in his head and he wasn’t exactly in the right mindset when this took place. This book is very powerful in many different ways. As Ed Thomas once said to his former players “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Tabb, 2012, p.72) This shows that he truly cared about his players on a different level and for something so tragic like this is devastating. This football team had such a strong bound together building up a family on the field and off. There was many times they would all hang out as a group, laugh, joke, and just enjoy each other. The team even had that grand bond with their coach Ed, being there for him just like he was there for them. Once the tornado swept through his house the whole team went to go help clean up and build up again. This shows the relationship that this team had together. While at his funeral one of the players said “No, all I really know from being around him for so long is that he made people around him wish to be better than we are by looking at the way he lived” (Tabb, 2012, p.163). This was something so hard that the team had to go through it as one and get through it together.
Some “Lousys” about this book are that it took me some time to get into, it’s a pretty long book, and it kind of jumps around a bit. I started off reading the book and it was kind of hard to get into because it started of about a year before the main event. It was a long time leading up to it. I also don't enjoy reading that much so it being a long book was kinda of hard for me to finish but it was definitely worth it. There are a lot of ups and downs, jumping around. From going one event to the other is a short amount of time. From starting with the tornado to going to the shooting a year later and to the funeral. It was very overwhelming and felt as almost I was living in this experience myself. It felt real. But in the end, the coach really wanted to make sure that he had a connection with the guys on the football team off the field, he once said “If all I have taught you is how to block and tackle, then I have failed you as a coach.” (Tabb, 2012, p. 128). He truly wanted something special with his football team.
Over all, I would definitely recommend this book to someone. It was a great read, kept me involved and wanting to read it. It made it more interesting that it was close to home where this happened. Never would you ever think that this would happen 2 hours away from where we live today. This book is definitely interesting and will keep you on your toes.
In this book there are many different tragedys and things that go on during this story. There was a lot of ups and downs in this book but it depends on how the reader views the book and what they see in it. I recently read a book containing both "great" and "lousy" parts. There are many "greats" or good parts of this book and some "lousy" or bad parts. This book took place in 2007 in Aplington IA about 2 hours away from where we live today. This book is based on facts, real events, and real people, this book even includes some real pictures from that time!
Some “Greats” about this book are that there is very good detail, real-life images, there is a lot of problem-solving, lots of inspiration, and even in the back of the book, there is a team roster of the AP Falcons and acknowledgments to many important people. This book shows how great of a coach Ed Thomas was and how he treated each player with respect. He didn't deserve to be murdered by a former player who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He had lots going on in his head and he wasn’t exactly in the right mindset when this took place. This book is very powerful in many different ways. As Ed Thomas once said to his former players “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Tabb, 2012, p.72) This shows that he truly cared about his players on a different level and for something so tragic like this is devastating. This football team had such a strong bound together building up a family on the field and off. There was many times they would all hang out as a group, laugh, joke, and just enjoy each other. The team even had that grand bond with their coach Ed, being there for him just like he was there for them. Once the tornado swept through his house the whole team went to go help clean up and build up again. This shows the relationship that this team had together. While at his funeral one of the players said “No, all I really know from being around him for so long is that he made people around him wish to be better than we are by looking at the way he lived” (Tabb, 2012, p.163). This was something so hard that the team had to go through it as one and get through it together.
Some “Lousys” about this book are that it took me some time to get into, it’s a pretty long book, and it kind of jumps around a bit. I started off reading the book and it was kind of hard to get into because it started of about a year before the main event. It was a long time leading up to it. I also don't enjoy reading that much so it being a long book was kinda of hard for me to finish but it was definitely worth it. There are a lot of ups and downs, jumping around. From going one event to the other is a short amount of time. From starting with the tornado to going to the shooting a year later and to the funeral. It was very overwhelming and felt as almost I was living in this experience myself. It felt real. But in the end, the coach really wanted to make sure that he had a connection with the guys on the football team off the field, he once said “If all I have taught you is how to block and tackle, then I have failed you as a coach.” (Tabb, 2012, p. 128). He truly wanted something special with his football team.
Over all, I would definitely recommend this book to someone. It was a great read, kept me involved and wanting to read it. It made it more interesting that it was close to home where this happened. Never would you ever think that this would happen 2 hours away from where we live today. This book is definitely interesting and will keep you on your toes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 16, 2024Ed Thomas was a beloved man from Parkersburg, Iowa, who also happened to be the head coach of the Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons football team. He taught many students that no matter who you are, you can work together as brothers and win. Mark Tabb, along with the family of Ed Thomas, discuss the tragedy that struck their town. Ed Thomas resurrected his town and brought young men back to play football and inspire the whole town.
This book does a lot of great things. For example, one of the great things about this book is that it does an amazing job describing Ed Thomas as a person. Chapter twenty says, “Character is you doing what is right when no one is looking and no one will know.” (Tabb, M. 2011, pg. 213) This is one of the many things Ed Thomas believed in. Since he believed heavily in it, Coach Thomas told his boys in football, and in his classroom this statement. The quote describes him perfectly because he always tried to do the best thing he could for his family, students, and players. To me this quote can be practiced daily by helping when you see a need, doing extra than what is expected, and basically doing these things without reminders or coaching. It should just be a part of your personality. Ed never hesitated when it came to helping anyone. He reminds me of my father because my dad will always be the first one to lend a helping hand. Both of them look for opportunities to teach young people a life lesson. They value relationships and leading with honesty and positivity. The emotions in this book are also conveyed beautifully between the deep talks with his sons and football players, to the varied emotions that were felt when the tornado struck and the deep devastation and loss felt when the next tragedy struck the Aplington-Parkersburg school community. Another inspiring thing about this book is the religious path that it takes. The book portrayed Ed Thomas as a devoted Christian, and reinforced the idea repeatedly by showing him quoting the Bible, or using prayer and praying for grace.
While this book is amazing, it also comes with its fair share of flaws. The first thing that I didn’t really like was how the book keeps coming back to the EF5 tornado. “Jan rescheduled the trip for the following June, as in June 2008, the month after the EF5 tornado. ‘You kids go ahead and go without us,’ Jan told Aaron and Todd, but they wouldn’t hear of it. Jan canceled that trip too.” I feel like another flaw this book has is that every time I get to a new chapter, it’s always circling back to talking about the tornado. This book cannot escape the tornado, and it makes it harder to read because it feels redundant. I was more interested in the football and coaching aspects of the book. Another idea that made this book hard to read was the killing of Ed Thomas by a former player. As you get to know him, it seems that much more awful to think of a player killing this man. I do have a question about this book, and that question is Ed is described greatly, but no one else gets anywhere close to the amount of attention he gets. So that leaves me wondering; how did everyone else go through their life in this book, and how did they react to their situation?
This isn’t just a great book for football fans, but for all students. The reason I say this is because this book is all about pushing through adversity and succeeding even though the world says no. I love how this book combines an amazing story along with Ed Thomas being an incredible person. Overall this book accomplishes what it sets out to do, and that is to tell you about Ed Thomas and his accomplishments after a tornado blew his world apart. One thing I do wish is that there was more description for other characters. And other than always talking about the tornado, I think this book is a good read for everyone.
This book does a lot of great things. For example, one of the great things about this book is that it does an amazing job describing Ed Thomas as a person. Chapter twenty says, “Character is you doing what is right when no one is looking and no one will know.” (Tabb, M. 2011, pg. 213) This is one of the many things Ed Thomas believed in. Since he believed heavily in it, Coach Thomas told his boys in football, and in his classroom this statement. The quote describes him perfectly because he always tried to do the best thing he could for his family, students, and players. To me this quote can be practiced daily by helping when you see a need, doing extra than what is expected, and basically doing these things without reminders or coaching. It should just be a part of your personality. Ed never hesitated when it came to helping anyone. He reminds me of my father because my dad will always be the first one to lend a helping hand. Both of them look for opportunities to teach young people a life lesson. They value relationships and leading with honesty and positivity. The emotions in this book are also conveyed beautifully between the deep talks with his sons and football players, to the varied emotions that were felt when the tornado struck and the deep devastation and loss felt when the next tragedy struck the Aplington-Parkersburg school community. Another inspiring thing about this book is the religious path that it takes. The book portrayed Ed Thomas as a devoted Christian, and reinforced the idea repeatedly by showing him quoting the Bible, or using prayer and praying for grace.
While this book is amazing, it also comes with its fair share of flaws. The first thing that I didn’t really like was how the book keeps coming back to the EF5 tornado. “Jan rescheduled the trip for the following June, as in June 2008, the month after the EF5 tornado. ‘You kids go ahead and go without us,’ Jan told Aaron and Todd, but they wouldn’t hear of it. Jan canceled that trip too.” I feel like another flaw this book has is that every time I get to a new chapter, it’s always circling back to talking about the tornado. This book cannot escape the tornado, and it makes it harder to read because it feels redundant. I was more interested in the football and coaching aspects of the book. Another idea that made this book hard to read was the killing of Ed Thomas by a former player. As you get to know him, it seems that much more awful to think of a player killing this man. I do have a question about this book, and that question is Ed is described greatly, but no one else gets anywhere close to the amount of attention he gets. So that leaves me wondering; how did everyone else go through their life in this book, and how did they react to their situation?
This isn’t just a great book for football fans, but for all students. The reason I say this is because this book is all about pushing through adversity and succeeding even though the world says no. I love how this book combines an amazing story along with Ed Thomas being an incredible person. Overall this book accomplishes what it sets out to do, and that is to tell you about Ed Thomas and his accomplishments after a tornado blew his world apart. One thing I do wish is that there was more description for other characters. And other than always talking about the tornado, I think this book is a good read for everyone.
February 27, 2024
What if your whole life changed before your eyes? What would happen if everything you knew was gone in a flash? Would you rebuild from the foundation of what you lost or weep in sorrow? That’s what the book “The Sacred Acre” (Mark Tabb) is all about. The Sacred Acre is a nonfiction book, written by Mark Tabb. The story covers Thomas Ed, a football coach who takes care of his football field and players religiously, until a major disaster strikes causing him to lose almost everything he knew. Ed Thomas was a well-known football coach at Parkersburg High School, he had been known at Parkersburg for turning the slum of a football program into a prospering, well-established, high-spirited football team. It was something he adored. Ed was known to have relationships with his players like those who loved a family member. However, that’s not what this essay is about, my opinion on the early book was uninspiring, but the more I read in-depth, the better the book got.
What’s good about this book? This book took off giving the reader a good overview of who Ed Thomas was and his achievements and background. It climaxed quite early in the book, which took my interest by storm. Ed’s hometown and his perspective on everything change in a blink. His hometown gets decimated by a tornado, leaving not just Ed, but everyone else in Parkersburg torn. Ed shows character development throughout this book, which is something I find to be a “great” of the book. The amount of overview and the description of Ed Thomas is something that I find to be extremely nice about this book. It provides such a clear view of who he is, and not just him but also his family and other side characters. A majority of the book is written from the viewpoint of Ed but also has a third-person perspective at a good amount of times. Another striking thing about this book was it provided pictures of the football, program Ed Thomas and The Sacred Acre. I would say most definitely that it informs the reader about Ed Thomas and the tragedy that took place.
Okay, but what’s bad about this book? The Sacred Acre starts extremely slow and takes a minute to reach anything eventful. I had to put down the book because I was bored within the first few chapters. It’s quite difficult to get a good interest in the start. I didn’t get extremely far into the book, probably about halfway and I found it to be repetitive. I found myself just learning over and over about Ed when other characters at times needed more development. It’s very scattered at times and hard to keep track of where the characters are. But other than that, I thought it was a pretty good book for as much as I read.
My rebuttal for the lousy’s is that it’s a nonfiction book. That being said it’s going to be hard to keep attention as much as it is because it needs to find a climax first. With it being a nonfiction book it also means that it’s going to be pretty ordinary. It tells a story, this story being about Ed Thomas, a football coach at Parkersburg High School. The excuse for it being scattered is well; everything. The setting itself is a whole mess because of the wreckage, it’s hard to know what they are working on and not. Although it talks about Ed for most of the book, I’d go as far as saying it’s justified, as the book is about him.
A great book is a book that informs you, and that is exactly what the author does. Mark Tabb does a great job of informing the reader about Ed Thomas, and even better the setting of Parkersburg. The pros outweigh the cons in this book, the climax will push you through the book and keep your attention. The Sacred Acre is a great book for teenage readers, especially people from Iowa. If there was a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to know more about Parkersburg, this would be the book I recommend.
What’s good about this book? This book took off giving the reader a good overview of who Ed Thomas was and his achievements and background. It climaxed quite early in the book, which took my interest by storm. Ed’s hometown and his perspective on everything change in a blink. His hometown gets decimated by a tornado, leaving not just Ed, but everyone else in Parkersburg torn. Ed shows character development throughout this book, which is something I find to be a “great” of the book. The amount of overview and the description of Ed Thomas is something that I find to be extremely nice about this book. It provides such a clear view of who he is, and not just him but also his family and other side characters. A majority of the book is written from the viewpoint of Ed but also has a third-person perspective at a good amount of times. Another striking thing about this book was it provided pictures of the football, program Ed Thomas and The Sacred Acre. I would say most definitely that it informs the reader about Ed Thomas and the tragedy that took place.
Okay, but what’s bad about this book? The Sacred Acre starts extremely slow and takes a minute to reach anything eventful. I had to put down the book because I was bored within the first few chapters. It’s quite difficult to get a good interest in the start. I didn’t get extremely far into the book, probably about halfway and I found it to be repetitive. I found myself just learning over and over about Ed when other characters at times needed more development. It’s very scattered at times and hard to keep track of where the characters are. But other than that, I thought it was a pretty good book for as much as I read.
My rebuttal for the lousy’s is that it’s a nonfiction book. That being said it’s going to be hard to keep attention as much as it is because it needs to find a climax first. With it being a nonfiction book it also means that it’s going to be pretty ordinary. It tells a story, this story being about Ed Thomas, a football coach at Parkersburg High School. The excuse for it being scattered is well; everything. The setting itself is a whole mess because of the wreckage, it’s hard to know what they are working on and not. Although it talks about Ed for most of the book, I’d go as far as saying it’s justified, as the book is about him.
A great book is a book that informs you, and that is exactly what the author does. Mark Tabb does a great job of informing the reader about Ed Thomas, and even better the setting of Parkersburg. The pros outweigh the cons in this book, the climax will push you through the book and keep your attention. The Sacred Acre is a great book for teenage readers, especially people from Iowa. If there was a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to know more about Parkersburg, this would be the book I recommend.
November 3, 2025
Set in Parkersburg, Iowa, The Sacred Acre paints the true story behind the legacy, football coach, Ed Thomas left behind. Thanks to the author Mark Tabb and the work of Tony Dungy in the foreword, the family Ed left behind is given a stronger voice to speak on the footpath he gave to so many, not only the players on his team, but to everyone he encountered during his thirty four years in Parkersburg. During this time, Ed coached high school football and worked as a history teacher. Ed taught the players the importance of respect to the game and for each other. Ed truly led by example as he says, “If we do the little things right, the big things will take care of themselves” (Tabb). Their home football field became known as the “sacred acre” as it brought expectation, pride, community, and purpose to everyone involved. In 2008, tragedy struck when an F5 tornado destroyed most of the town. This experience rallied everyone together and created an even tighter bond between the people of Parkersburg. “Parkersburg needs something that lets them know that the storm did not beat us and will not define who we are” (Tabb). Under horrific circumstances, this better prepared the entire community for what would come later the next year.
The Sacred Acre is truthfully one of the most compelling non fiction books you’ll read, with many greats that take it to the next level. The way an author describes a character is one of the first things that stands out to me when I read. Mark Tabb did an amazing job expressing the strong character of Ed Thomas and the moral principles he possessed. Ed’s foundation of life and coaching was based off his three F’s philosophy: faith, family, and football.
“I’ve always said my job is not to prepare our kids to be college athletes. My job is to make football a learning experience, and there are so many things they can learn from being a part of our team that will help them be successful later in life as a father, member of a church, or member of the community” (Tabb).
Through this, we can also appreciate that the lessons Ed taught went far beyond the football field and put the players wellbeing first. This book does a great job at capturing this and one of the things I think helps with this is who Mark decided to interview. His interview choices created authenticity especially because he didn’t know Ed Thomas personally. “If all I have taught you is how to block and tackle, then I have failed you as a coach” (Tabb). Another great from this book was the impact it has on it’s readers. It influences those to reflect on their own lives and the people who have changed them significantly. The book truly is a reminder to not take our heroes for granted.
In The Sacred Acre, there are numerous notable greats as far as content is concerned, but there are some lousys that have everything to do with the authors writing style. Structurally, the book is absolutely all over the place. Characters have flashbacks in a lot of books, and thats great, but this book went back and forth so often it drastically changed my understanding of the whole thing. I would get to the end of the page and restart because the information wasn’t aligning with anything I had read before. For example, right away in chapter two, it starts off about the affects of the F5 storm, but continues about one of Ed’s former players marrying a cheerleader without a smooth transition whatsoever.
I would recommend the book to those who like to read inspirational biographies and show interest in leadership. Although it is a book centered around the life of a football coach, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for a sports oriented book. Another reason I may not suggest the book is because of the heavy subject matter like grief, devastation, trauma, and betrayal; the reader must have a certain maturity level to handle the topic of The Sacred Acre.
The Sacred Acre is truthfully one of the most compelling non fiction books you’ll read, with many greats that take it to the next level. The way an author describes a character is one of the first things that stands out to me when I read. Mark Tabb did an amazing job expressing the strong character of Ed Thomas and the moral principles he possessed. Ed’s foundation of life and coaching was based off his three F’s philosophy: faith, family, and football.
“I’ve always said my job is not to prepare our kids to be college athletes. My job is to make football a learning experience, and there are so many things they can learn from being a part of our team that will help them be successful later in life as a father, member of a church, or member of the community” (Tabb).
Through this, we can also appreciate that the lessons Ed taught went far beyond the football field and put the players wellbeing first. This book does a great job at capturing this and one of the things I think helps with this is who Mark decided to interview. His interview choices created authenticity especially because he didn’t know Ed Thomas personally. “If all I have taught you is how to block and tackle, then I have failed you as a coach” (Tabb). Another great from this book was the impact it has on it’s readers. It influences those to reflect on their own lives and the people who have changed them significantly. The book truly is a reminder to not take our heroes for granted.
In The Sacred Acre, there are numerous notable greats as far as content is concerned, but there are some lousys that have everything to do with the authors writing style. Structurally, the book is absolutely all over the place. Characters have flashbacks in a lot of books, and thats great, but this book went back and forth so often it drastically changed my understanding of the whole thing. I would get to the end of the page and restart because the information wasn’t aligning with anything I had read before. For example, right away in chapter two, it starts off about the affects of the F5 storm, but continues about one of Ed’s former players marrying a cheerleader without a smooth transition whatsoever.
I would recommend the book to those who like to read inspirational biographies and show interest in leadership. Although it is a book centered around the life of a football coach, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for a sports oriented book. Another reason I may not suggest the book is because of the heavy subject matter like grief, devastation, trauma, and betrayal; the reader must have a certain maturity level to handle the topic of The Sacred Acre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2024
In order to preserve history, it must be documented. While the legacy of a Northeast Iowan football coach may not be worthy of residing in textbooks, Mark Tabb preserves it in his nonfiction novel, The Sacred Acre. I recently had the privilege of reading the book, and have many great things to reflect about it. The book has many great aspects and a few less great aspects; but overall, it is a good book.
First of all, the book has great context. It is based on a true story that happened not long ago. A reader can relate to the story, and understand it very well. I myself find football stories interesting, and The Sacred Acre includes lots of them. Tabb has a great writing style. His selection of words and sentences makes the book easy to read, yet full of detail. The book is not written in perfect chronological order, which Tabb did intentionally to make it easier for the reader to follow along. A good book includes a good lesson. A lesson one might pull from this book is that adversity makes you strong. Throughout the book, the people of Parkersburg, Iowa are battling adversity. Unfortunately, a terrible storm comes through Parkersburg, destroying houses, public buildings, the school, and the sacred acre, which is the nickname for their football field. Many of the football players spent their summers rebuilding the town, and were still ready to play football.
“‘Are you kidding me, Coach? After all the work we did this summer, today feels like the start of a summer vacation!’” (Tabb, 2011, pg. 112)
Coach Thomas always told his players that adversity is what makes you strong. As his team that faced lots of adversity made it to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs that season, we can see that he wasn’t lying. If a reader only gets one lesson from The Sacred Acre, it should be that adversity is what helps you in the long run.
While The Sacred Acre has a lot of great aspects to it, there is one thing that I would change. In order to make the book reasonably short, Tabb had to spend less time writing about certain parts of the story. Usually football books include a lot of literature about certain games and fighting for the win. The Sacred Acre is not as descriptive in that area, and includes very little about Coach Thomas and his players actually in action. Instead, there is more of a quick summary.
“The first half ended with A-P trailing 7 to 0…14 to 0 early in the third quarter…trailed 14-6…” (Tabb, 2011, pg. 142)
If Tabb were to have put more emphasis on certain parts of the story, including these important football games, it would not only make the story more entertaining, but would also help contribute to the overall message about adversity and hard work.
As for my recommendation on the book, I would suggest it to anyone who lives in Northeast Iowa. Since they are familiar with the setting of the book, they could better relate to it. It is also important for these people to be aware of the legacy that existed not far from them. If you are interested in a good novel about football, The Sacred Acre is just one of many great options for you. The book is reasonably easy to read, and even kids as young as ten years old would be able to understand the plot and context of the story. If you have the time, read it.
References
Tabb, M. (2011). The Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story Zondervan
First of all, the book has great context. It is based on a true story that happened not long ago. A reader can relate to the story, and understand it very well. I myself find football stories interesting, and The Sacred Acre includes lots of them. Tabb has a great writing style. His selection of words and sentences makes the book easy to read, yet full of detail. The book is not written in perfect chronological order, which Tabb did intentionally to make it easier for the reader to follow along. A good book includes a good lesson. A lesson one might pull from this book is that adversity makes you strong. Throughout the book, the people of Parkersburg, Iowa are battling adversity. Unfortunately, a terrible storm comes through Parkersburg, destroying houses, public buildings, the school, and the sacred acre, which is the nickname for their football field. Many of the football players spent their summers rebuilding the town, and were still ready to play football.
“‘Are you kidding me, Coach? After all the work we did this summer, today feels like the start of a summer vacation!’” (Tabb, 2011, pg. 112)
Coach Thomas always told his players that adversity is what makes you strong. As his team that faced lots of adversity made it to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs that season, we can see that he wasn’t lying. If a reader only gets one lesson from The Sacred Acre, it should be that adversity is what helps you in the long run.
While The Sacred Acre has a lot of great aspects to it, there is one thing that I would change. In order to make the book reasonably short, Tabb had to spend less time writing about certain parts of the story. Usually football books include a lot of literature about certain games and fighting for the win. The Sacred Acre is not as descriptive in that area, and includes very little about Coach Thomas and his players actually in action. Instead, there is more of a quick summary.
“The first half ended with A-P trailing 7 to 0…14 to 0 early in the third quarter…trailed 14-6…” (Tabb, 2011, pg. 142)
If Tabb were to have put more emphasis on certain parts of the story, including these important football games, it would not only make the story more entertaining, but would also help contribute to the overall message about adversity and hard work.
As for my recommendation on the book, I would suggest it to anyone who lives in Northeast Iowa. Since they are familiar with the setting of the book, they could better relate to it. It is also important for these people to be aware of the legacy that existed not far from them. If you are interested in a good novel about football, The Sacred Acre is just one of many great options for you. The book is reasonably easy to read, and even kids as young as ten years old would be able to understand the plot and context of the story. If you have the time, read it.
References
Tabb, M. (2011). The Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story Zondervan
February 21, 2024
Reading nonfiction books can benefit you in many ways such as teaching you valuable life lessons, expanding your knowledge and vocabulary, learning about specific events, and experiencing people’s perspectives. I recently read the nonfiction book The Sacred Acre by Mark Tabb, which was written about the life of the head football coach for the Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons, Ed Thomas. There were many great parts throughout the book, as well as a few parts that I believe could be improved upon.
There were many different “greats” included in The Sacred Acre. This book talks about so many good life lessons that can apply to everyone. Coach Ed Thomas was all about teaching his football players not only to be their best on the field but also in their everyday lives. A quote from chapter six says, “If all I have taught you is how to block and tackle, then I have failed you as a coach” (Tabb, 2011, p. 75). This quote shows the reader how much Ed cares about making every one of his players well-rounded individuals. Another “Great” about this book is how descriptive it is detailing the events that happened and the characters' emotions. During the EF5 tornado, the author did an excellent job explaining the characters' thoughts and emotions which made it feel like I was experiencing it with them. Also, this book was very organized and followed a very understandable chronological order of events based on when they happened which made the book easy to read and follow. God and religion were a big part of Ed’s life and the author did an amazing job showing that throughout the book.
The Sacred Acre had many great parts, but it also had a few things that could have been better. The first thing that I believe could have been improved upon is talking a little more about the football seasons throughout the whole book. Ed said, “You might as well tell everybody that we’re going to play our first home football game on our own field as scheduled this season” (Tabb, 2011, p. 51). This quote gives the reader a sneak peek that the rest of the book will include a lot about the tornado and rebuilding the town of Parkersburg. It seemed to me that the book was focused on the tornado for most of the storyline and then went right into the ending without talking very much about the football season. I would have recommended that they include more about his football season throughout the book to keep the sports readers engaged.
After reading The Sacred Acre by Mark Tabb, I would recommend this book to just about anyone who is looking to read a good book. It includes so many valuable life lessons that almost anyone can learn from. I would also recommend this book to anyone from Iowa and specifically more in the northern or central parts of Iowa because they would relate to and be familiar with the areas mentioned in the book. Many people have knowledge of Iowa tornados or have experienced them and know about this EF5 tornado that ripped through Parkersburg. Some even had actual debris from that tornado in their yard. This book gives you a sense of what it feels like to have your home and belongings destroyed and have to restart from nothing. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because it is an easy and enjoyable read with many good life lessons but also had a few areas that needed improvement.
There were many different “greats” included in The Sacred Acre. This book talks about so many good life lessons that can apply to everyone. Coach Ed Thomas was all about teaching his football players not only to be their best on the field but also in their everyday lives. A quote from chapter six says, “If all I have taught you is how to block and tackle, then I have failed you as a coach” (Tabb, 2011, p. 75). This quote shows the reader how much Ed cares about making every one of his players well-rounded individuals. Another “Great” about this book is how descriptive it is detailing the events that happened and the characters' emotions. During the EF5 tornado, the author did an excellent job explaining the characters' thoughts and emotions which made it feel like I was experiencing it with them. Also, this book was very organized and followed a very understandable chronological order of events based on when they happened which made the book easy to read and follow. God and religion were a big part of Ed’s life and the author did an amazing job showing that throughout the book.
The Sacred Acre had many great parts, but it also had a few things that could have been better. The first thing that I believe could have been improved upon is talking a little more about the football seasons throughout the whole book. Ed said, “You might as well tell everybody that we’re going to play our first home football game on our own field as scheduled this season” (Tabb, 2011, p. 51). This quote gives the reader a sneak peek that the rest of the book will include a lot about the tornado and rebuilding the town of Parkersburg. It seemed to me that the book was focused on the tornado for most of the storyline and then went right into the ending without talking very much about the football season. I would have recommended that they include more about his football season throughout the book to keep the sports readers engaged.
After reading The Sacred Acre by Mark Tabb, I would recommend this book to just about anyone who is looking to read a good book. It includes so many valuable life lessons that almost anyone can learn from. I would also recommend this book to anyone from Iowa and specifically more in the northern or central parts of Iowa because they would relate to and be familiar with the areas mentioned in the book. Many people have knowledge of Iowa tornados or have experienced them and know about this EF5 tornado that ripped through Parkersburg. Some even had actual debris from that tornado in their yard. This book gives you a sense of what it feels like to have your home and belongings destroyed and have to restart from nothing. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because it is an easy and enjoyable read with many good life lessons but also had a few areas that needed improvement.
February 16, 2024
For most novels, both favorable and unfavorable reviews can be written, depending on the reviewer's criteria. I recently read the nonfiction book The Scared Acre by Mark Tabb which contains both "great" and "lousy" parts. There are very many "greats" or good parts of this book, and only a few "lousy" or bad parts. Nonfiction writing is based on facts, real events, and real people, such as memoirs, autobiographies, biographies, or histories. This book is about a football coach, Ed Thomas, who would always push his players to be better people and the football teaching was secondary.
There are many amazing parts in the book which includes a very personalized story and experience. There were many people the author named specifically in this book who made connections and put the pieces together. “Several hours later Coy, Alex Hornbuckle, Cury Hoff, and Spencer Cooper crawled out of a double-sized grave” (Tabb, 2011, p. 78-9). I enjoyed reading how the people were feeling during the book along with how they react and respond to situations that happen. There were a lot of moments during the book that I could relate to how they feel and when I was reading through the book it was very easy to put myself in their shoes. There were a few times that I cried because of how real-life people felt when they were going through the death of Ed Thomas.
The author was very good at knowing everything about Ed Thomas in the book. I loved how God was in the center of Ed Thomas’ life and they made that very clear. The family of Ed Thomas was honoring God throughout the book and they cited many different Bible verses throughout the book. Another thing that I enjoyed about the book was there were a few pages of pictures along with YouTube links at the bottom of interesting things that we would be able to see live from the book. For example, there is a video from when the tornado struck Parkersburg and the destruction that happened (Tabb, 2011). This is helpful to see because then you can see how accurate the book was being compared to what you would initially think.
One of the things that the book could’ve done better is to describe the background of the other people in the book. They mentioned how the other characters acted and how they responded to the destruction from the tornado or the killing of Ed Thomas, but the book didn’t tell us as much about what they did before these major events. Sometimes throughout the book, I noticed how they only focused on a specific part of the whole picture. They talked about how much work it took to get the field back to normal before the season started but they didn’t talk much about getting the whole town and school back together after the tornado. This is a part of the story that I felt they left out.
Finally, I think that anyone from middle school age to adults should read this book who wants to learn more about how to handle things in hard situations. Ed Thomas was one of the most influential people that I have heard about. It is very personable and I enjoyed reading all of the book. I loved how it painted a picture of what happened so I felt like I was a part of the book. I liked how everything tied together throughout the whole story.
There are many amazing parts in the book which includes a very personalized story and experience. There were many people the author named specifically in this book who made connections and put the pieces together. “Several hours later Coy, Alex Hornbuckle, Cury Hoff, and Spencer Cooper crawled out of a double-sized grave” (Tabb, 2011, p. 78-9). I enjoyed reading how the people were feeling during the book along with how they react and respond to situations that happen. There were a lot of moments during the book that I could relate to how they feel and when I was reading through the book it was very easy to put myself in their shoes. There were a few times that I cried because of how real-life people felt when they were going through the death of Ed Thomas.
The author was very good at knowing everything about Ed Thomas in the book. I loved how God was in the center of Ed Thomas’ life and they made that very clear. The family of Ed Thomas was honoring God throughout the book and they cited many different Bible verses throughout the book. Another thing that I enjoyed about the book was there were a few pages of pictures along with YouTube links at the bottom of interesting things that we would be able to see live from the book. For example, there is a video from when the tornado struck Parkersburg and the destruction that happened (Tabb, 2011). This is helpful to see because then you can see how accurate the book was being compared to what you would initially think.
One of the things that the book could’ve done better is to describe the background of the other people in the book. They mentioned how the other characters acted and how they responded to the destruction from the tornado or the killing of Ed Thomas, but the book didn’t tell us as much about what they did before these major events. Sometimes throughout the book, I noticed how they only focused on a specific part of the whole picture. They talked about how much work it took to get the field back to normal before the season started but they didn’t talk much about getting the whole town and school back together after the tornado. This is a part of the story that I felt they left out.
Finally, I think that anyone from middle school age to adults should read this book who wants to learn more about how to handle things in hard situations. Ed Thomas was one of the most influential people that I have heard about. It is very personable and I enjoyed reading all of the book. I loved how it painted a picture of what happened so I felt like I was a part of the book. I liked how everything tied together throughout the whole story.
October 27, 2025
The book Sacred Acre by Mark Tabb deserves the rating of four out of five stars. I really liked this story and how much depth it goes into, yet it was sad. I believe the motivation and the respect for this coach over this book make it all the better.
In this book, I found three amazing quotations that really stood out and represented the coach, and what makes this book an amazing book. The first one was, “If we do the little things…The big things will take care of themselves.”
(Tabb, 2011, p.18). This quotation represents how they are as a team and how they work hard, even if it's the little things that count, and they make it count, and they try their best and hardest to be a better player.
The second quotation I found was, “No,” Ed said, “I need to get back to work” (Tabb, 2011, p.158). This shows the dedication of the coach and how he's always trying to be there for his players, and it if that shows to any player how hard he tries for the team and puts time into the sport as a leader it shows to other players that he's trying his best he wants you to also try you best, which this quote is a great representation of how Ed was. He is also trying to better himself for the team and wants his team to do the same.
The last and best quote was,
There were a lot of things that made Ed unique, and one of those was clairvoyance. No matter where he was, he could sense a weed taking hold in his football field. I'm one of the guys who gave him a hard time about the energy he put into that field, but you know, this tractor and the field are metaphors for the way he lived. He treated that field like he treated every one of us. There must be millions upon millions of blades of grass out on that field, but he gave each one love and encouragement daily. They worked to make the roots deep so that they could withstand all kinds of pressure, especially when people walk on them and impede their upward growth. (Tabb, 2011, p.211).
Once again, this speech from one of his players really showed how Ed was to the players. He treated everyone like they were special. That's also what made him unique. He treated everyone nicely and was always willing to push someone to become their best in any situation; he was even helpful on and off the field.
His inspiring story had put character first over winning, and also coaching his community/town through the hardships and through the good times, he was always there and a person to talk to when you're down.
The book, book was a great read, including many sad, uplifting, motivational, and inspiring moments in this book. Which is why I believe the rating of this book is a 4-star. The way the coach loved his kids, and the players loved their coach, is so heartwarming, knowing that they had a town loving this coach and respected him a lot. In which I conclude my essay, believing that a 4-star rating for this book is perfect. Such as football players, people who like heartwarming stories, and people who like having the towns and the people in the book coming together after hardships and supporting others when good things are happening.
In this book, I found three amazing quotations that really stood out and represented the coach, and what makes this book an amazing book. The first one was, “If we do the little things…The big things will take care of themselves.”
(Tabb, 2011, p.18). This quotation represents how they are as a team and how they work hard, even if it's the little things that count, and they make it count, and they try their best and hardest to be a better player.
The second quotation I found was, “No,” Ed said, “I need to get back to work” (Tabb, 2011, p.158). This shows the dedication of the coach and how he's always trying to be there for his players, and it if that shows to any player how hard he tries for the team and puts time into the sport as a leader it shows to other players that he's trying his best he wants you to also try you best, which this quote is a great representation of how Ed was. He is also trying to better himself for the team and wants his team to do the same.
The last and best quote was,
There were a lot of things that made Ed unique, and one of those was clairvoyance. No matter where he was, he could sense a weed taking hold in his football field. I'm one of the guys who gave him a hard time about the energy he put into that field, but you know, this tractor and the field are metaphors for the way he lived. He treated that field like he treated every one of us. There must be millions upon millions of blades of grass out on that field, but he gave each one love and encouragement daily. They worked to make the roots deep so that they could withstand all kinds of pressure, especially when people walk on them and impede their upward growth. (Tabb, 2011, p.211).
Once again, this speech from one of his players really showed how Ed was to the players. He treated everyone like they were special. That's also what made him unique. He treated everyone nicely and was always willing to push someone to become their best in any situation; he was even helpful on and off the field.
His inspiring story had put character first over winning, and also coaching his community/town through the hardships and through the good times, he was always there and a person to talk to when you're down.
The book, book was a great read, including many sad, uplifting, motivational, and inspiring moments in this book. Which is why I believe the rating of this book is a 4-star. The way the coach loved his kids, and the players loved their coach, is so heartwarming, knowing that they had a town loving this coach and respected him a lot. In which I conclude my essay, believing that a 4-star rating for this book is perfect. Such as football players, people who like heartwarming stories, and people who like having the towns and the people in the book coming together after hardships and supporting others when good things are happening.
Read
April 4, 2022In the sacred acre on a Sunday in May 2008, an EF5 tornado has struck the town of Parkersburg Iowa. It has killed eight people insuring 250 homes and businesses within 34 seconds. The football coach Ed Thomas said to his teammates that “we will have the first game here on this field” (p. 34.) where the tornado has left trees and damage and so they took a whole month to clean it up and finally got everything together and on the first game they went and took the Victory. Just the way they started out from an EF5 tornado to moving on to a coach's death was very hard for all the teammates and had to play the rest of the year without him. It was a struggle but they ended up winning the championship.
Ed Thomas took 3 kids from the football team right before he died that have made it to the NFL. Ed Thomas is recognized every day by his family. He was one of the greatest coaches to ever exist in football because not many coaches lead players to the NFL as Ed did. Some of the good things about this book are how the players treat each other and how the coach treats them. Something that was really special to the players and the coach was the way they have been taught to play and how they have been playing. It means a lot to a coach when they see all the hard work they have put in and the players are doing it the right way and exactly the way the coach has taught them.
Some bad things about the book are how some of the book sounds and just the way they keep repeating how the players move on without the coach. It is really sad to the players to have to play a season without him. It meant a lot to players that had played the season with him and then when the next year comes those people have to play without him will not be so hard because they wouldn’t have had a coach with them and then have the coach just pass away midseason.
The person that has recommended this book to me is ben Gamm because he has just told me how good this book is to read and it takes place just an hour or so away from here. It is really neat to hear a story that has been written about a true story of a football coach that you may have known because it happened an hour away that has been shared with millions of people. Now that many people have heard of this book some people may have traveled just to see the place where the players went to the championship and just all the medals they have won during that season without the coach.
In the sacred acre on a Sunday in May 2008, an EF5 tornado has struck the town of Parkersburg Iowa. Ed Thomas took 3 kids from the football team right before he died that have made it to the NFL. Ed Thomas is recognized every day by his family. Some bad things about the book are how some of the book sounds and just the way they keep repeating how the players move on without the coach. It is really sad to the players to have to play a season without him. The person that has recommended this book to me is ben Gamm because he has just told me how good this book is to read and it takes place just an hour or so away from here.
May 19, 2022
Sacred Acres is an amazing book with suspense, tragedy, and many more enjoyable things. The text helped me think about how people have to overcome things in their lives. In the book Ed Thomas had to go through the whole town being destroyed by a tornado which they had to rebuild the town as a community. Sacred Acres is a great book because of how I could relate to the book and I really like how the book was written.
I really enjoyed how I could relate to this because this book was from a town in Iowa called Parkesburg. First I can relate to the book because I live in Iowa and my coach for football is a legendary coach by the name of Coach Rozeboom. The reason I could relate to this book is because they had a tornado that destroyed the whole town and they had to start from scratch to rebuild the town. They all worked together in the community to get the task done which I thought of our community in Lyon county which most of the time works together cause a lot of people know each other so they are willing to help each other. The other reason I say this is because we have had some bad storms in the past and the community has had to come together. We had to figure it all out not just by ourselves but as a group of caring and considerate people in the great state of Iowa. We have had a lot of storms hit Iowa but we always get through them together with our community.
The other main thing I really enjoyed about the book was the way the book was written and how they gave the information. The reason I think this is because in the book they had a little bit of suspense when the tornado was going through the town and how Ed was trying to help out all of the people when that was going on. Another thing that I liked about the way the book was written is that it went chronological order of events that happened in the story. I really enjoyed how the book was slow paced and a very interesting but relaxing book that I could read at any time when I wanted some relaxing time with no stress. Lastly, the only thing I didn't like about the book was the ending. I read the book to find out what happened and why I didn’t like the way the book ended.
In conclusion, Sacred Acres is a great book because of how I can relate to the book and it is about a football coach and I love football. In the book Ed Thomas had to go through the whole town being destroyed by a tornado which they had to rebuild the town as a community. The text Sacred Acres helped me think about how people have to overcome things in their lives. Sacred Acres is an amazing book with suspense, tragedy, and many more enjoyable things.
I really enjoyed how I could relate to this because this book was from a town in Iowa called Parkesburg. First I can relate to the book because I live in Iowa and my coach for football is a legendary coach by the name of Coach Rozeboom. The reason I could relate to this book is because they had a tornado that destroyed the whole town and they had to start from scratch to rebuild the town. They all worked together in the community to get the task done which I thought of our community in Lyon county which most of the time works together cause a lot of people know each other so they are willing to help each other. The other reason I say this is because we have had some bad storms in the past and the community has had to come together. We had to figure it all out not just by ourselves but as a group of caring and considerate people in the great state of Iowa. We have had a lot of storms hit Iowa but we always get through them together with our community.
The other main thing I really enjoyed about the book was the way the book was written and how they gave the information. The reason I think this is because in the book they had a little bit of suspense when the tornado was going through the town and how Ed was trying to help out all of the people when that was going on. Another thing that I liked about the way the book was written is that it went chronological order of events that happened in the story. I really enjoyed how the book was slow paced and a very interesting but relaxing book that I could read at any time when I wanted some relaxing time with no stress. Lastly, the only thing I didn't like about the book was the ending. I read the book to find out what happened and why I didn’t like the way the book ended.
In conclusion, Sacred Acres is a great book because of how I can relate to the book and it is about a football coach and I love football. In the book Ed Thomas had to go through the whole town being destroyed by a tornado which they had to rebuild the town as a community. The text Sacred Acres helped me think about how people have to overcome things in their lives. Sacred Acres is an amazing book with suspense, tragedy, and many more enjoyable things.
February 21, 2025
More than just being a great coach, the leadership of Ed Thomas was pegged to his faith and belief in his boys. At the helm of affairs with the Aplington-Parkersburg football team, Ed Thomas enjoyed great success, taking his team to numerous championships. The thing that sets him apart, was his devotion to building character in young men. For Ed, coaching was less about winning and more about molding his players into responsible and compassionate individuals. The man's integrity and moral teachings became part and parcel of the lessons he imparted as a coach, right beside the plays run on the field.
The Faith and Resilience in the Face of Tragedy is a sobering moment when the book describes the very bad tornado of 2008 that destroyed so much of this small town including the high school. Ed Thomas became a continuing symbol of staying strong throughout the rebuilding aftermath. Indeed, his abiding faith gave him the persistence to support a community in this most trying and desperate time for those around them. Ed's oldest son says, “He wasn't just a coach he was a man who spent his life showing how others to live, not just how to play football, he was a man who, for all awards he had received, never made it about himself.”
the most tragic moment in this story is the murder of Ed Thomas by a former player in 2009, which sent shockwaves through the entire community as a brutal reminder of the fragility of life and how it takes certain turns not expected. Yet, even in death, Ed Thomas's legacy of faith, love, and community service lived on, touching many hearts of those who knew him.
Legacy and Impact on Ed Thomas does indeed reach out and touch so many areas other than the football field. His life and actions continue to inspire his former players and the larger community of Parkersburg. It underlines how Thomas's impact is not just measured by the number of games won but by the lives he had touched directly and indirectly. His death was besides a great loss, a reflective one, wherein the community had to rise and honor his life through the very principles he had taught them-faith, forgiveness, and service to others.
The Sacred Acre is not merely the story of a football coach; it is about leadership, faith, and community in unimaginable circumstances. Mark Tabb shows, through the life and tragic death of Ed Thomas, how one life can impact thousands and leave behind a legacy to be followed for generations to come, no matter the time or season. The book is a surefire reminder that great leadership doesn't come via victories or titles but through actions of integrity and compassion in trying times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2025
The book Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story, By Mark Tabb, is about the football coach from a small town life and the legacy that he left. Ed Thomas was the head coach of the Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons in Iowa not far from where I live. He was remembered because of the great coach he was, he was loved and showed great leadership over the football team. “Good things happen to good people” (Tabb, 2011, p. 103). In 2009, the year I was born coach Ed was murdered by one of his former players, the community was in shock. It was a terrible disaster, the town eventually got through it but no one will ever forget the tragedy. The book helps us remember Ed and his lasting impact on each of his players.
One of the greats of Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story, By Mark Tabb, is that Ed Thomas did coach football but impacted the players who played for him. He didn’t just teach them football plays and how to hit, he taught them how to be a better leader in the world. “If all I have taught you is to how to block and tackle then I have failed you as a coach” (Tabb, 2011, p.75)The book does leave you on a cliff of why his former player murdered him but, it makes you want to look more into the situation. It is very great at showing that horrible things can happen when you least expect them to happen with the events of the tornado tearing up the town and the tragic murder of Ed Thomas.
Lousys from The book Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story, By Mark Tabb. The Ed Thomas Story has multiple climaxes in the book with the tornado being a big event along with the murder of Ed Thomas. It is kinda jumping around in some parts of the book and hard to understand what is going on. It shows its theme with multiple events throughout the book. The book leaves us on a cliff of why his former player murdered him or the psychology behind the murder. “Whatever you do in life echos through eternity” (Tabb, 2011, p. 191). This means that what you do in your life won’t be forgotten.
Finally, my review of The book Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story, By Mark Tabb. The Ed Thomas Story is by far my favorite book I have ever read. I love how it is so close to where I live and even where I played basketball on multiple weekends. This book taught me more about the town and Ed than just people telling me. When reading about Ed I could feel the impact through the book and I would want my kids to grow up with him as their coach. I would recommend this book to anyone who lives in a small town just to show you can make it through anything if everyone works together. “Take pride in what you do” (Tabb, 2011, p. 93)
One of the greats of Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story, By Mark Tabb, is that Ed Thomas did coach football but impacted the players who played for him. He didn’t just teach them football plays and how to hit, he taught them how to be a better leader in the world. “If all I have taught you is to how to block and tackle then I have failed you as a coach” (Tabb, 2011, p.75)The book does leave you on a cliff of why his former player murdered him but, it makes you want to look more into the situation. It is very great at showing that horrible things can happen when you least expect them to happen with the events of the tornado tearing up the town and the tragic murder of Ed Thomas.
Lousys from The book Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story, By Mark Tabb. The Ed Thomas Story has multiple climaxes in the book with the tornado being a big event along with the murder of Ed Thomas. It is kinda jumping around in some parts of the book and hard to understand what is going on. It shows its theme with multiple events throughout the book. The book leaves us on a cliff of why his former player murdered him or the psychology behind the murder. “Whatever you do in life echos through eternity” (Tabb, 2011, p. 191). This means that what you do in your life won’t be forgotten.
Finally, my review of The book Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story, By Mark Tabb. The Ed Thomas Story is by far my favorite book I have ever read. I love how it is so close to where I live and even where I played basketball on multiple weekends. This book taught me more about the town and Ed than just people telling me. When reading about Ed I could feel the impact through the book and I would want my kids to grow up with him as their coach. I would recommend this book to anyone who lives in a small town just to show you can make it through anything if everyone works together. “Take pride in what you do” (Tabb, 2011, p. 93)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Currently reading
February 16, 2024The Sacred Acre by Mark Tabb is about a man by the name of Ed Thomas. Ed Thomas grew up in Parkersburg with a love for the game of football. Later in life, he met his wife, and he moved back to Parkersburg to coach the Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons. This book highlights what happened after an F5 tornado hit Parkersburg, and how he helped the community. It also talks about the amazing life of Ed Thomas and how he overcame adversity and helped everyone, whether they were students, football players, or anyone else. He was there to help anyone who needed it.
There were quite a few great things about this book. The first thing that I love about this book is its great message. This book is about a guy who had his life ahead of him when it was ripped apart by a F5 tornado that tore apart his town. Ed and the community of Aplington and Parkersburg had to completely rebuild the town, and at the heart of it all was Ed Thomas. Ed Thomas’s philosophy, as posted in Chapter 3, was, “doing the right thing, the right way.” (Tabb, 1986, p. 59) To Ed, there were no shortcuts, and he helped a town that had been devastated by a tornado come back and rebuild. Another thing I loved about this book was that it showed how Ed was a Christian. By showing this, it showed how Ed followed the Lord with his wife, and how his beliefs made him strong to support his community, family, and his players.
There were a few things that I didn't like about The Sacred Acre, one of them being that the tornado was constantly mentioned. To be fair, the entire book is based on Ed Thomas and Aplington/Parkersburg overcoming an F5 tornado, but it gets quite repetitive when on every other page the tornado is mentioned. It makes it feel like the book is repeating pages over and over again with little change. Another thing that I didn’t like was that the book kept going back in time, then forward in time, then back to what was the “present time” at that point, but sometimes I would get lost in the back and forth and I would get confused. There could be more transitions and explanations when something happened, but other than those two issues, the book was great.
I think that everyone should read this book. Not just parents, not just football players, everyone. The message and the amazing story of two towns coming together and creating a powerful community that overcame the adversity of a terrible natural disaster. This book is all about promoting Ed as a great person and leader, but it also highlights his beliefs and some life lessons either learned, or taught along the way.
There were quite a few great things about this book. The first thing that I love about this book is its great message. This book is about a guy who had his life ahead of him when it was ripped apart by a F5 tornado that tore apart his town. Ed and the community of Aplington and Parkersburg had to completely rebuild the town, and at the heart of it all was Ed Thomas. Ed Thomas’s philosophy, as posted in Chapter 3, was, “doing the right thing, the right way.” (Tabb, 1986, p. 59) To Ed, there were no shortcuts, and he helped a town that had been devastated by a tornado come back and rebuild. Another thing I loved about this book was that it showed how Ed was a Christian. By showing this, it showed how Ed followed the Lord with his wife, and how his beliefs made him strong to support his community, family, and his players.
There were a few things that I didn't like about The Sacred Acre, one of them being that the tornado was constantly mentioned. To be fair, the entire book is based on Ed Thomas and Aplington/Parkersburg overcoming an F5 tornado, but it gets quite repetitive when on every other page the tornado is mentioned. It makes it feel like the book is repeating pages over and over again with little change. Another thing that I didn’t like was that the book kept going back in time, then forward in time, then back to what was the “present time” at that point, but sometimes I would get lost in the back and forth and I would get confused. There could be more transitions and explanations when something happened, but other than those two issues, the book was great.
I think that everyone should read this book. Not just parents, not just football players, everyone. The message and the amazing story of two towns coming together and creating a powerful community that overcame the adversity of a terrible natural disaster. This book is all about promoting Ed as a great person and leader, but it also highlights his beliefs and some life lessons either learned, or taught along the way.
October 27, 2025
For most novels, both favorable and unfavorable reviews can be written, depending on the reviewer's criteria. I recently read the nonfiction book, The Sacred Acre, by Mark Tabb, which contains both "great" and "lousy" parts. There are many "greats" or good parts of this book, and few "lousy" or bad parts. A bad part may be seen as boring and lead on. While a good part may be where the message of the story is portrayed. Nonfiction writing is based on facts, real events, and real people, such as memoirs, autobiographies, biographies, or histories.
The “greats” about The Sacred Acre include how a coach, dad, husband, and friend all in one can be so inspiring. Ed once said, “Faith, family, football–in that order.” Showing in what order mattered most. The book included a very emotional perspective and presented a story that specifically, Iowans could relate to. A tornado that came through Parkersburg took many lives. Ed told all of his football players, “The field is just a field. We’ll rebuild it together.” This is an exact example of Ed’s character. Ed not only led the football field into rebuilding, but he also led the town. He inspired the community not to hang their heads, but to move forward and come together as a whole. The purpose of this book is to show others how much of an impact Ed had, and to inspire others, and it was achieved by the end when I, the reader, received the message of the story.
Although The Sacred Acre is a very good book, it also includes some “lousy” or boring parts. At the beginning of the book, it is overly focused on football. “Never forget where you came from” and “take pride in what you do” were said, and made the beginning overly detailed because they repeated them over and over. Though many readers may be football fans, not all are. It becomes too much at times. However, once the book gets into when the tornado hits, it presents the more leadership roles Ed had. These “lousies” don’t ruin the book, but do make the book a little uninteresting at times.
Overall, The Sacred Acre was a good book that showed a significant story from a real-life person. Ed taught lessons on the football field that went way beyond football. His leadership and faith led to the overcoming of tragedy. Though some of the “lousies” make the book boring, it is worth reading. Tabb portrays how one individual can impact others through leadership and faith.
The “greats” about The Sacred Acre include how a coach, dad, husband, and friend all in one can be so inspiring. Ed once said, “Faith, family, football–in that order.” Showing in what order mattered most. The book included a very emotional perspective and presented a story that specifically, Iowans could relate to. A tornado that came through Parkersburg took many lives. Ed told all of his football players, “The field is just a field. We’ll rebuild it together.” This is an exact example of Ed’s character. Ed not only led the football field into rebuilding, but he also led the town. He inspired the community not to hang their heads, but to move forward and come together as a whole. The purpose of this book is to show others how much of an impact Ed had, and to inspire others, and it was achieved by the end when I, the reader, received the message of the story.
Although The Sacred Acre is a very good book, it also includes some “lousy” or boring parts. At the beginning of the book, it is overly focused on football. “Never forget where you came from” and “take pride in what you do” were said, and made the beginning overly detailed because they repeated them over and over. Though many readers may be football fans, not all are. It becomes too much at times. However, once the book gets into when the tornado hits, it presents the more leadership roles Ed had. These “lousies” don’t ruin the book, but do make the book a little uninteresting at times.
Overall, The Sacred Acre was a good book that showed a significant story from a real-life person. Ed taught lessons on the football field that went way beyond football. His leadership and faith led to the overcoming of tragedy. Though some of the “lousies” make the book boring, it is worth reading. Tabb portrays how one individual can impact others through leadership and faith.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews