The Learning Process: Some Creative Impressions END ZONE is an examination and analysis of attitudes to aggression and violence through the mind of Gary Harkness, who plays gridiron for an obscure Texas college. A new head coach, Emmett Creed - a looming, omnipotent presence - is hired to improve the teams performances, along with a team of specialist coaches who are, in effect, extensions of Creed's violent philosophy - which is the application of intense aggression in order win games. "All Creed's assistants have their piggish aspects . . ." One of these is aptly named 'Hauptfuhrer'. Religion is invoked, either as a form of brainwashing or for inspirational purposes. "Hauptfuhrer was standing over us. "Shut up and pray," he said. Creed's coaching methods ultimately prove to be successful.The novel is hilarious, violent and dark in turn, as Gary philosophises manically with his roommates, teammates, girlfriend or alone in the desert. He also attends warfare classes, although professing to be a pacifist, and is lectured on 'the first-strike survival capability of our nuclear arsenal'. The dichotomy between the catastrophic consequences of nuclear warfare, and warfare on the football field is the theme of this brilliantly written second novel by one of our finest contemporary writers.