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Loading... Playing for Pizza (2007)by John Grisham
This novel about a down and out footballer playing for a team in Italy lacks the rich plot typical in Grishham's legal thrillers. Most of the characters were pretty flat and the ending was not satisfying. On the whole, not a book I'd recommend (  ) JGoto | Apr 16, 2013 |  A nice little story about a former NFL quarterback that tries his luck in an Italian football league. Nothing groundbreaking or surprising, but it's an enjoyable story with a great supporting cast of Italian football characters. (  ) Texas_Reaver | Mar 31, 2013 | I haven't read John Grisham since the Firm and all that swarm of lawyer book in the early 90s, but I got this book at a Friends of the Library book sale for pennies and I needed something light. It worked. There was nothing special about it but I liked reading about life in Parma, Italy. The main character, an ex-NFL quarterback with no other options, isn't exactly likeable but the people he surrounds himself with are. This was OK. ( ) amybrojo | Oct 27, 2012 | A fluff piece to read on a hot summer day. It seemed liked it was going to get better, then it ended. (  ) artwench | Jul 16, 2012 | In a departure from his usual legal novels, Grisham tells the story of a washed up football star forced to move to Italy to play the game he loves. While the Italian setting and the wonderfully flawed main character are a refreshing change from the author's usual books, the anecdotal nature of the plot can start to lag. I enjoyed the novel, but without a central problem to drive the plot, this was ultimately a missed opportunity. ( ) es135 | Jan 14, 2012 | no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0440244714, Mass Market Paperback)Playing for Pizza: A Q&A with John Grisham Q: American football in Italy seems like an unlikely subject for a John Grisham novel. What was the inspiration for Playing for Pizza? A: Three years ago when I was in Bologna researching "The Broker", I discovered American football. One of my guides in the area played football for the Bologna Warriors for 10 years. I couldn't believe that American football actually existed there, but the more I heard about it the more intrigued I became. Q: There is some great football writing in this novel. What kind of research was involved in capturing how this American institution is played in small town Italy? A: The only way to research the book was to go to Parma and watch a game. The coach is an American who played at Illinois State, and he proved to be extremely valuable. I met many of the Italian players and the story simply unfolded. Q: Speaking of research, you write lovingly of Italian food and wine in this book. What's your idea of the perfect Italian meal? A: First course: prosicutto and melon; second course: stuffed tortellini; third course: roasted stuffed capon, all served with a great Barolo wine. Q: Without giving away too much of the plot, your protagonist falls in love by the novel's end. Did you know when you started writing that Rick would get the girl? A: Of course. Q: You have a new legal thriller coming in January 2008. Can you give us any hints about what to expect? A: I really don't like to talk about a book until it's finished. Sorry. But it will not be another work of non-fiction, nor will it be about football. Lots of lawyers in the next one.(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:31:41 -0500) After he is cut from the Cleveland Browns, Rick Dockery is hired by the Panthers of Parma, Italy, and finds himself confronted by the confusing diversity of Italian culture, language, and romance. |
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