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Loading... Playing for Pizzaby John Grisham
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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. The food sounded so delicious all I wanted to do was eat cheese and drink wine.  shazjhb | Dec 28, 2009 |  Good fun and an easy airplane read. Rick is the NFL quarterback who screws it up and winds up playing for Parma Panthers, discovers Italy, food, wine, culture ... but not up to Grisham's standard (  ) EricPMagnuson | Nov 12, 2009 | John Grisham takes a break from his legal thrillers with this quaint story of a fourth-rate American football player who gets a last chance to play from an Italian team in the virtually unnoticed Italian (American) football league. Rick Dockery, a journeyman third-string quarterback, gets signed by the Parma Panthers as their starter. Knowing no Italian and virtually nothing about the country, but needing a quick way out of town, he takes the job and embarks on a culture shock, learning about food, opera, and architecture. As far as the sports angle, the novel has about as many surprises as a Disney sports movie, though Grisham handles the football aspect adequately. It is obvious, however, that Grisham's real interest -- at least by the time he finished his "research" -- was describing the sumptuous multi-course meals and the ambiance of the northern Italian lifestyle. Like all Grisham novels, it's a page turner with colorful characters, some action, and a tepid love story. It's not his best work, but it is enjoyable. (  ) ALincolnNut | Nov 10, 2009 | This reads as though Grisham wanted a vacation in Italy and was looking for a way to get a tax write off. I think he probably got the desired deduction and was able to write a lot of tour guide descriptions of various locales and venues that he visited, ate in and obviously enjoyed that served as filler. Also, he had a chance to draw on his high school quarterback experiences which add a lot of realism to the football scenes; but, this book is really only for those not in need of a vicarious vacation, or not suffering from NFL fatigue. Grisham is a formidable intelligence, his understanding of the mass market is remarkable. For any one interested in becoming a successful author he should be required reading as there are a multiplicity of commercial nuances in his work and his discipline is to be admired. (  ) polo9 | Sep 20, 2009 | 3rd string football quarterback finds himself in the Italian football (American style) league. The book was must have been a way for Grisham to write off holiday expenses to Italy. Not a very good read - too bad, because the plot had some promise. ( ) addunn3 | Aug 29, 2009 |  no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com (ISBN 0385525001, Hardcover)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 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:19 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
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