Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
Written in chronological order, this story opens with the disgraced NFL quarterback Rick Dockery in the hospital, suffering from a concussion.
He is now an unwanted man in Cleveland, for he has single-handedly stopped his team, the Cleveland Browns, from going to the Super Bowl.
On top of it all, this is not his first botched up job.
The news media puts him down unabatedly; Browns release him from the team; and no other team wants him.
His agent Arnie finds him a spot for one season with the Panthers in Parma, Italy.
Dockery does not even know where Parma is, but out of desperation, he accepts the offer.
The important part of the story takes place in Italy where Dockery warms up to his teammates most of whom play gratis and celebrate their wins or mourn their losses with pizza and beer.
In Parma, Dockery finds friendship and love, regains his enthusiasm for the game, and manages to take his team to the Italian Super Bowl.
Playing for Pizza is a feel good story about maturation and redemption of self.
It appeals to the reader not only through football, but also through the setting of the story, the descriptions of Italian food, and the flawless handling of the quirky and distinct characters.
John Grisham was born in 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
After majoring in accounting at Mississippi State University, he graduated from law school and specialized in criminal defense.
From 1983 to 1990, he served as a state representative.
When his first novel A Time to Kill became a success, he turned to writing.
Some of his novels eventually were made into movies.
Some of his books are: The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Brethren, The Summons, A Painted House, and The Innocent Man.
The book is in hardcover with 272 pages, ISBN-10: 0385525001, and ISBN-13: 978-0385525008.
This was a startling novel for me.
I picked the book up, thinking it would be another law-murder-mystery Grisham thriller.
Had I known it to be about football, I would not attempt reading it, but then, that would be my loss.
When a writer shows such skill in telling a tale about a subject he does not usually tackle, he proves the unique strength of his pen; so unique that a person like me who does not like football and knows next to nothing about it can understand and even become excited over the in-depth and detailed narration of the moves in the game.
I found the book to be charming though out of the usual run of the previous Grisham novels.
Yet, with its fast-enough pace, the story does not bore the reader.
I recommend it to readers who like light reading, football, and things Italian.
He is now an unwanted man in Cleveland, for he has single-handedly stopped his team, the Cleveland Browns, from going to the Super Bowl.
On top of it all, this is not his first botched up job.
The news media puts him down unabatedly; Browns release him from the team; and no other team wants him.
His agent Arnie finds him a spot for one season with the Panthers in Parma, Italy.
Dockery does not even know where Parma is, but out of desperation, he accepts the offer.
The important part of the story takes place in Italy where Dockery warms up to his teammates most of whom play gratis and celebrate their wins or mourn their losses with pizza and beer.
In Parma, Dockery finds friendship and love, regains his enthusiasm for the game, and manages to take his team to the Italian Super Bowl.
Playing for Pizza is a feel good story about maturation and redemption of self.
It appeals to the reader not only through football, but also through the setting of the story, the descriptions of Italian food, and the flawless handling of the quirky and distinct characters.
John Grisham was born in 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
After majoring in accounting at Mississippi State University, he graduated from law school and specialized in criminal defense.
From 1983 to 1990, he served as a state representative.
When his first novel A Time to Kill became a success, he turned to writing.
Some of his novels eventually were made into movies.
Some of his books are: The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Brethren, The Summons, A Painted House, and The Innocent Man.
The book is in hardcover with 272 pages, ISBN-10: 0385525001, and ISBN-13: 978-0385525008.
This was a startling novel for me.
I picked the book up, thinking it would be another law-murder-mystery Grisham thriller.
Had I known it to be about football, I would not attempt reading it, but then, that would be my loss.
When a writer shows such skill in telling a tale about a subject he does not usually tackle, he proves the unique strength of his pen; so unique that a person like me who does not like football and knows next to nothing about it can understand and even become excited over the in-depth and detailed narration of the moves in the game.
I found the book to be charming though out of the usual run of the previous Grisham novels.
Yet, with its fast-enough pace, the story does not bore the reader.
I recommend it to readers who like light reading, football, and things Italian.