... 'Playing for Pizza' was written and published in 2007.
Storyline of the book:
Rick Dockery is in hospital having suffered concussion from the American Super Bowl Final. However, his prospects are bleak as his performance in the match as 3rd choice Quarterback makes him a laughing stock ... Read review
Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the deciding ... more
game at the climax of the season to the surprise and dismay of virtually everyone Rick actually got into the game. With a 17-point lead and just minutes to go Ri...
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Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the deciding ... more
game at the climax of the season, to the surprise and dismay of virtually everyone, Rick actually got into the game. With a 17-point lead and just minutes to go, Ri...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: in stock
Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the deciding ... more
game at the climax of the season, to the surprise and dismay of virtually everyone, Rick actually got into the game. With a 17-point lead and just minutes to go, Rick provided what was arguably the worst single performance in the history of the NFL.
Advantages: Great read and interesting storyline Disadvantages: American Football
Background:
Having recently read 'Bleachers' by John Grisham, I was keen to try another by this author, as I believe you cannot judge an author on just book.
About this author:
John Grisham has written 18 best selling novels. He lives in both Virginia and Mississippi with his family. 'Playing for Pizza' was written and published in 2007.
Storyline of the book:
Rick ... ...Super Bowl Final. However, his prospects are bleak as his performance in the match as 3rd choice Quarterback makes him a laughing stock to most Americans. He is sacked by his club the Cleveland Browns and ridiculed by the press as 'top of the all time Goat list'.
His agent Arnie, despite this finds a club that are interested and will pay him for his services. But this will be a whole new ball game for Rick as the team are the Parma ... more
Background:
Having recently read 'Bleachers' by John Grisham, I was keen to try another by this author, as I believe you cannot judge an author on just book.
About this author:
John Grisham has written 18 best selling novels. He lives in both Virginia and Mississippi with his family. 'Playing for Pizza' was written and published in 2007.
Storyline of the book:
Rick Dockery is in hospital having suffered concussion from the American Super Bowl Final. However, his prospects are bleak as his performance in the match as 3rd choice Quarterback makes him a laughing stock to most Americans. He is sacked by his club the Cleveland Browns and ridiculed by the press as 'top of the all time Goat list'.
His agent Arnie, despite this finds a club that are interested and will pay him for his services. But this will be a whole new ball game for Rick as the team are the Parma Panthers. He is a well travelled professional but he didn't even know they played American football in Italy.
So Rick agrees, believing that getting away from the press and a possible paternity suit by one of the Brown's Cheerleaders is his best option. He very soon becomes a celebrity with his new Parma team mates, who play the game as amateurs for the love of the game in a country dominated by soccer.
He is introduced to a totally different culture and way of life. The book follows the Panthers season and in particular Rick's ups and downs during it, in the quest for the Italian Super Bowl crown.
My thoughts on the book:
I choose this book simply as I liked the title. I thought it sounded intriguing, I never realised it was about American football. If I had I would definitely not have picked it. As the only other book I have read from this author 'Bleachers' was also about football. To be honest I don't like or understand the sport!!
The storyline I did find interesting. I liked the idea of a man having to move to a completely new country, with all the pleasures and pitfalls of a new culture to learn and adapt to. The author is extremely good at describing life in Italy and clearly knows, understands and clearly loves the place. Grisham's quality and style of writing allows you to get inside the main characters mind so you can relate and understand how he feels about his new surroundings.
Nice short and punchy chapters. No more than ten pages, which means you can just pick up and read a chapter at any time.
One criticism I would have with the storyline is when meets and starts dating a young American girl Livvy. The emphasis of the book suddenly shifts. Before it was centred primarily on the football, but when he meets her it's more about exploring Italy and its culture and the football as more of in the background I think the author just shifted it too much as by half way into the book you are drawn into the success or failure of Rick's Parma team.
The book is well written and the pace of it is good. The author makes his lead character interesting while vulnerable at the same time. And he also has this ability to bring the story to life through creative writing so that you continuing reading. Even if like me you do not like football.
I particularly like the author's notes at the end of the book. This shares with the reader his experiences and tells you a little about how the book came to fruition.
Conclusion:
Despite the subject matter of American football, I found the book to be very well written and an enjoyable read. I found the characters easy to relate to the progress interesting to follow.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good quality writing. However if you don't like or understand American football it may be best to stay clear of it.
Advantages: A pleasant easy reading book. Disadvantages: Not Grishams strength, ie it's not a legal thriller with courtroom brawling.
It's been a while but I've finally found the mojo to rustle up a review, so here goes.
Rick Dockery, third choice quarterback for the Cleveland Browns American football team, wakes up in a hospital bed and he doesn't know how he got there, or more importantly why he's there. It's only when Arnie, his agent and one and only visitor, begins to fill in the blanks that the seriousness of his situation hits home.
In the space of eleven minutes Rick ... ...world. To say he had a 'shocker' of a game would be an understatement. Add a severe concussion to the mix, along with the general all round battering he received and Rick begins to think his day can't get any worse. However, it does, as Arnie informs Rick that he's been fired by the Cleveland Browns, and that no other team in North America will touch him with the proverbial bargepole following his recent catastrophic performance.
All is not lost ...
scampi1 27.06.2008 (26.06.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Playing for Pizza - John Grisham
Advantages: Lighthearted, Easy to read Disadvantages: None
...to full length movies.
Playing for Pizza is a break from his traditional tough thriller style. The plot is revealed on the flyleaf of the book. Rick Dockery is an outcast from the NFL after a series of disasterous seasons he is finaly forced to leave the NFL and seeks refuge in Italy playing for Parma Panthers.
The novel is written in an excellent style. The description of Rick settling in to his new lifestyle in Parma, the new environment, the ... ...will probably want to visit Parma after reading this book.
As the Italian NFL season progressess all of the elements of a good novel come in to play, love, hatred, redemption, success and failure. Without giving away too much of the plot Rick finds life in Italy is full of surprises and challenges.
The book is very easy to read. There are some technical descriptions of NFL football but you do not have to be a fan to read this. It is for any age ...
damien.gallery 04.01.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Playing for Pizza - John Grisham
Would you read it again?
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Quick review of Playing for Pizza - John Grisham
This is one of Grisham's better novels, another of those ones you find difficult to put down, not because it's a tense story where you have to know what's going to happen but simply because it's easy to read, it's lighthearted and enjoyable. The scene is set mostly in Parma, Italy where an American football loser of a quarterback hides from the shame of a bad game in the American league but continues to play in an un-heard of Italian league. Many of the Italian players play for free (or Pizza) and love of the game. The scene setting is very good, you will want to go to Parma after reading this - Grisham obviously ran with what worked in 'The Broker'. ...
SaulWright50 13.01.2008
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Playing for Pizza - John Grisham
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Advantages: Great detail, fast at the beginning and the end Disadvantages: Slow in the middle, over descriptive
The Appeal saw a return from JohnGrisham to the legal side of fiction, after a break for two books, 'Playing For Pizza', about American Football in Italy, and 'The Innocent Man', a true story. The Appeal combines some of his wonderful plot development with some excellent courtroom scenes, and is an excellent novel in so many ways.
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