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Book Review of Playing for Pizza

Playing for Pizza
Playing for Pizza
Author: John Grisham
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Sports & Outdoors
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
robinmy avatar reviewed on + 2045 more book reviews


Third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Rick Dockery didn't expect to see any game time in the AFC Championship. But with a big lead and only eleven minutes to go, everything fell apart. Rick ends up in the hospital, losing the game and his job in one day. He immediately tells his agent to find him another team, but no NFL team wants anything to do with him. Rick's agent does find him a starting QB position with the Parma Panthers in Parma, Italy.

If you're looking for one of Grisham's Legal Thrillers, this book is not it. This is a story about a guy who had a life plan that went down the drain in a matter of 24 hours. Rick is in for a big of culture shock. He doesn't speak Italian, drive a stick-shift, or listen to Italian opera. But he does know the game of football and helps the team manager try to make this team a winner.

This story is told from Rick's point-of-view. I wasn't a real fan of this character. He starts out as a shallow playboy. But he does grow and change by the end of the story. There was a lot of football, touristy travel through Italy and great food which made the book worth reading. My rating: 3 Stars.