Product Description

Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the deciding 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. Overnight, he became a national laughing stock and, of course, was immediately dropped by the Browns and shunned by all other teams. But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent, Arnie, finds a team that needs him. Against enormous odds, Arnie finally locates just such a team and informs Rick that, miraculously, he can in fact now be a starting quarterback. Great says Rick - for which team?The mighty Panthers of Parma, Italy. Yes, Italians do play American football, to one degree or another, and the Parma Panthers desperately want a player from the home of American footballat their helm. So Rick reluctantly agrees to play for the Panthers - at least until a better offer comes along - and heads off to Italy. He knows nothing about Parma (not even where it is), has never been to Europe, and doesn't speak or understand a word of Italian. To say that Italy - the land of opera, fine wines, extremely small cars, romance and football americano - holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21644 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-25
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Daily Express
Grisham comes into his own. The man knows how to crank up the tension, we are soon on the edge of our seats. Read this book, enjoy it.

Sunday Express
Playing for Pizza is a lyrical page-turner and a gasp-inducing reminder of the scope of this man's genius with the written word. Grisham is something of a Da Vinci with words. He can blow your brains out with the power of truth or paint pictures that magically reveal the reality beneath. This is a smooth, satisfying and delightful read.

Synopsis
Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the deciding 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. Overnight, he became a national laughing stock and, of course, was immediately dropped by the Browns and shunned by all other teams. But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent, Arnie, finds a team that needs him. Against enormous odds, Arnie finally locates just such a team and informs Rick that, miraculously, he can in fact now be a starting quarterback. Great says Rick - for which team?The mighty Panthers of Parma, Italy. Yes, Italians do play American football, to one degree or another, and the Parma Panthers desperately want a player from the home of American footballat their helm. So Rick reluctantly agrees to play for the Panthers - at least until a better offer comes along - and heads off to Italy.

He knows nothing about Parma (not even where it is), has never been to Europe, and doesn't speak or understand a word of Italian. To say that Italy - the land of opera, fine wines, extremely small cars, romance and football americano - holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.

Customer Reviews

Very disappointing
Picked this up in the airport thinking it would be standard Grisham fare and perfect as a holiday read - nothing too intellectual but a well-strcutured story with a few plot twists and turns to keep you entertained till the end. It disappointed on every front, and I started to wonder what the point of it all was.

It wasn't a thriller in the usual Grisham style - the plot was predictable from the start and sort of petered out towards the end. It wasn't a sports book - the sporting scenes were pretty diffident and I never felt engaged in the sporting success of either the team or the main character (and I'm normally a sucker for cheesy sports books). It wasn't even well-researched - there were a number of factual inaccuracies about Italy and the sport that even a layman like me picked up. Grisham even admits in his author's notes to making some of the detail up.

The only thing I can think of is that the book was inspired by a trip to Italy annd was intended as some kind of homage or guide to the country and it's culture. If so, it failed miserably. Grisham portrays a 2-dimensional stereotype of Italy where all the locals are very passionate and emotional and love their food and drive around in small cars, and where the country is full of old churches, museums and galleries. Very insightful!

If you love American football and know absolutely nothing about Italy then you might get something out of this. If you are in any way expecting to be inspired, informed or gripped, then don't bother.

Playing for Pizza
Playing for Pizza

I am a great fan and absolutely loved all John Grisham's books but I was very dissappointed that even wrote "Playing for Pizza" I kept waiting for something to happen but nothing. I may as well have been reading a sports report in the newspaper.

I don't like Pizza
You have to understand American Football to stand a chance with this book. I love American football and the book still sucks. It's a naive exploration of small town Italy. Totally predictable.

Was this written by one of his kids?