Author John Grisham made his name and fortune writing legal thrillers such as “The Firm,” “A Time to Kill,” “The Pelican Brief,” etc. After a while, he went a different direction with short novels such as the comical “Skipping Christmas,” and the football story “Bleachers.” In his latest, “Playing for Pizza,” Grisham returns to the short novel format with a bit of humor, a lot of football and food, and a demonstration of his love for Italy (previously shown in “The Broker.”)
The story is familiar: a pro athlete who has messed up so badly that he can only find a place to play the game he knows and loves in a land that is unfamiliar. Grisham’s Rick Dockery is an NFL quarterback playing American football in Italy. Apparently, there really is an American-style football league in Italy, a land where football more commonly refers to soccer. Italy’s “NFL” consists mostly of Italians who play for the love of the game led by salaried American coaches and a few salaried American football players. Grisham jumps into this world — as well as into the world of Italian cuisine and culture. The book is quick and fun — a snapshot of of Rick’s life in small town Italy.
I particularly enjoyed this book right now because Ryan & I leave for Italy soon. So happy reading and CIAO!
