Books › Playing for Pizza
Playing for Pizza
416 pages
A warm, carb-loaded vacation of a novel about finding redemption and community in the most unexpected of places.
What it feels like
Reading this novel feels like taking a long, sun-drenched holiday in the Italian countryside, complete with endless plates of pasta and generous pours of local wine. It is a distinct departure from the author's usual high-stakes thrillers, offering instead a leisurely, low-tension exploration of culture shock and personal reinvention. The narrative moves at the relaxed pace of a long European dinner, focusing less on the mechanics of the gridiron and more on the sensory delights of Parma. The tone is wry but deeply affectionate, capturing the humor of an arrogant American slowly being charmed into humility. It will thoroughly delight anyone looking for a breezy, feel-good story about second chances, found family, and the transformative power of a truly excellent meal.
- Mood
- sun-drenched
- appetizing
- relaxed
- uplifting
- Tone
- lighthearted
- wry
- affectionate
- breezy
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- second chances · cultural immersion · the joy of food · finding community · letting go of ego
- The writing
- The prose is straightforward and breezy, lingering affectionately on mouth-watering descriptions of Italian cuisine and local eccentricities.
- The arc
- The protagonist moves from bitter humiliation and defensive ego to a humbled, joyful embrace of a simpler, richer life.
- Who it's for
- Readers craving a low-stakes, feel-good vacation in book form, where sports take a backseat to pasta, wine, and personal reinvention.
Content notes
- mild sports injuries
About the book
The new novel from John Grisham, author of eighteen bestselling novelsRick 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.
Description from Open Library.
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