What do you think?
Rate this book
Playing for Pizza
Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the AFC Championship game against Denver, 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 laughingstock and, of course, was immediately cut by the Browns and shunned by all other teams.
But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent, Arnie, find 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–for the mighty Panthers of Parma, Italy.
Yes, Italians do play American football, to one degree or another, and the Parma Panthers desperately want a former NFL player–any former NFL player–at 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, has never been to Europe, and doesn’t speak or understand a word of Italian. To say that Italy holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent, Arnie, find 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–for the mighty Panthers of Parma, Italy.
Yes, Italians do play American football, to one degree or another, and the Parma Panthers desperately want a former NFL player–any former NFL player–at 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, has never been to Europe, and doesn’t speak or understand a word of Italian. To say that Italy holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
3056 people are currently reading
15236 people want to read
About the author
John Grisham
496 books91k followersJohn Grisham is the author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include Framed, Camino Ghosts and The Exchange: After the Firm.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,106 reviews
January 3, 2008
I started reading John Grisham books when I was the nerdiest sixth grader of all time and thought I'd grow up to be a lawyer. And though I found none of them particularly memorable, I did enjoy his huge slew of legal thrillers back in the day.
Out of pure curiosity I now occasionally pick up one of his more offbeat efforts, like this one about an American quarterback playing semi-pro football in Italy.
This was, quite simply, one of the dumbest and strangest books I've ever read. At times, Grisham delves into such unbelievable detail in entirely extraneous descriptions of Italian food, culture and landmarks that it really seems as though this book's existence may have been the author's calculated ploy to tour Italy on his publisher's dime.
But like many of Grisham's books, Playing for Pizza was hard to put down. It was a train wreck through and through, and I wanted desperately to get to the end so I could determine if a book could really be so stupid.
Yes, it can. And while there were certainly witty aspects and interesting elements of the plot, Playing for Pizza stands as one of the worst books I've ever completed.
Out of pure curiosity I now occasionally pick up one of his more offbeat efforts, like this one about an American quarterback playing semi-pro football in Italy.
This was, quite simply, one of the dumbest and strangest books I've ever read. At times, Grisham delves into such unbelievable detail in entirely extraneous descriptions of Italian food, culture and landmarks that it really seems as though this book's existence may have been the author's calculated ploy to tour Italy on his publisher's dime.
But like many of Grisham's books, Playing for Pizza was hard to put down. It was a train wreck through and through, and I wanted desperately to get to the end so I could determine if a book could really be so stupid.
Yes, it can. And while there were certainly witty aspects and interesting elements of the plot, Playing for Pizza stands as one of the worst books I've ever completed.
February 21, 2009
I liked this story more than a little. I'm no big sports fan, but I enjoyed hearing about the physical aspects of football as described in this book. I'm also a big food nut, and liked how that was the second focus of this book. There was plenty of good humor. So, if you want a happy feel good book that doesn't strain the brain but makes you wince when the character strains something else. This title should be on your gameplan.
Oh, I also listened to this in the car, and when I did dishes rather than read it. What? I'm multi-tasking.
Oh, I also listened to this in the car, and when I did dishes rather than read it. What? I'm multi-tasking.
July 28, 2008
This is another gem from Grisham in which he gives us a glimpse of his tale-spinning away from the courtroom dramas. This time he whisks us away to Italy. The vivid descriptions of ingredients, foods, and full course meals will make you hungry - reminded me of reading Part 1 of Eat, Pray, Love. This book is a real treat if you enjoy international travel and are a football (NFL that is!) fan. But even if you aren't into quarterbacks you can easily skim the sporty paragraphs and still have a lot of fun feeling like you are jaunting around Italy along with the main character.
April 14, 2019
What a fun book to read. This is not a typical Grisham book.
It takes place mostly in Parma, Italy. Rick or "Reek" as he is called in Italy, is the laughing stock of the NFL and reluctantly takes the only job he can get as a quarterback for the Parma Panthers for a very low salary, a room and, a car to use.
He is a fish out of water, but treated like a God. Food, food, food.....you won't believe the food. I really enjoyed the small community and how Reek was pulled in. You should enjoy it too.
If you like football and Italy this book is perfect. If not, you'll still probably like it, but there is some light football talk. Fun book!
It takes place mostly in Parma, Italy. Rick or "Reek" as he is called in Italy, is the laughing stock of the NFL and reluctantly takes the only job he can get as a quarterback for the Parma Panthers for a very low salary, a room and, a car to use.
He is a fish out of water, but treated like a God. Food, food, food.....you won't believe the food. I really enjoyed the small community and how Reek was pulled in. You should enjoy it too.
If you like football and Italy this book is perfect. If not, you'll still probably like it, but there is some light football talk. Fun book!
June 6, 2022
Over the course of my life (I am in my 50s), I have read a lot of Grisham, all legal thrillers. It is so striking to me that in the past three years in Puerto Rico, I have read none. So I intentionally picked up this book at the used book store to fill that supposed gap, but how strange that this book is more slice of life, sports book as distant from legal thriller as Italy is from Antarctica. I did not know Grisham did such things. I think it is to our benefit that he wrote such a distinct book. Playing for Pizza grabbed me immediately despite his unlikeable protagonist. Yet Rick Dockery has redeeming qualities buried under the narcissistic veneer of Athlete / NFL Quarterback. In this novel the quarterback has been laid low. He has to go to Italy to play American Football because no one in the United States wants him. The Italians not only want him, they are excited to get him, and maybe along the way, their excitement might enflame his passion for something he thought he loved: the game. Strong story.
May 20, 2021
I wanted to rate this higher but the end is so underdeveloped I could not. 6 of 10 stars
December 23, 2018
Was actually pretty boring. I was expecting it to be more about football and less about “finding yourself in a foreign land”.
January 29, 2019
"Rick Dockery walked slowly across midfield as long shadows fell, hands crammed in jean pockets, the aimless stroll of a man in another world."
This was my first time reading John Grisham, and I think it's fair to say that it was a very random choice of book. He's written so many great, critically acclaimed stories and this one is definitely one of his less known, less appreciated works - and I can see why. The thing is, whilst reading, I knew this wasn't the author's supreme novel, that he had more in stock, that he had some aces up his sleeve. But this just wasn't one of his aces - in fact it was a bit of a flop, in my opinion. Just so we get a few things clear:
a) I don't know jack about football. The most I know is that the quarterback is always the hot guy at school.
b) I don't know the positions or famous teams.
c) I literally know nothing about football.
Saying this, someone who is interested in the sport might find this book 10 times better than I did. You might be asking yourself - ok, but what made this dumbass pick this book up if the most she knows about football is that it should actually be called "American Football" because football means soccer? I asked myself this question many times - and I still have no answer. But I think the answer lies in the sentimentality and emotional value that I associate with this book due to family reasons. If not, I would have never picked this book up, although the premise is definitely quite interesting.
✔︎ - THE SETTING
Playing for Pizza is set in the delightful city of Parma in Italy, and Grisham really brings its beauty to life. All the descriptions of the little narrow streets, fancy restaurants with delicious food, the little cars, the cafes, the coffee, the architecture and the people, come together to form a stunning setting and one of my favourite aspects of the novel. It perfectly encapsulates a travel junkie's dream. As someone who has always wanted to visit Italy, this book made me want to drop everything, hop on a plane and get myself to Parma and spend my time eating pizza, going on walks around the plazas, drinking coffee and inhaling the county's rich culture.
"What the heck am I doing in Parma, Italy?"
✔︎ - THE FOOD
When I think of Italy, I think of food - pizza, pasta, parmegiano, red wine. And food is talked about A LOT in this book, which is something I always love and appreciate with my entire heart. All the detailed descriptions of the characters' meals made my mouth water and at one point I was so hungry, I had to go get something to eat.
✔︎ - PASSION
I love when people are passionate about something - it's strange, but I find it such an incredible trait in people. When someone is so in love with something that their eyes sparkle and everything just shines in them - and the characters in this book really had this passion for football and it was adorable, admirable and made me love the whole bunch of 'em.
Do I know anything about football?
Nope.
Do I like reading about characters that love football?
Yep.
Weird?
Maybe.
Hotel?
Trivago.
I'm sorry - that was terrible. Oops. I couldn't help myself.
✔︎ - BTS OF AN ATHLETE'S LIFE
I know that some athletes are overpaid, glorified and glamorized - but their lives really aren't all that great. When you perform well, everyone worships you. When you perform badly, everyone turns their backs on you, including your fans - you will be hated on, laughed at, criticized. Your life can become hell. And Rick Dockery's story really does show how mentally strong one needs to be in order to excel in the world of sports, because otherwise one will be torn apart. I'm guessing it wasn't on purpose, but I felt like this book really did cast some light on this issue and the effects it can have on a young person's mental health. If you're interested please take the time to read this article: https://www.google.pl/amp/s/amp.thegu...- , because it really does show you the extent of hatred and discrimination in sport.
✔︎ - HUMOUR
This book could be real funny and witty sometimes - and I love humour in literature. It's so hard to incorporate into writing, yet if done cunningly, can completely enchant the reader. Humour is just really darn nice, okay? And as Zach Anner said "Humour allows people to exhale a little".
✔︎ - TEAM SPIRIT
I love when characters have chemistry, when they build strong friendships in the most unlikely places, when you watch their bond with another person develop over time. When they go through thick and thin together. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but you really do get a glimpse of that in this book towards the end - it was very touching.
✘ - BORING AT TIMES
Due to the lengthy descriptions of football games, I felt that the book was slightly tedious. That, of course is my fault, because I'm severely undereducated when it comes to American football, but I still felt like dosing off a few times. It was monotonous, and needlessly repetitive at times. HOWEVER, Grisham really did a good job of writing in a way that you could get what was happening during a game without actually understanding the game itself - so I'm thankful for that (ALSO THE TEAM'S LAST GAME was actually so interesting to read about, so yay!)
✘ - SEXUALIZING WOMEN
I understand that physical attraction exists and it's very important. I get that that guy thinks the girl sitting over there is hot. That's fine, perfectly okay, you are allowed to think that way. There's nothing wrong with that. But, what I don't get is when women are constantly being described in terms of physicality - ONLY, as if they were decorations, and the only thing Rick freaking Dockerty ever does is stare at them creepily and make repulsive, repetitive remarks about their figure. I GET THAT THEY HAVE A NICE FIGURE. But when that is repeated over and over again it kind of deteriorates my patience. The way he looked at women sickened me. At least describe her eyes or her laugh or something that isn't always so concerned with sexuality or physical appearance. What about her intelligence, sense of humour, overall wellbeing. How about women stopped being used as sexual objects? I think that sounds like a plan.
✘ - THE ROMANCE
As I mentioned earlier, the romance was so incredibly fickle and shallow with absolutely no deeper emotional connection that it was hardly romance. Insta-love at its finest.
✘ - UNLIKEABLE PROTAGONIST
I didn't like Rick Dockery - he was arrogant, self-assured, judgemental with the effrontery to talk to people, like they were miles below him. I felt sorry for him and rooted for him at times, but all in all, it's hard to truly like a story with a protagonist that makes you want to throw the book across the room. He did improve over time though and became more tolerable towards the end, so some character development was definitely there.
"The Italian Superbowl. I can’t believe I missed it."
All in all, this book was definitely outside my box and I'd recommend it for the glorious setting, descriptions, atmosphere and sport!
Other than that, I wouldn't.
This was my first time reading John Grisham, and I think it's fair to say that it was a very random choice of book. He's written so many great, critically acclaimed stories and this one is definitely one of his less known, less appreciated works - and I can see why. The thing is, whilst reading, I knew this wasn't the author's supreme novel, that he had more in stock, that he had some aces up his sleeve. But this just wasn't one of his aces - in fact it was a bit of a flop, in my opinion. Just so we get a few things clear:
a) I don't know jack about football. The most I know is that the quarterback is always the hot guy at school.
b) I don't know the positions or famous teams.
c) I literally know nothing about football.
Saying this, someone who is interested in the sport might find this book 10 times better than I did. You might be asking yourself - ok, but what made this dumbass pick this book up if the most she knows about football is that it should actually be called "American Football" because football means soccer? I asked myself this question many times - and I still have no answer. But I think the answer lies in the sentimentality and emotional value that I associate with this book due to family reasons. If not, I would have never picked this book up, although the premise is definitely quite interesting.
✔︎ - THE SETTING
Playing for Pizza is set in the delightful city of Parma in Italy, and Grisham really brings its beauty to life. All the descriptions of the little narrow streets, fancy restaurants with delicious food, the little cars, the cafes, the coffee, the architecture and the people, come together to form a stunning setting and one of my favourite aspects of the novel. It perfectly encapsulates a travel junkie's dream. As someone who has always wanted to visit Italy, this book made me want to drop everything, hop on a plane and get myself to Parma and spend my time eating pizza, going on walks around the plazas, drinking coffee and inhaling the county's rich culture.
"What the heck am I doing in Parma, Italy?"
✔︎ - THE FOOD
When I think of Italy, I think of food - pizza, pasta, parmegiano, red wine. And food is talked about A LOT in this book, which is something I always love and appreciate with my entire heart. All the detailed descriptions of the characters' meals made my mouth water and at one point I was so hungry, I had to go get something to eat.
✔︎ - PASSION
I love when people are passionate about something - it's strange, but I find it such an incredible trait in people. When someone is so in love with something that their eyes sparkle and everything just shines in them - and the characters in this book really had this passion for football and it was adorable, admirable and made me love the whole bunch of 'em.
Do I know anything about football?
Nope.
Do I like reading about characters that love football?
Yep.
Weird?
Maybe.
Hotel?
Trivago.
I'm sorry - that was terrible. Oops. I couldn't help myself.
✔︎ - BTS OF AN ATHLETE'S LIFE
I know that some athletes are overpaid, glorified and glamorized - but their lives really aren't all that great. When you perform well, everyone worships you. When you perform badly, everyone turns their backs on you, including your fans - you will be hated on, laughed at, criticized. Your life can become hell. And Rick Dockery's story really does show how mentally strong one needs to be in order to excel in the world of sports, because otherwise one will be torn apart. I'm guessing it wasn't on purpose, but I felt like this book really did cast some light on this issue and the effects it can have on a young person's mental health. If you're interested please take the time to read this article: https://www.google.pl/amp/s/amp.thegu...- , because it really does show you the extent of hatred and discrimination in sport.
✔︎ - HUMOUR
This book could be real funny and witty sometimes - and I love humour in literature. It's so hard to incorporate into writing, yet if done cunningly, can completely enchant the reader. Humour is just really darn nice, okay? And as Zach Anner said "Humour allows people to exhale a little".
✔︎ - TEAM SPIRIT
I love when characters have chemistry, when they build strong friendships in the most unlikely places, when you watch their bond with another person develop over time. When they go through thick and thin together. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but you really do get a glimpse of that in this book towards the end - it was very touching.
✘ - BORING AT TIMES
Due to the lengthy descriptions of football games, I felt that the book was slightly tedious. That, of course is my fault, because I'm severely undereducated when it comes to American football, but I still felt like dosing off a few times. It was monotonous, and needlessly repetitive at times. HOWEVER, Grisham really did a good job of writing in a way that you could get what was happening during a game without actually understanding the game itself - so I'm thankful for that (ALSO THE TEAM'S LAST GAME was actually so interesting to read about, so yay!)
✘ - SEXUALIZING WOMEN
I understand that physical attraction exists and it's very important. I get that that guy thinks the girl sitting over there is hot. That's fine, perfectly okay, you are allowed to think that way. There's nothing wrong with that. But, what I don't get is when women are constantly being described in terms of physicality - ONLY, as if they were decorations, and the only thing Rick freaking Dockerty ever does is stare at them creepily and make repulsive, repetitive remarks about their figure. I GET THAT THEY HAVE A NICE FIGURE. But when that is repeated over and over again it kind of deteriorates my patience. The way he looked at women sickened me. At least describe her eyes or her laugh or something that isn't always so concerned with sexuality or physical appearance. What about her intelligence, sense of humour, overall wellbeing. How about women stopped being used as sexual objects? I think that sounds like a plan.
✘ - THE ROMANCE
As I mentioned earlier, the romance was so incredibly fickle and shallow with absolutely no deeper emotional connection that it was hardly romance. Insta-love at its finest.
✘ - UNLIKEABLE PROTAGONIST
I didn't like Rick Dockery - he was arrogant, self-assured, judgemental with the effrontery to talk to people, like they were miles below him. I felt sorry for him and rooted for him at times, but all in all, it's hard to truly like a story with a protagonist that makes you want to throw the book across the room. He did improve over time though and became more tolerable towards the end, so some character development was definitely there.
"The Italian Superbowl. I can’t believe I missed it."
All in all, this book was definitely outside my box and I'd recommend it for the glorious setting, descriptions, atmosphere and sport!
Other than that, I wouldn't.
March 9, 2008
An entertaining, quick read that will hasten your desire to see Italy. This is a departure from a typical Grisham novel, but it's a refreshing sports story with a romantic twist that will probably be made into a movie someday. Enjoy!
February 4, 2008
A good rule to live by is that any book that has detailed descriptions of Italian meals is worth reading. I found Playing for Pizza very enjoyable and no exception to that rule. It tells the story of Rick Dockery, a journeyman third string quarterback in the NFL, who after a disastorous game in which he was the goat, can only find work on a semi-pro football team in Parma, Italy. Somewhat predictably, he rediscovers his love of the game, is welcomed by his gregarious teamates, and discovers the joys of Italy as an antidote to his many years of bouncing from apartment to apartment in city after city.
What I really enjoyed about this book, other than the descriptions of meals, is that Grisham wasn't too ambitious. It's a quick, light, fun read. It doesn't have 800 pages to develop the main character. So Rick starts off as only a moderate asshole, essentially a decent guy who has somewhat negatively conformed to the world around him. He doesn't finish the story as a cultured lover of opera and baroque architecture. It's believable. Tolstoy, this is not (I don't know why I say things like that, I've never even read Tolstoy), but it's a really good read.
What I really enjoyed about this book, other than the descriptions of meals, is that Grisham wasn't too ambitious. It's a quick, light, fun read. It doesn't have 800 pages to develop the main character. So Rick starts off as only a moderate asshole, essentially a decent guy who has somewhat negatively conformed to the world around him. He doesn't finish the story as a cultured lover of opera and baroque architecture. It's believable. Tolstoy, this is not (I don't know why I say things like that, I've never even read Tolstoy), but it's a really good read.
December 4, 2013
A die-hard fan will read anything written by a favorite author, and I am that for John Grisham. I don’t always care for the end results, but I will always give his books my all. Last winter I finally got around to reading The Broker in which Grisham none-too-subtly extolled the virtues of the Italian culture. The premise of Playing for Pizza leaves no doubt that his entire point in writing this slim novel is to continue sharing that love affair with his readers. Pizza, above all else, is a lengthy love letter to Italy.
The story of Pizza is simple and, honestly, not incrediby interesting. A washed-up and mediocre NFL quarterback has only one remaining opportunity to live out his sports dream — playing American football in Parma, Italy; I doubt that a true football fan could have withstood the setting, with so little of it present, and being the furthest thing from that fan, I found this “plot” little more than filler that I was anxious to breeze past. This small thread is barely a narrative as Grisham uses page after page to describe the foods and wine of Parma, the art and architecture, the history of the region. And while that was very interesting to me (and caused me to crave prosciutto and cheese in a way I never had before), I cannot say that I enjoyed this book. Reading it, and completing it, was simply a promise to always read Grisham’s offerings. I did not care for the main character, never seeing redemption in him, and I’ve always felt this was a tenet of Grisham’s novels, so Pizza was sorely lacking in many, many ways. But Playing for Pizza is a true summer novel, slim in size and breezy in content, and I was ready for such a break in my reading. I look forward now to Grisham’s most recent publication, a return to form and the reason I became a fan in the first place.
The story of Pizza is simple and, honestly, not incrediby interesting. A washed-up and mediocre NFL quarterback has only one remaining opportunity to live out his sports dream — playing American football in Parma, Italy; I doubt that a true football fan could have withstood the setting, with so little of it present, and being the furthest thing from that fan, I found this “plot” little more than filler that I was anxious to breeze past. This small thread is barely a narrative as Grisham uses page after page to describe the foods and wine of Parma, the art and architecture, the history of the region. And while that was very interesting to me (and caused me to crave prosciutto and cheese in a way I never had before), I cannot say that I enjoyed this book. Reading it, and completing it, was simply a promise to always read Grisham’s offerings. I did not care for the main character, never seeing redemption in him, and I’ve always felt this was a tenet of Grisham’s novels, so Pizza was sorely lacking in many, many ways. But Playing for Pizza is a true summer novel, slim in size and breezy in content, and I was ready for such a break in my reading. I look forward now to Grisham’s most recent publication, a return to form and the reason I became a fan in the first place.
July 10, 2017
The author grabbed me by the arm and took me on a no-holds-barred, light-hearted adventure through the streets of Parma, Italy and into the world of football - served up Italian style. I eagerly assumed the role of tourist in this charming tucked-away city, sampled wonderful local wines, consumed mouth-watering pastas and cheeses and came to appreciate the hospitable charm of the warm, colorful people reserved only for the fortunate few. Needless to say, I was enthralled to visit there. John Grisham delivered a well-written narrative with a superb storybook ending.
Third-string quarterback, Nick Dockery had endured a short-lived roller coaster career in the NFL. He had been traded more times than the common cold. His mediocre career came to a crashing halt when the twenty-eight year old suffered his most disastrous day on the turf. In a nutshell, he blew the Cleveland Browns playoff game for the Super Bowl. Needless to say, he was not a popular man among the many devoted fans. Again, he was pink-slipped.
Understandably, no team in the NFL wanted anything to do with him. Hopelessly, his agent searched high and low and somehow found a team tucked away in Italy that was in need of a quarterback. He agreed to play just one season there for five months at a pittance of what he was used to getting in the NFL. For the first time since his old College days, he was placed as the starting quarterback of the Parma Panthers. That included pizza.
He received a rousing welcome from his new teammates and the locals of the town. After all, he had played in the NFL which gave him a sort of celebrity status. It had felt great to be appreciated once again. It had been a long long time.
Soon he befriended many players of the team. Though nowhere near as popular as soccer, his teammates were serious about their games. Winning was everything. After practice sessions, they all went out together for beer and pizza. Everyone cursed, laughed and drank. It was was like being part of one large family. For an added bonus, his non-existent love life had been rekindled when he met a visiting college student from the States. Turned out, they were a good match.
The team had desperately wanted to win their first Italian Super Bowl. That's all that mattered to them. Their hopes, their dreams were largely invested in Rick. For all his past failures, the one thing he wanted most was redemption. Make-or-break, this was his last chance.
Ciao.
Third-string quarterback, Nick Dockery had endured a short-lived roller coaster career in the NFL. He had been traded more times than the common cold. His mediocre career came to a crashing halt when the twenty-eight year old suffered his most disastrous day on the turf. In a nutshell, he blew the Cleveland Browns playoff game for the Super Bowl. Needless to say, he was not a popular man among the many devoted fans. Again, he was pink-slipped.
Understandably, no team in the NFL wanted anything to do with him. Hopelessly, his agent searched high and low and somehow found a team tucked away in Italy that was in need of a quarterback. He agreed to play just one season there for five months at a pittance of what he was used to getting in the NFL. For the first time since his old College days, he was placed as the starting quarterback of the Parma Panthers. That included pizza.
He received a rousing welcome from his new teammates and the locals of the town. After all, he had played in the NFL which gave him a sort of celebrity status. It had felt great to be appreciated once again. It had been a long long time.
Soon he befriended many players of the team. Though nowhere near as popular as soccer, his teammates were serious about their games. Winning was everything. After practice sessions, they all went out together for beer and pizza. Everyone cursed, laughed and drank. It was was like being part of one large family. For an added bonus, his non-existent love life had been rekindled when he met a visiting college student from the States. Turned out, they were a good match.
The team had desperately wanted to win their first Italian Super Bowl. That's all that mattered to them. Their hopes, their dreams were largely invested in Rick. For all his past failures, the one thing he wanted most was redemption. Make-or-break, this was his last chance.
Ciao.
June 24, 2008
a departure from Grishams usual, nevertheless i loved this book. the writing seemed so effortless and the characters are enjoyable.
December 15, 2022
Ca de fiecare dată orice subiect abordează Grisham e genial. Dar a fost prea mult fotbal american, însă atmosfera și subiectul mi-au placut.
November 9, 2016
"Playing for pizza" is quite a strange book. Despite being written by Grisham, one of my favorite writers, it is so unlike his typical books, that I could have guessed it was written by, I dunno, Jodi Picoult or someone else, had I not known who actually wrote it.
Now this book's also strange because it has no plot. Basically it's sort of a simplified diary of Rick's life in Italy, or, more like an account of what did he eat, where did he eat, what did he drink, where did he drink, what cafe, bar, trattoria or restaurant he visited, what landmarks did he see, and, occasionally, how did turn out a football match he played in.
And you know what? I enjoyed it. It was quite a page-turner for me. Of course it's a short read, and had it been longer, most likely it would have bored me finally, but being as long as it is - just a 7-8 hours read, I had lots of fun. And why wouldn't I? It's a book about Italy, good food, beer, football and even a couple of cute dolls. What more could a man want? (Yes, that's actually sexist and chauvinist and perfectly legit for the last three+ hours - welcome to Orange World!)
As I said, it's a quick read and most certainly not the most intellectual book you've ever seen, but it's quite good and odds-on you'll enjoy it, especially if you read it as a break from "normal" literature.
Now this book's also strange because it has no plot. Basically it's sort of a simplified diary of Rick's life in Italy, or, more like an account of what did he eat, where did he eat, what did he drink, where did he drink, what cafe, bar, trattoria or restaurant he visited, what landmarks did he see, and, occasionally, how did turn out a football match he played in.
And you know what? I enjoyed it. It was quite a page-turner for me. Of course it's a short read, and had it been longer, most likely it would have bored me finally, but being as long as it is - just a 7-8 hours read, I had lots of fun. And why wouldn't I? It's a book about Italy, good food, beer, football and even a couple of cute dolls. What more could a man want? (Yes, that's actually sexist and chauvinist and perfectly legit for the last three+ hours - welcome to Orange World!)
As I said, it's a quick read and most certainly not the most intellectual book you've ever seen, but it's quite good and odds-on you'll enjoy it, especially if you read it as a break from "normal" literature.
January 19, 2017
This book has no point. It is a hallmark/lifetime after school special minus the I can't look away factor.
October 10, 2023
This was fun to read, a book club selection. Our discussion, of course, will be over a pizza lunch. (Hope they have some gluten-free.) Anyway this was fun and easy to read. I started skimming some of the football plays, but Grisham really nailed the food, the culture, and the wonderful way that Italians embrace other human beings. I suspect the football scenes were spot on, but I am not that technically adept. He mentions the beloved SEC, a great thing. And the quarterback in this book? Totally believable. May I say "fun" again? Appeals to the senses and is a great, relaxing way to end the day.
Warning: you'll crave authentic pasta and sauce, opera, and want a pair of Ferragamo shoes.
Warning: you'll crave authentic pasta and sauce, opera, and want a pair of Ferragamo shoes.
August 14, 2008
I had never read John Grisham before and had never really thought to give him a try. Naturally, the one time I read him, I read something that's atypical of his usual work. It was my familiarity of his name that prompted me to pick him up at all, and then it was only because I anticipated a long wait at the doctor's office and needed something to read. I don't even read legal thrillers, and I'm really not that into football.
Logical reading choice, isn't it?
But the book had a cute premise: a third-string NFL quarterback really down on his luck plays for a team in Italy. Who even knew they played American football there?
I was expecting one of those Bad News Bears type of stories, with some romantic comedy thrown in, and while I did get some of that Bad News Bears vibe, I was a little thrown off by the romantic interest. Rick the quarterback didn't end up with the girl that I thought he would, and I wasn't convinced that the girl he did end up with was the love of his life. It disappointed me a little.
Plus, the football scenes kind of dragged for me. I was a cheerleader in high school and college, but that in no way helped me stay engaged in all the descriptions of the plays. I'm sure they would be exciting to any big football fan, but I found myself reading quickly over those passages just to gloss over the highlights and get on with the rest of the story.
Then there's the point of view. Grisham uses the omniscient point of view in this novel, and it was a little jarring at first for me. I've become accustomed to reading deep, true, and consistent third person point of view and started off expecting the entire novel would be in Rick's point of view, especially as it started out that way, and since there is not one scene that doesn't include Rick himself, I felt the omniscient point of view was really unnecessary. I saw everyone else's thoughts and feelings as kind of intrusive head hopping.
But the story was cute. I could see this working as a movie. I especially loved the food scenes, where each dish was lovingly described by the Italians -- made me ravenous for Italian food.
Quick read, light fare.
Finished reading August 14, 2008.
Logical reading choice, isn't it?
But the book had a cute premise: a third-string NFL quarterback really down on his luck plays for a team in Italy. Who even knew they played American football there?
I was expecting one of those Bad News Bears type of stories, with some romantic comedy thrown in, and while I did get some of that Bad News Bears vibe, I was a little thrown off by the romantic interest. Rick the quarterback didn't end up with the girl that I thought he would, and I wasn't convinced that the girl he did end up with was the love of his life. It disappointed me a little.
Plus, the football scenes kind of dragged for me. I was a cheerleader in high school and college, but that in no way helped me stay engaged in all the descriptions of the plays. I'm sure they would be exciting to any big football fan, but I found myself reading quickly over those passages just to gloss over the highlights and get on with the rest of the story.
Then there's the point of view. Grisham uses the omniscient point of view in this novel, and it was a little jarring at first for me. I've become accustomed to reading deep, true, and consistent third person point of view and started off expecting the entire novel would be in Rick's point of view, especially as it started out that way, and since there is not one scene that doesn't include Rick himself, I felt the omniscient point of view was really unnecessary. I saw everyone else's thoughts and feelings as kind of intrusive head hopping.
But the story was cute. I could see this working as a movie. I especially loved the food scenes, where each dish was lovingly described by the Italians -- made me ravenous for Italian food.
Quick read, light fare.
Finished reading August 14, 2008.
August 27, 2017
*3.5 stars
This is my second book of John Grisham. I did not expect this at all. The first book being The Associate, I thought Playing For 🍕 is very much in the same boat. I was so wrong. Hehe.
Reading this book, I don't feel like reading a novel. It was more like travelogue to me. And of course I wish I can go to Italy. It was on my list.
I am not a huge fan of sports. Occasionally I will watch football or they call it soccer in America. Here in Malaysia we called it football. But not that often. So, I don't really understand much apart from the brutality of it. But I enjoyed it. To my surprise of course.
I love Rick. He found his life in Italy. But I kinda not satisfied with the ending. I want to know what his choices are. And of course I wanted to get to know Livvy more. Guess I just have to conclude that on my own then.
This is my second book of John Grisham. I did not expect this at all. The first book being The Associate, I thought Playing For 🍕 is very much in the same boat. I was so wrong. Hehe.
Reading this book, I don't feel like reading a novel. It was more like travelogue to me. And of course I wish I can go to Italy. It was on my list.
I am not a huge fan of sports. Occasionally I will watch football or they call it soccer in America. Here in Malaysia we called it football. But not that often. So, I don't really understand much apart from the brutality of it. But I enjoyed it. To my surprise of course.
I love Rick. He found his life in Italy. But I kinda not satisfied with the ending. I want to know what his choices are. And of course I wanted to get to know Livvy more. Guess I just have to conclude that on my own then.
October 13, 2019
A washed up NFL player goes to Italy,to ply his trade,with very little offered as compensation.American Football is not of much interest to me,but his adventures in Italy,and a bit of romance kept me interested.What's even more,it's very short for a Grisham book and has a fair bit of humour.
July 12, 2018
A Book for all Seasons topic: something edible in the title
Rick is not a charming guy. And no matter what he may think, being this season’s AFC goat won’t get him a place on another football team; well, unless he wants to travel to Italy.
Rick is not a charming guy. And no matter what he may think, being this season’s AFC goat won’t get him a place on another football team; well, unless he wants to travel to Italy.
September 10, 2010
I enjoyed seeing this guy make choices and changes in his life for the better. I didn’t want it to end.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Most of my reviews are on romance novels, so this is off genre for me. This is sports fiction plus some human relationships fiction. I liked it. It reminded me of underdog sports teams and/or athletes finding success or doing something positive. I did not understand some of the football jargon, but I enjoyed the story. As a side note, I believe this author is best known for his legal suspense thrillers, so this a change of genre for him as well.
STORY BRIEF:
Rick is an NFL backup quarterback who rarely plays. His weakness is that he does things to avoid being tackled rather than make the best play of the moment. He has had three concussions. He had terrible luck in one game causing his team to lose in the last 11 minutes when they had been ahead. No US team wants him, and the press ridicules him. His agent finds a job for him as quarterback for the Parma team in Italy. It doesn’t pay much. In fact, most of the team members are Italian and don’t get paid at all. Rick hadn’t had a serious female relationship in the past and usually found companionship with cheerleaders. He was disappointed that there were no cheerleaders in Parma. The story is about Rick’s life in Italy, the food he eats, and his relationships with the team members. He has trouble parking his stick-shift car. He goes to the opera, which he had never done before. Prior to Italy he didn’t seem to have outside interests. His life was football practice, games, being on the road and dating cheerleaders. In Parma some new things happen including meeting a couple of (non-cheerleader) women which was fun to watch.
MORE REVIEWER’S OPINION:
On his first night in Parma, the coach takes Rick to a local restaurant. The description of Rick eating wonderful food actually motivated me to go to two Italian restaurants. Unfortunately, the restaurants didn’t have the same food that Rick ate. The book starts out a little slow, but Rick grew on me. He did some neat things for the team, and I liked his female experiences. The story had a feel good ending, but I was a little disappointed because I didn’t want it to end.
DATA:
Story length: 306 pages. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: none. Setting: current day U.S. and Italy. Copyright: 2007. Genre: sports and relationships fiction.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Most of my reviews are on romance novels, so this is off genre for me. This is sports fiction plus some human relationships fiction. I liked it. It reminded me of underdog sports teams and/or athletes finding success or doing something positive. I did not understand some of the football jargon, but I enjoyed the story. As a side note, I believe this author is best known for his legal suspense thrillers, so this a change of genre for him as well.
STORY BRIEF:
Rick is an NFL backup quarterback who rarely plays. His weakness is that he does things to avoid being tackled rather than make the best play of the moment. He has had three concussions. He had terrible luck in one game causing his team to lose in the last 11 minutes when they had been ahead. No US team wants him, and the press ridicules him. His agent finds a job for him as quarterback for the Parma team in Italy. It doesn’t pay much. In fact, most of the team members are Italian and don’t get paid at all. Rick hadn’t had a serious female relationship in the past and usually found companionship with cheerleaders. He was disappointed that there were no cheerleaders in Parma. The story is about Rick’s life in Italy, the food he eats, and his relationships with the team members. He has trouble parking his stick-shift car. He goes to the opera, which he had never done before. Prior to Italy he didn’t seem to have outside interests. His life was football practice, games, being on the road and dating cheerleaders. In Parma some new things happen including meeting a couple of (non-cheerleader) women which was fun to watch.
MORE REVIEWER’S OPINION:
On his first night in Parma, the coach takes Rick to a local restaurant. The description of Rick eating wonderful food actually motivated me to go to two Italian restaurants. Unfortunately, the restaurants didn’t have the same food that Rick ate. The book starts out a little slow, but Rick grew on me. He did some neat things for the team, and I liked his female experiences. The story had a feel good ending, but I was a little disappointed because I didn’t want it to end.
DATA:
Story length: 306 pages. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: none. Setting: current day U.S. and Italy. Copyright: 2007. Genre: sports and relationships fiction.
July 14, 2014
To be honest, I was not planning on leaving a review. I mean, seriously, this is John Grisham with almost three thousand reviews so who cares about my little grain of sand on an endless beach? But then I read the reviews posted here on Goodreads and decided to voice my own opinion. I started reading John Grisham when I was a sophomore in college and babysitting for my English Lit professors' kids. Needless to say, I devoured those novels like they were going out of style. As much as I love the courtroom drama and the legal stories that make you ignore your daily chores because, damn it, you have to at least finish the chapter, I have to say that Playing for Pizza, for me, was a poetic ode to Italian culture. Why is that a bad thing?
Yes, the descriptions of the sights, smells and tastes are profound and in detail but having lived 7 years in Italy, I practically salivated through each one of those scenes. Maybe those readers who criticized this one particular aspect of the novel had never been to Italy, if such is the case, then I suggest you listen to the audio version, close your eyes and let the descriptions take you away. I loved this book. I loved the fact that Grisham refers to this culture and country as though it were an exquisite woman shedding her clothing and reaching out to him like an irresistible muse. No complaints here. None.
Yes, the descriptions of the sights, smells and tastes are profound and in detail but having lived 7 years in Italy, I practically salivated through each one of those scenes. Maybe those readers who criticized this one particular aspect of the novel had never been to Italy, if such is the case, then I suggest you listen to the audio version, close your eyes and let the descriptions take you away. I loved this book. I loved the fact that Grisham refers to this culture and country as though it were an exquisite woman shedding her clothing and reaching out to him like an irresistible muse. No complaints here. None.
February 17, 2021
I read this approx 14 years ago and totally forgot about it until a GR friend had it posted. I'm glad they enjoyed it.
When I read this I found it hard to believe that this was a John Grisham novel, not just because I expect something legal related (which he has published primarily but certainly not exclusively), it was because the effort just wasn't what I come to anticipate when reading his work. It was a mediocre read at best and comparable to other mediocre reads, thus for me it was average. He attempted humor but I found it desperately lacking though I remember it was an effort to show the underside of sports (I was disillusioned years back so nothing was "shocking"). My perception was that John Grisham wanted a holiday in Italy and since a visit would constitute "research", a book was born! Though, I can't support that supposition.
Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on this parody but if I picked it up today, I probably wouldn't finish it. Perhaps, I have to high expectations for Grisham, he has a right to use his talents as he sees fit. I was also disappointed in his two Camino books thus far and don't plan to read #3. However, some just find his works entertaining no matter what the topic, to be honest, I wish I were that way...
When I read this I found it hard to believe that this was a John Grisham novel, not just because I expect something legal related (which he has published primarily but certainly not exclusively), it was because the effort just wasn't what I come to anticipate when reading his work. It was a mediocre read at best and comparable to other mediocre reads, thus for me it was average. He attempted humor but I found it desperately lacking though I remember it was an effort to show the underside of sports (I was disillusioned years back so nothing was "shocking"). My perception was that John Grisham wanted a holiday in Italy and since a visit would constitute "research", a book was born! Though, I can't support that supposition.
Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on this parody but if I picked it up today, I probably wouldn't finish it. Perhaps, I have to high expectations for Grisham, he has a right to use his talents as he sees fit. I was also disappointed in his two Camino books thus far and don't plan to read #3. However, some just find his works entertaining no matter what the topic, to be honest, I wish I were that way...
January 11, 2016
"Playing for Pizza" is an okay text. Readers who approach it expecting a classic are picking up the wrong author. However, as an enjoyable peep into the looser lifestyle of a professional athlete (which according to dominate culture we should all envy) it is a great escape from one's own problems and worries. For those who have not had a chance to see Italy, or for those who are interested in Italian culture, than it will certainly be a worthy time. Grisham obviously is in love with Italian culture, and it shows in the details of this novel. Too many people are being unduly harsh on this text simply because they are reading it expecting it be more than it was ever meant to be. Having said that, the ending is very weak and a bit flat after some of the earlier highlights of the novel. Read it on the plane or at the beach.
May 26, 2021
A fun book to listen to. What could be better than a book about football, Italy, Italian food, and good writing as always from John Grisham? I freally got into the main character Rick Dockery. Well developed plot and characters. I felt like I was there with the players on the field, in locker room and at the trattoria eating pizza and drinking beer.
October 9, 2021
Забавлявах се много с тази книга на Гришам в която американският футбол на италианска земя е на почит толкова , колкото би бил хокеят в Мароко .Пицата , бирата и играта за едната чест са гарантирани !!!
October 26, 2011
playing for pizza...... playing for pizza represents many things .... drive.. passion.. love for the game... and true determation. this book got gave to me by my dad i first i thought what in the heck could this mean. so i started reading the first 10 pages i read the first ten pages and got bored. the next day i kept reading as i got into it i couldnt find my self time to put it down. wich is suprising for me since i am not a fan of reading expecially books i dont chose my self. i think that one thing that made this book different and un like the other books is that it had drive and edge. once i kept reading on i found that it got boring in the middle about the time he gets totally wasted in the bar reading that part thinking next is going to be a fist kickin fight to the duel wich sadly ends up bringing the two charchters togethrer closer then they where befor shame.! something about this player though rick sets him apart atlthough he is the mosdt hated person in clevland he is still cocky as crap and thinks he is the pimp shiz. wrong everyone wants to kill you dumb nuts. but back to italy so ricks agent get him a team call the parma panthers? not for sure but its not a fairly good team but the coach has motivation and wich helps him out later in the book to win the champoishop of italy. but there is another player on the team from america the running back from college he didnt get drafted looking for a job somewhere kinda left to come to here so the next part is that he finds his love there and she becomes ricks girlfriend and all that good stuff wich i prefer not to talk about..... next he keeps playing nearly giving up after he thinks this isnt worth it i have a degree i donti go use it until he gets some friendly words of ingoraugment.
October 17, 2025
Playing for Pizza is Mr Grisham's book that has comedy. Little bit romance and not very heavy on the law. I thought this is interesting. I picked it up when I was obsessing with his books. I never guess he can write comedy.
3 stars
3 stars
June 26, 2016
Book on CD read by Christopher Evan Welch
Rick Dockery doesn’t know anything but football, but he’s obviously not very good at it. In six years, he played with eight teams. Now no one wants him, unless it’s to beat him up for his latest performance, which basically handed the AFC championship to the rival team. But … it seems that Italy is bonkers for American football, and the Parma Panthers are in need of a quarterback. And leaving for Europe will also keep a former cheerleader’s attorneys from filing a paternity suit against Rick. So off he goes.
What’s the male equivalent of chick-lit? Jock-lit? Well, whatever term we use, this novel is it. Light on plot (and what’s there is predictable), a little romance, a life lesson learned (sort of), and a lot of football. I’m not a fan of this sport, so much of the book with detailed descriptions of game plays was lost on me. But it was a quick read, fulfilled several challenges, and I enjoyed some of the scenes that explored Italian culture (and food). But Grisham is definitely capable of better writing that this.
Evan Welch does a fairly good job of voicing the audio. He has good pacing and I liked the way he voiced the Italians – even when I was listening ad double speed on my MP3.
Rick Dockery doesn’t know anything but football, but he’s obviously not very good at it. In six years, he played with eight teams. Now no one wants him, unless it’s to beat him up for his latest performance, which basically handed the AFC championship to the rival team. But … it seems that Italy is bonkers for American football, and the Parma Panthers are in need of a quarterback. And leaving for Europe will also keep a former cheerleader’s attorneys from filing a paternity suit against Rick. So off he goes.
What’s the male equivalent of chick-lit? Jock-lit? Well, whatever term we use, this novel is it. Light on plot (and what’s there is predictable), a little romance, a life lesson learned (sort of), and a lot of football. I’m not a fan of this sport, so much of the book with detailed descriptions of game plays was lost on me. But it was a quick read, fulfilled several challenges, and I enjoyed some of the scenes that explored Italian culture (and food). But Grisham is definitely capable of better writing that this.
Evan Welch does a fairly good job of voicing the audio. He has good pacing and I liked the way he voiced the Italians – even when I was listening ad double speed on my MP3.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,106 reviews