John Grisham, Playing for Pizza

In Playing for Pizza, Grisham returns to the genre of literature he explored in his earlier book, Bleachers. Like that book, football provides the backdrop. In this delightful little book, Rick Dockery, a struggling NFL quarterback near the end of his short and abortive career finds himeslf heading off to Italy to play American Football after a disastrous performance in a big playoff game for the Cleveland Browns (he was the third string quarterback, and came in after a couple injuries and threw away a big lead with three interceptions).

Dockery, even though he is pretty low on the NFL totem pole, and now even lower by blowing the big game, is still a pretty big shot in the sports world, being an NFL quarterback. He's used to finding places to play, people that want him on their team, all while waiting for his big break into the big time. His career is the big goal. But that vision slowly erodes away on him as he finds himself with no offers to play. His agent finally finds him this spot in the very obscure league in Italy and convinces Dockery to take it. Needless to say, it's a big change, playing in a converted rugby stadium, often in front of less than one thousand fans. But the Italians are excited to have him. The Parma team hasn't ever won the "Super Bowl" of Italy, and sorely wants to. Each team is allowed three American players, but during the course of the short season, the other two Americans for the Parma team leave, and Rick is left to make the best of the season. His performances have been pretty good, but he will need to step it up, as will the whole team, to win the Super Bowl.

Rick meets an American girl, Lilly, who is in Italy studying art and avoiding her familiy, and the two of them take up together. Rick is forced to explore the country with her, and also forced to open up to another human being.

Turning down an offer to return to Canada to play pro ball, Rick buckles down and diligently works with Sam to come up with a plan for a winning season. And his performances continue to improve. He goes from treating the Parma Panthers as the small time to putting all his energy behind his team, and it makes a big difference for the team, and for him. A trimphant Super Bowl win caps his transformation on and off the field, and we are with Rick planning to stay on in Italy for another year, content with where he is at.

Thought this book is a departure from Grisham's usual thrillers, it has the stamp of his quality pacing and interesting characters. His colorful pictures of Italy provide a great backdrop for this nice little tale of a troubled kid who explores the world outside his glitzy and self-centered NFL life. It's a great read and makes me want to spend a month in the Italian countryside. Someday.