by John Grisham (Author)
Review about Playing For Pizza
The most helpful favorable review
Not the typical Grisham fare
Not the typical Grisham fare
By Lizz A. Belle "lizzabelle, English major extrodanaire"
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Yes, it is a departure from Grisham's usual legal thrillers but those were getting quite boring in my opinion. Same stuff, different book. I think the writing of this novel was very well done, Grisham creates very likeable characters who I found myself rooting for on each and every game day, sometimes even skipping ahead to see if they won. The main character of Rick Dockery goes through the usual motions of self discovery after a huge letdown but I still was on his side. I did find the football plays terribly confusing to read but I do not profess a lot of familiarity with the "Xs and Os" as Grisham calls them. This book is a quick read and enjoyable but I would not recommend purchasing it unless you really really really love John Grisham.
The most helpful critical review
More Vespa than Ferrari
By Eric Wilson "novelist"
Known and loved for his legal thrillers, John Grisham has managed to break free from expectations with whimsical novels such as "Skipping Christmas" and "Bleachers." He delved into literary writing with "A Painted House," and wrote a decent if a bit dry non-fiction work. I've enjoyed each of these departures for different reasons and in varying degrees
"Playing for Pizza" captured my interest with its continental flair and themes of failure and commitment. Rick Dockery, formerly and ignobly of the NFL, has escaped to Parma, Italy, where he can play for pizza and a pittance, while avoiding the troubles back home. Along the way, he discovers a few things about himself. As I started the book, I thought it might pull together all the pieces and give us a great Italian meal--humor, pathos, wisdom, and history in a fine recipe. I was wrong. Though this modern tale gives nice insights into Italian architecture and cuisine, it is short on humor, and the wisdom is diluted by Rick's incessant selfishness and bland approach to many things. It's hard to believe an emotional and physical slacker such as this could've ever made it to the NFL in the first place. Even in conclusion, he resolves very few of his own issues back home, and instead continues to escape from them. I kept wanting to like him. I kept wanting to like the book. But even the women he picks for relationships are shallow or weak. As usual, Grisham's writing moves at a fast clip. The book is--thankfully--not long. It's worth a few hours for those who love anything Grisham writes, and it has its satisfying moments. Overall, though, this is more spaghetti than cannoli, more Vespa than Ferrari.
