Playing for Pizza PB John Grisham

Description

Playing for Pizza Paperback
by John Grisham (Author)

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Rick Dockery is the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the AFC Championship game, to the surprise and dismay of virtually everyone, Rick actually gets into the game. With a seventeen-point lead and just minutes to go, Rick provides what is arguably the worst single performance in the history of the NFL. Overnight, he becomes a national laughingstock—and is immediately cut by the Browns and shunned by all other teams.

But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent find a team that needs him. Against enormous odds, Rick finally gets a job—as the starting quarterback for the Mighty Panthers . . . of Parma, Italy. The Parma Panthers desperately want a former NFL player—any former NFL player—at their helm. And now they’ve got Rick, who knows nothing about Parma (not even where it is) and doesn’t speak a word of Italian. To say that Italy—the land of fine wines, extremely small cars, and football americano—holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.

Third-string Cleveland Browns quarterback Rick Dockery becomes the greatest goat ever by throwing three interceptions in the closing minutes of the AFC championship game. Fleeing vengeful fans, he finds refuge in the grungiest corner of professional football, the Italian National Football League as quarterback of the inept but full-of-heart Parma Panthers. What ensues is a winsome football fable, replete with team bonding and character-building as the underdog Panthers challenge the powerhouse Bergamo Lions for a shot at the Italian Superbowl. The book is also the author’s love letter to Italy. Rick is first baffled and then enchanted by all things Italian-tiny cars! opera! benign corruption!-and through him Grisham (The Firm) instructs his readership in the art of gracious living, featuring sumptuous four-hour, umpteen-course meals. The writing sometimes lapses into travel-guide (“most Italian cities are sort of configured around a central square, called a piazza”) and food porn (“[the veal cutlets are beaten with a small bat, then dipped in eggs, fried in a skillet, and then baked in the oven with a mix of parmigiano cheese and stock until the cheese melts”), but it’s invigorated by appealing characters and lively play-by-play. The result is a charming fish-out-of-water story.

It is the story of a third string quarterback, Rick Dockery, who has pretty much played himself out of American and Canadian football – part is wrong timing, part is he is not much of a scrambler, but he lost a really big game and ended up in the hospital with injuries – There is practically a lynch squad outside the hospital. Rick’s agent is running out of options where to place Rick- there is a very intruiging offer – a position for a quarterback – a starting quarterback with the Panthers – no, not Carolina, Parma – Parma Italy! They have football teams there and while most of the members of the team play for the passion and fun of it, they are willing to pay to have an American play with them – The dollar figure offered is not great, but after some difficulties in the states, Rick goes to Italy.

He is welcomed, but soon, in spite of perks of being paid, a car, an apartment gratis, he has to train with the rest of the team – forget about quarterbacks not training with the team – he had to get into shape – and prove himself. He comes to love the Panthers, his team mates, his new country – And the football action is fantastic.

Yes, it is a story of redemption, but it is so much more – and beautifully and lightly written by Grisham.

Rounding to pages from being stored incorrectly. 978-0-440-24471-4.

978-0440244714

Rounding to pages from being stored incorrectly.