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Playing for Pizza

by John Grisham

An NFL quarterback’s unexpected move to Italy

Bestseller Critically Recognized
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Awards & Recognition

  • Bestseller

    #1 New York Times Bestseller

    The metadata identifies the book as a #1 New York Times bestseller.

  • Critical praise

    Praised by USA Today

    Attributed praise says the book delivers something unexpected, and does so with great success.

AlbakiReads Editorial

An NFL quarterback’s unexpected move to Italy

After a disastrous NFL performance leaves Rick Dockery without a team, he takes a job as starting quarterback for the Parma Panthers, an American-football club in Italy. He arrives knowing little about Parma and none of the Italian language, while the team is eager to have a former NFL player at its helm. The setup brings together a career setback, an unfamiliar place and the challenges of joining a team across cultural and linguistic lines. American football remains central, but the story also turns on Rick’s adjustment to life beyond the league he knows.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in American football fiction and a professional athlete’s career setback.
  • Readers who enjoy stories set across cultures, especially involving an American adjusting to life in Italy.
  • Readers interested in team dynamics and starting over in a new role.

Themes

Career setbacks and second chancesAmerican footballCultural adjustmentLanguage barriersTeam belonging

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "Fans of John Grisham live for his legal thrillers, but now and then he serves up something unexpected. That's exactly what he does, with great success, in Playing for Pizza."--USA Today

After providing what is arguably the worst single performance in the history of the NFL, third-string quarterback Rick Dockery becomes a national laughingstock. Cut by the Cleveland Browns, and shunned by every other team, Rick insists that his agent find a team that does need him.

Against enormous odds, Rick lands 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.
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Customer reviews

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Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

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Thomas DiMassa

Great service and fast service

Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

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Olivia

Smooth.