Review of "Playing for Pizza" - audiobook

I realized that it had been a long time since I listened to an audio book on my commute so I decided to pick this one up from the library when I was perusing the books on CD section. While the book has been out for a few years, I still decided to listen instead of read.  It turned out to be the right choice.  Here is my review of the audio book of "Playing for Pizza."

Title/Author:

“Playing for Pizza” by John Grisham, narrated by Christopher Evan Welch

Tags:

Football (American), fiction, Europe, audio book

Publish date:

September 24, 2007

Length:

262 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns when he turned in one of the worst performances in the history of the NFL playoffs when the Browns turned a 17 point lead in the AFC Championship game into a loss to Denver.  Mercilessly ridiculed and cut by the Browns, no other team wants to take a chance on him. His agent does find a team that will give Rick a chance – and make him the starting quarterback as well.

The team is named the Parma Panthers and they play in the Italian league – in Italy.  That is the scenario for this fictional football story by John Grisham. Taking a break from his legal novels, Grisham’s story of a washed-up quarterback finding redemption, friends and his place in life on the other side of the world. The story itself is entertaining but very predictable. There are twists in the football fortunes of the Panthers, in Rick’s attitude toward Italy and his teammates and also his love life. The football portions describe the game fairly well and in a manner that is simple enough that casual fans will understand the action.  Readers will feel the tension as the season marches toward the Italian Super Bowl, which for these players is just as important as the one that is a bit more popular in the United States.

While the story itself and every subplot such as Rick’s encounters with the ladies and the descriptions of Italian food and cathedrals can at times seem to be overpowering the football, what really made this audio book a very good choice was the excellent narration by Christopher Evan Welch.  When he had to speak the part of an Italian, whether a male or female character, it sounded authentic and not forced.  His different voice inflections for each character, whether American or Italian, were superb.  Plus, he made the story sound dramatic even though nearly every scene was predictable and didn’t leave much suspense. 

If I had read this book, it would have been worth three stars, as I would have stuck with the story to the end and as mentioned earlier, it was mildly entertaining.  But with such outstanding narration by Welch, that gives the audio book a rating of four stars and I am glad that I took the option of listening to this book. 

Book Format Read:

Audio book

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Pizza-Novel-John-Grisham/dp/0385525001/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=  

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/playing-for-pizza-christopher-evan-welch/1104578315?ean=9780739359082

Review of "Touchdown In Europe"

Upon receiving a message from the author of this book asking if I was interested in reviewing it, I was skeptical at first.  I had thought most of the history of American football in Europe was the now-defunct NFL Europe league and the regular season games played in London.  Boy, was I sadly mistaken, and I learned a lot reading this book.  Here is my review of "Touchdown in Europe." 

Title/Author:

“Touchdown in Europe: How American Football Came to the Old Continent” by Massimo Foglio and Mark L. Ford

Tags:

Football (American), history, Europe

Publish date:

July 8, 2015

Length:

304 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Most football fans in the United States do not realize that the game has had a long and colorful history in Europe.  For those who thought that when the NFL Europe league existed that it was most of the history of the game on that continent, this book by Massimo Foglio will set those readers straight. 

The game has actually been played in Europe for almost as long as it has been in the United States.  It was brought to the continent by American military members who were stationed in Europe and played it for recreation during some down time.  These games soon became more than just for fun – they exposed the sport to a new audience who was curious to learn more.

As the years passed and World War I and II service members showed their European hosts what type of game was played, there were several leagues organized (and folded) in several countries as well as barnstorming tours done by American college teams organized by entrepreneurs who were looking to make a profit.  The stories of these attempts are rich with humor, detail and insight.  Many of the games played are recapped in the book with details in a manner that one would believe he or she is reading a recap from a recent game, sometimes complete with statistics.

That is the best aspect of this book, as the research shows that by uncovering some of these stories, Foglio has presented a look at the game that few in the United States know.  He concentrates on five European nations where the game is the most popular: Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, and Norway.  Sometimes the stories are so detailed a reader might have a hard time following all the players and people involved, but Foglio makes sure his readers are following along by providing some reminders of stories in earlier chapters that may tie into the next one.  That made the book easier to read later on, as I had a hard time keeping up with all those details early in the book.

Gridiron fans who wish to learn more about the history of the game beyond the NFL should pick up this book as it will certainly teach them a segment of the game they may not know. These games and leagues are explained in rich detail but in a fun and entertaining manner that make the book one to add to a reader’s football library.

I wish to thank Mr. Foglio for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Touchdown-Europe-American-Football-Continent-ebook/dp/B0119USTFC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1444575504&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/touchdown-in-europe-massimo-foglio/1122268357?ean=9781508898122