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 "Johnson and Johnson"

Title/Author:

“Johnson and Johnson: A Short Story about Athletics and Academics in College Sports” by Larry LaForge

 

Sport: 

College Football (American)

 

Genre:

Fiction, sports, American football, college, ethics, academics            

 

Published:

August 19, 2012

 

Length:

36 pages

 

Rating: 

3 1/2 of 5 stars – good

 

Review:

Southeast State University’s football team has risen to one of the powerhouses of college football under the tenure of Coach Brack Johnson.  This season looks to be one of the finest as the school is highly ranked in the polls.   All the money that the university has invested in the program with top-notch facilities seems to be paying off. 

Professor Carson Johnson is a rising star in his own right.  On the fast track to tenure, he notices a peculiar trend in the grades and scholastic work of the team’s All-American quarterback.  He does what he believes is the right thing and notifies the dean of academics.  Could this really be happening?

Larry LaForge has addressed this ethical dilemma that is faced by many schools in this era of college football.   This is a short story that alternates the viewpoints of the coach and the professor. The center of the controversy is the team’s star quarterback, Stan Rogers.   Rogers does suffer an injury during the season, but at the time, it is discovered that his academic record shows good grades for work done outside class, but poor grades for in-class work. This creates an ethical dilemma for both the coach and the professor as neither wants the school to appear to be “soft” on academics, but at the same time, needs the quarterback to play.  

The story does take an interesting turn on this issue as Rogers is held out due to his injury, even when it has healed, so this can be addressed.  Each time the story is told in one viewpoint, the section ends with a hint of what is about to happen.   However, this is never spelled out in that next section.   The reader doesn’t really get to experience what the ultimate decision will be.  Instead, the reader will have to draw his or her own conclusion based on the progression of SSU’s season and the action of the academic board.  

 It is a good story that is very relevant for the topic.   It could use a little more substance and character development for the quarterback and the athletic director.  It does have a nice touch with the alternating viewpoints as the reader does understand the issues each man does face.  All in all, a decent short read that college football fans will enjoy.

_________________________________________________________________ 

Did I skim?

No

 

Did I feel connected to the characters? 

Yes.  I especially felt the pain of Coach Brack Johnson, as coaching is a very tenuous occupation at best, and this new revelation made the coach engage with a very hard conversation with his family on what the proper choice should be.  

 

Pace of the story:

Good – switching between the coach and the professor was important with this theme and both sides kept the story moving forward.

 

Positives:   

Both sides of the issue were addressed in the same amount of detail, and the arguments were presented fairly.  This book did not preach one way or the other about the issue – it simply painted a picture of the troubles facing both coach and professor.

 

Negatives:

The final outcome could be presented in a more clear and concise fashion.  I did re-read the last two sections before the epiloge to ensure I understood the entire picture.  For a short story, I found that a bit unsettling, as most short stories will be sharper.   This is not to say that the reader will be left without a conclusion – he or she just has to draw that conclusion on his or her own.

 

Do I recommend?  

Yes, for college football fans or readers who like ethical issues in the book.  

 

Book Format Read: ebook (Kindle)

 

Author Media Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Larry-LaForge/e/B009137XU2/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

http://www.facebook.com/LarryLaForgeStories