Playing for Pizza, by John Grisham

Years ago when John Grisham took the top seller list by storm, I read and enjoyed a few of his books like everyone else. However, it wasn't long before I got bored with his formula. Jeff had to convince me that Playing for Pizza is not the usual product of the Grisham factory.

There are no lawyers, southern cities or conspiracies in this book. It's about a washed-out NFL quarterback's experience of playing a season of semi-pro American football in Parma, Italy. Mr Grisham captures the lovable naivete of the American, and presents it in a humorous light. The detailed descriptions of football games grew tedious, but the overall story is light-hearted and not entirely unbelievable.