10) Book Review:

       John Grisham’s sports novel Playing for Pizzais one to be commended. Grisham used a modern setting and a popular sport, football, in order to make the readers grasp the message he was sending out. This novel is one of success, failure, love, learning, and growing up. Yes, Grisham’s main character was a 27 year old man, but even men have to grow up sometimes. In his novel, Grisham perfectly illustrates the life of a professionalfootball player who, in a time of despair, never gives up. He pieced together the puzzle of human nature and the world’s perspective of today’s celebrities. Rick Dockery was an NFL reject who was shipped to Italy for his last shot at a professional career in football. Grisham brought Dockery to life by showing his readers Rick’s thoughts and feeling through an omniscientpoint of view. He creatively put his story together to give the readers the message that failure only occurs when you quit trying. It’s okay to fall as long as you get back up and try even harder to reach your goals. Rick didn’t give up after his disastrous game in Cleveland, no, he kept pushing and was given another chance to redeem himself and make his team proud to call him their quarterback. I wouldn’t change a thing about this novel because I would be afraid to ruin the message that was thoughtfully placed into the words and pages of John Grosham’s work. Any person who struggle with gaining mental toughness should read this book. It’s a testimony that should be heard throughout America and the world because it teaches such an important life lesson. Props to John Grisham who learned and illustrated such an important lesson on ink and paper.