Playing for Pizza and other good reads

Just in case you’ve an impulse to pick up a new book or two … below are some good books I’ve read in the last few months.

First and foremost, Playing for Pizza by John Grisham is the most enjoyable book I’ve read in years. Yes, the John Grisham that brought you A Time to Kill and other great lawyer thrillers … but the only lawyer (judge actually) in this book is an Italian running back who thinks he’s Franco Harris. The idea is fabulous, a 3^rd string NFL quarterback blows the AFC championship game and overnight becomes the worst QB in NFL history while lying unconscious in the hospital. Unemployed, he winds up with the Parma Panthers of the Italian Football League that allows up to 3 American “Pros” per team. I’d given the book to my pal Gerhard with a twenty minute short course on American football (nope, most Germans have no clue what a quarterback is) and had to chuckle several days later when he text messaged me “you said this was a book on American football, I’m reading a book on Italian food!” It says much on both cultures, American and Italian, and it does so with a tremendous amount of fun. Most of the Italian players are in it for the love of the game (they love to hit) and the post practice pizza with their comrades … which may be why I enjoyed it so much, since one of the great things about playing in a German basketball league is the culturally obligatory beers after practice. Pick it up, you’ll enjoy it.

Other notable books I've read of late:

Napoleon, by Frank McLynn. What amazes me most about this long and well written book is how much it covers of Napoleon’s life, his psychological makeup and his achievements and yet leaves so much yet to ponder. Clearly one of the great men of the ages, Napoleon remains enigmatic … rarely dealing with betrayal by those close to him he nonetheless once said the loss of a million soldiers meant nothing to him.

And finally, from David Baldacci, I strongly recommend the The Camel Club series (The Camel Club, The Collectors and recently released Stone Cold). Thrillers, they are of full of conspiracy and all the normal trappings … what sets them apart are the misfit oddball heroes of the series. Lovable and quirky, all three books are great, although the latest is much darker than its siblings.