Actually He had already based his last book, The Broker, in Bologna. To recognise this service to the tourism of the city, University of Bologna had invited him for a high profile thanks-giving in September 2005. To write The Broker, Grisham had come to stay in Bologna for some time, going around and checking all the details for his book.
Luca says, "He is a real nice person, does not give himself any airs."
About the insipration for Grisham's new book "Playing for Pizza" that should come out in November, Luca says, "I don't know if I can say that I inspired it. However, Grisham did ask me how did I speak English so well and I told him that I was a player at the American football centre." Infact, Luca had played with Bologna Warriors first and then with Phoenix San Lazzaro. Grisham was amazed, American Football in Italy?
So they say that Luca took him to Scandiano to watch the Italian Superbowl 2007 between Lions Bergamo and Panthers Parma. "No, that is not true. I couldn't take him to any match because at that time the season was already over."
The hero of "Playing for Pizza" is a player for national league, who is forced to leave USA and accepts to play for Parma Panthers.
In the pictures below, John Grisham in Bologna University in 2005.
