Friday, March 17, 2017
The King of Torts
by John Grisham
Meh. I was disappointed with this one. I wasn't expecting great literature, but past experience had led me to believe I'd at least get an interesting story with some likable characters. It's the tale of Clay Carter, a public defender who gets an unusual opportunity to file a class action claim against a big company. (I guess that falls under the category of tort law. Hence the title.) Clay is a likable fellow, but makes some bad choices. Very obvious bad choices. But, hey, you have to have some conflict, right? I figured we'd end up with a little redemption, a little turn around. Well, it was little all right. I really should have just reread The Last Juror or The Testament.
waiting room material
LibraryThing link
Meh. I was disappointed with this one. I wasn't expecting great literature, but past experience had led me to believe I'd at least get an interesting story with some likable characters. It's the tale of Clay Carter, a public defender who gets an unusual opportunity to file a class action claim against a big company. (I guess that falls under the category of tort law. Hence the title.) Clay is a likable fellow, but makes some bad choices. Very obvious bad choices. But, hey, you have to have some conflict, right? I figured we'd end up with a little redemption, a little turn around. Well, it was little all right. I really should have just reread The Last Juror or The Testament.
waiting room material
LibraryThing link
Labels: JohnGrisham, WaitingRoomMaterial
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Firm
by John Grisham
A thriller in which a Harvard Law School grad gets a job offer that's too good to be true. Well, the offer is true; but the firm, not so much. This probably was the least entertaining book by Mr. Grisham that I've read, but I still had to pace myself so as not to devour it before my plane ride home.
Very, very good waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
A thriller in which a Harvard Law School grad gets a job offer that's too good to be true. Well, the offer is true; but the firm, not so much. This probably was the least entertaining book by Mr. Grisham that I've read, but I still had to pace myself so as not to devour it before my plane ride home.
Very, very good waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
Labels: JohnGrisham, WaitingRoomMaterial
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Street Lawyer
by John Grisham
This is a tale of a mid-life crisis come early, but since it's a John Grisham novel, it's also a tale of crime, corruption and legal shenanigans. The hero of the tale is Michael Brock. Michael is an anti-trust lawyer, making the big bucks in a prestigious Washington, D.C. law firm. One day a homeless man enters the firm's offices and takes Michael and eight other lawyers hostage. The crisis is resolved violently and sets off an unraveling of Michael's lifestyle. He finds himself drawn to help the homeless as a street lawyer, working for a legal clinic. But his connection to his former employer also puts him the center of a major mess of litigation. I found it to be an entertaining story. The characters aren't quite as well rounded or conflicted as those in some of the other Grisham books I've read, but I found them to be enjoyable. It's an entertaining tale which I'm glad I was able to check out.
LibraryThing link
This is a tale of a mid-life crisis come early, but since it's a John Grisham novel, it's also a tale of crime, corruption and legal shenanigans. The hero of the tale is Michael Brock. Michael is an anti-trust lawyer, making the big bucks in a prestigious Washington, D.C. law firm. One day a homeless man enters the firm's offices and takes Michael and eight other lawyers hostage. The crisis is resolved violently and sets off an unraveling of Michael's lifestyle. He finds himself drawn to help the homeless as a street lawyer, working for a legal clinic. But his connection to his former employer also puts him the center of a major mess of litigation. I found it to be an entertaining story. The characters aren't quite as well rounded or conflicted as those in some of the other Grisham books I've read, but I found them to be enjoyable. It's an entertaining tale which I'm glad I was able to check out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
Sunday, April 01, 2007
The Partner
by John Grisham
I'll give this one a grudging "check it out" rating. It's the tale of a lawyer, Patrick Lanigan, who had faked his death and then swiped ninety million dollars that his law firm had gathered in a settlement. As the book opens, it is four years later and Patrick is discovered. The rest of the book details how he attempts to escape the civil and criminal cases against him, intertwined with the details of how he pulled off the scam in the first place. Like the other Grisham novels I've read, the characters are well done. This is the first novel, though, where the hero of the tale is an honest-to-Ghandi bad guy. Well, mostly bad guy. Mr. Grisham does a good job of gaining sympathy for the character. Throughout the book, I found myself rooting for Patrick, feeling guilty all the while. Anyway, though it is an entertaining read, this has to be my least favorite of the Grisham novels I've read. While the caper is intricate, it's a bit too flawless. At the end, I have a hard time believing that it could really happen.
LibraryThing link
I'll give this one a grudging "check it out" rating. It's the tale of a lawyer, Patrick Lanigan, who had faked his death and then swiped ninety million dollars that his law firm had gathered in a settlement. As the book opens, it is four years later and Patrick is discovered. The rest of the book details how he attempts to escape the civil and criminal cases against him, intertwined with the details of how he pulled off the scam in the first place. Like the other Grisham novels I've read, the characters are well done. This is the first novel, though, where the hero of the tale is an honest-to-Ghandi bad guy. Well, mostly bad guy. Mr. Grisham does a good job of gaining sympathy for the character. Throughout the book, I found myself rooting for Patrick, feeling guilty all the while. Anyway, though it is an entertaining read, this has to be my least favorite of the Grisham novels I've read. While the caper is intricate, it's a bit too flawless. At the end, I have a hard time believing that it could really happen.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
Thursday, March 15, 2007
A Painted House
by John Grisham
Ah, nothing takes away the aftertaste of children's literature like a good John Grisham book. Murder, corruption, legal shenanigans--all set in the heart of Dixie. Um, the only problem is that this one is a departure from Mr. Grisham's usual formula. Oh, there's sin and hate in there. But there's nary a lawyer in sight. Instead we get the tale of a seven-year-old boy, Luke Chandler, who's living on a rented farm in 1952 Arkansas. His family is trying to eke out a living, praying each year that the cotton crop will be good enough to pay off the accumulated loans. This year the cotton crop is fine and workers are needed to bring in the harvest. Luke's grandfather manages to hire on a group of Mexican laborers along with a family of "hill people". What follows is a tale of the harvest, as Mr. Grisham plays the various characters off of each other to showcase life in rural Arkansas. Looking back on it, the book seems a tad overdone. Luke experiences a heck of a lot in the space of a couple months and at times seems to handle it with a bit more sophistication than a seven-year-old should have. Of course, I didn't really notice that as much when I was actually reading it, which makes it a book worth checking out if you want a good read.
LibraryThing link
Ah, nothing takes away the aftertaste of children's literature like a good John Grisham book. Murder, corruption, legal shenanigans--all set in the heart of Dixie. Um, the only problem is that this one is a departure from Mr. Grisham's usual formula. Oh, there's sin and hate in there. But there's nary a lawyer in sight. Instead we get the tale of a seven-year-old boy, Luke Chandler, who's living on a rented farm in 1952 Arkansas. His family is trying to eke out a living, praying each year that the cotton crop will be good enough to pay off the accumulated loans. This year the cotton crop is fine and workers are needed to bring in the harvest. Luke's grandfather manages to hire on a group of Mexican laborers along with a family of "hill people". What follows is a tale of the harvest, as Mr. Grisham plays the various characters off of each other to showcase life in rural Arkansas. Looking back on it, the book seems a tad overdone. Luke experiences a heck of a lot in the space of a couple months and at times seems to handle it with a bit more sophistication than a seven-year-old should have. Of course, I didn't really notice that as much when I was actually reading it, which makes it a book worth checking out if you want a good read.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The Summons
by John Grisham
If I ever travel to Mississippi, or maybe even Memphis, I have a sneaking hunch I'll be reminded of China. Not that there's any real connection between the two areas, but rather since I've read so many John Grisham books during my sojourn in the Far East. This one is set in Clanton, Mississippi, the same setting for the novels A Time to Kill and The Last Juror. The hero of the tale is Ray Atlee, who is summoned home to Clanton by his ailing father. He arrives to discover that his father has died. Ray also discovers a potentially deadly secret. He attempts to discover the mystery behind the secret while wrestling with the problem of whether to reveal or keep it. The Summons isn't as good as the other two Clanton-based books I read, but I'm still glad I checked it out. The characters are a joy to read, even if I wince at their foibles, and the plot kept me interested until the end.
LibraryThing link
If I ever travel to Mississippi, or maybe even Memphis, I have a sneaking hunch I'll be reminded of China. Not that there's any real connection between the two areas, but rather since I've read so many John Grisham books during my sojourn in the Far East. This one is set in Clanton, Mississippi, the same setting for the novels A Time to Kill and The Last Juror. The hero of the tale is Ray Atlee, who is summoned home to Clanton by his ailing father. He arrives to discover that his father has died. Ray also discovers a potentially deadly secret. He attempts to discover the mystery behind the secret while wrestling with the problem of whether to reveal or keep it. The Summons isn't as good as the other two Clanton-based books I read, but I'm still glad I checked it out. The characters are a joy to read, even if I wince at their foibles, and the plot kept me interested until the end.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
Sunday, December 31, 2006
The Client
by John Grisham
Government is something given to humanity by God, yet sometimes it can be so frustrating that one wonders whether government is a blessing or a curse. The Client is an excellent illustration of government gone awry. The story is about an 11-year-old kid named Mark Sway. He's a poor kid, living with his mom and kid brother in a trailer park in Memphis. One day when he and his brother, Ricky, are out in a deserted lot, they encounter a lawyer from New Orleans, who has driven up to Memphis for the express purpose of ending his life. Mark impulsively thwarts the lawyer's attempt to asphyxiate himself, only to end up getting caught. The lawyer drunkenly threatens Mark's life and ends up revealing his reason for committing suicide. He has a client who is a Mafia hitman, and that client has revealed the location of the body of his latest victim. The D.A. needs that information to get a conviction and the pressure has just gotten to be too much for him. He tells Mark the location of the corpse, assuming that Mark will die with him. But a combination of the lawyer's drunkenness and help from Ricky allows the kid to escape. The kids run home and Ricky, overwhelmed by the experience, shuts down. The police and other organizations try to help the family, but when word leaks out that Mark knows the location of the body, the government's attempt to protect the family is hampered by the desire to find out the information on the missing corpse. Normally I don't care for the precocious kid character, but Mark is vulnerable enough to make me like him. Also, since one of his foes is dull bureaucracy, I can't help but root for the guy. Overall the characters aren't as well-rounded as in other John Grisham novels that I've read, but I'm still glad I took the time to check this one out.
LibraryThing link
Government is something given to humanity by God, yet sometimes it can be so frustrating that one wonders whether government is a blessing or a curse. The Client is an excellent illustration of government gone awry. The story is about an 11-year-old kid named Mark Sway. He's a poor kid, living with his mom and kid brother in a trailer park in Memphis. One day when he and his brother, Ricky, are out in a deserted lot, they encounter a lawyer from New Orleans, who has driven up to Memphis for the express purpose of ending his life. Mark impulsively thwarts the lawyer's attempt to asphyxiate himself, only to end up getting caught. The lawyer drunkenly threatens Mark's life and ends up revealing his reason for committing suicide. He has a client who is a Mafia hitman, and that client has revealed the location of the body of his latest victim. The D.A. needs that information to get a conviction and the pressure has just gotten to be too much for him. He tells Mark the location of the corpse, assuming that Mark will die with him. But a combination of the lawyer's drunkenness and help from Ricky allows the kid to escape. The kids run home and Ricky, overwhelmed by the experience, shuts down. The police and other organizations try to help the family, but when word leaks out that Mark knows the location of the body, the government's attempt to protect the family is hampered by the desire to find out the information on the missing corpse. Normally I don't care for the precocious kid character, but Mark is vulnerable enough to make me like him. Also, since one of his foes is dull bureaucracy, I can't help but root for the guy. Overall the characters aren't as well-rounded as in other John Grisham novels that I've read, but I'm still glad I took the time to check this one out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
Sunday, December 10, 2006
A Time to Kill
by John Grisham
I'm tempted to think that this one is about truth, justice and the American Way gone wrong. The story is set in Mississippi and opens with the account of a ten-year-old girl, Tonya, being raped by two men. They abuse her, try to kill her but end up abandoning her to die in a ravine. She is found, taken to the hospital and, eventually, the two men are arrested. The wheels of justice begin to turn, but Tonya's father, Carl Lee, decides to take matters into his own hands and guns down the rapists as they are being led from the courthouse back to jail. The book then deals with the attempts of Carl Lee's lawyer to get him acquitted. Since Carl Lee is black and the rapists where white, the trial ignites all sorts of reactions in the community as justice, prejudice and the law collide. It's not a pretty picture, but it's a thought provoking tale. There's no clear ideals in the book, no truly heroic people. While the lead character, lawyer Jake Brigance, is a good guy, he's not above lying or manipulation to get Carl Lee acquitted. Carl Lee, of course, is as guilty as can be, though you tend to sympathize with him and can fully understand his motivation. I suppose you could say that it truly does depict the American Way--nothing is pure, everything is tainted by evil. I was on one jury myself and, while the case was nothing as remotely important as this one, we, too, brought our prejudices and private concerns into the jury room. I left that trial, like I left this book, feeling that the verdict wasn't perfect, but I guess it was the best we could do. Anyway, this is definitely a book worth checking out.
LibraryThing link
I'm tempted to think that this one is about truth, justice and the American Way gone wrong. The story is set in Mississippi and opens with the account of a ten-year-old girl, Tonya, being raped by two men. They abuse her, try to kill her but end up abandoning her to die in a ravine. She is found, taken to the hospital and, eventually, the two men are arrested. The wheels of justice begin to turn, but Tonya's father, Carl Lee, decides to take matters into his own hands and guns down the rapists as they are being led from the courthouse back to jail. The book then deals with the attempts of Carl Lee's lawyer to get him acquitted. Since Carl Lee is black and the rapists where white, the trial ignites all sorts of reactions in the community as justice, prejudice and the law collide. It's not a pretty picture, but it's a thought provoking tale. There's no clear ideals in the book, no truly heroic people. While the lead character, lawyer Jake Brigance, is a good guy, he's not above lying or manipulation to get Carl Lee acquitted. Carl Lee, of course, is as guilty as can be, though you tend to sympathize with him and can fully understand his motivation. I suppose you could say that it truly does depict the American Way--nothing is pure, everything is tainted by evil. I was on one jury myself and, while the case was nothing as remotely important as this one, we, too, brought our prejudices and private concerns into the jury room. I left that trial, like I left this book, feeling that the verdict wasn't perfect, but I guess it was the best we could do. Anyway, this is definitely a book worth checking out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
Monday, February 27, 2006
The Last Juror
by John Grisham
I finished this book today and wondered if it was a bait and switch. I mean, there are jurors in the book and all that, but they often fade into the background. The main character is actually reporter/editor of a small town newspaper and the story is arguably about his 10 year odyssey in the town. The book is a broad tapestry, with scenes of family, coming of age, politics, religion, urbanization and, oh yeah, a murder trial. If you're looking for a straightforward thriller, you might find this one lacking. But maybe you should check it out anyway. It's well written and entertaining.
LibraryThing link
I finished this book today and wondered if it was a bait and switch. I mean, there are jurors in the book and all that, but they often fade into the background. The main character is actually reporter/editor of a small town newspaper and the story is arguably about his 10 year odyssey in the town. The book is a broad tapestry, with scenes of family, coming of age, politics, religion, urbanization and, oh yeah, a murder trial. If you're looking for a straightforward thriller, you might find this one lacking. But maybe you should check it out anyway. It's well written and entertaining.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
The Testament
by John Grisham
Someone--I forget who--had written an online article or blog post that lamented Christians who exclusively read "Christian fiction" by authors like Jerry B. Jenkins yet eschew "secular fiction" written by Christian authors like John Grisham. At least I think it was John Grisham. Maybe it was some other famous scribe. Anyhoo, John Grisham was the name in the back of my mind when I was browsing over at the Bookworm Exchange before catching Spider-Man 2. I didn't buy anything that day. But I did grab this book weeks later at the Poplar Creek Library paperback exchange. (I only took two books, honest. I'm not that greedy.) The Testament is the tale of a rich, um, jerk who writes a will that leaves nothing to his ne'er do well children, ex-wives and sycophants but rather gives the whole shebang to a missionary living in the Amazon basin of Brazil. Half of the story concerns itself with the legal wrangling of the disinherited, the other half involves the efforts of a washed up attorney and recovering addict to find the missionary heir. Like Left Behind, this book is a New York Times bestseller. Like Left Behind, you get people repenting and finding Jesus. Unlike Left Behind, this book is good and left me with a very satisfied feeling. The people were believable, three dimensional characters and I had no problem envisioning the settings Mr. Grisham described. This is definitely a book worth checking out.
LibraryThing link
Someone--I forget who--had written an online article or blog post that lamented Christians who exclusively read "Christian fiction" by authors like Jerry B. Jenkins yet eschew "secular fiction" written by Christian authors like John Grisham. At least I think it was John Grisham. Maybe it was some other famous scribe. Anyhoo, John Grisham was the name in the back of my mind when I was browsing over at the Bookworm Exchange before catching Spider-Man 2. I didn't buy anything that day. But I did grab this book weeks later at the Poplar Creek Library paperback exchange. (I only took two books, honest. I'm not that greedy.) The Testament is the tale of a rich, um, jerk who writes a will that leaves nothing to his ne'er do well children, ex-wives and sycophants but rather gives the whole shebang to a missionary living in the Amazon basin of Brazil. Half of the story concerns itself with the legal wrangling of the disinherited, the other half involves the efforts of a washed up attorney and recovering addict to find the missionary heir. Like Left Behind, this book is a New York Times bestseller. Like Left Behind, you get people repenting and finding Jesus. Unlike Left Behind, this book is good and left me with a very satisfied feeling. The people were believable, three dimensional characters and I had no problem envisioning the settings Mr. Grisham described. This is definitely a book worth checking out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, JohnGrisham
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