Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing But Not Too Realistic
Review: For the most part, I enjoy the literary style of John Grisham. He interweaves many interesting sub plots throughout his novels and this one is certainly no exception. The contrast between the 14th Street Legal Advocacy Groups and Sweeney are as opposite as night and day. In the case of The Street Lawyer, the plot unfolds in an easy to read style with consuming drama at many corners. Who would have expected that when Michael Brock "borrowed" the controversial file that he would be involved in an automobile accident which shaped this story.Whereas the writing style is very engaging, realisticly the story suffers. I can understand Michael Brock having some new ideas about serving the public based upon being held hostage for a day. However, to change careers from one extreme to the other at the rate of a 75% pay cut seems highly unlikely. Some of his sympathy towards the homeless particularly the family who perished in the car is a bit overdone. It is sad that they had to die that way due to negligence of the big Real Estate monguls. However, Grisham quickly characterizes the Burton family and most other homeless as completely the fault of normal society and our governments uncaring ways. This is simply not so in many cases. There are a good deal of homeless people who choose that way of life and who do not want handouts. Others are a pirahaha on society who should be behind bars or certainly in an institution. There are definitely some who just need a break and some of those will not admit it. This last category I personally feel sorry for the most. However, Grisham tends to put all homeless people before the good law abiding citizens and in many(not all) instances that is overdone. Coupled with Grisham's overly liberal philosophies, the ending of this book is quite ridiculous. All of a sudden the Sweeney firm is going to have a conscience after being so brazen in its aattitude towards the poor. The fact that all these events involving this case plus Michael's divorce, move, and involvement with a new profession and a new relationship within thirty two days is really pushing the extreme button. Good fiction is usually based on some realism. The strong lack of that quality is this novel drops the feeling here to certainly quite entertaining but not very believable.
Rating: 
Summary: Waste of My Time!
Review: The Street Lawyer is about a young lawyer, who comes close to death when a homeless man holds him hostage, and his sudden changes of lifestyle and thinking. He quits his current job as a hot-shot lawyer after is encounter and becomes extremely into helping the poor. When he finds out about some wrong-doing at his old law firm, he steals a file that tells all. He thinks he got away with it until he gets into a bad car crash and the file is found by the wrong people. The main character is Michael Brock, who begins the story a lawyer in an unhappy marriage. After his encounter with the crazed homeless man, he realizes that homelessness is a problem in Washington DC, where he lives. He joins a small firm that helps only the poor. He and his wife later separate and he moves into an apartment where he sleeps on the floor in an attempt to relate to his customers. Obviously, the book's title is The Street Lawyer because that is what he becomes. I didn't like this book because it was over-the-top dramatic and preachy. I have never read a book by John Grisham, and I guess I was expecting much more. The ending of the book is the worst part; it simply cuts off on the part that is remotely interesting. Before I read this book, I hadn't thought of poverty being in the streets as much as it probably is in the US, and this is the only thing I've learned from this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Sad attempt at social commentary
Review: In The Street Lawyer, Grisham attempts to point out how much we are wrapped up in our own lives to worry about our fellow man. A supposedly crazy homeless man takes some lawyers hostage, and then gets killed for his efforts. Michael Brock, one of the hostages, discovers a conspiracy, by his own law firm, that is responsible for the homeless man's actions as well as the death of a family forced to sleep in a car. This book is filled with help the Homeless propaganda (not that I dislike the homeless) and it ruins what could have been a great plot.
Rating:
Summary: I disagree...it's Grisham's WORST book!
Review: As a Grisham fan, I was disappointed. The characters had no depth, and sounded like something from one of those sickening "Help The Homeless" rallies.
Rating:
Summary: Gritty, slam-bang realism!
Review: Since I got my hard cover edition of The Street Lawyer for free, I wasn't as upset as I could've been when -- upon finishing the book -- I realized that it sucked. The story itself develops quite well and moves at a good pace, but the ending is incredibly cliché. You can tell this book is meant for mass consumption, as I would imagine all of Grisham's books are. I'm not usually drawn to courtroom drama outside of Law & Order (or the morally risqué Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), so I couldn't care less about any John Grisham release, let alone The Street Lawyer. As far as the book being a gritty and realistic portrayal of "street life" or "homeless people," I could agree somewhat. Then again, you could say that The Street Lawyer is "a slam-bang action thriller" and I would agree somewhat, because I'm highly agreeable. The verdict? Well, if you think that Judge Judy is the best thing since sliced bread then you should go bonkers for The Street Lawyer. As for me, I already have my intelligence insulted far too often by other forms of entertainment. One star.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book!
Review: I love when a book raises serious social questions (the plight of the homeless) and more importantly sways my thoughts and opinions. This book did a great job of not only telling a compelling story about one lawyer's journey from his high powered attorney position with a large firm to a position with a small 'socially conscience' firm. I found the message of the book more compelling and thought provoking than any of Grisham's other books.
Rating:
Summary: Big Firm Lawyer goes to the streets
Review: Mr. Brock, a big time lawyer, on the fast track to being a partner earning a million bucks a year. He is held hostage be an insane street person, inside the firm. The street person asks him about how much they give to poverty each year, and it really makes him think. After his marriage starts to go bad he starts to volenteer in homless shelters, and meets a little boy named Ontario...
Rating:
Summary: Grisham's only dog!
Review: It appears to me that John Grisham needed a paycheck. I read the entire book quickly, and enjoyed it, but it seems unrealistic and uncharacteristic of Grisham's excellent writing style. I find the use of Washington, D.C. as the locale trite and unimaginative. Grisham's work is so good, that this ends up seeming mediocre, at best!
Rating: 
Summary: time to reassess
Review: There are moments that change a life. Times when the average person must reassess who s/he is and the directions chosen for life. When Michael Brock a high powered attorney on the fast pace to make partner in a high-powered law firm is confronted by a loaded gun in a hostage situation he is forced to reassess his choices thus far. They don't seem all that good. He is living in a meaningless marriage with a wife who competes with him for the most important lifework and who yearns to be a fellow martyr for her chosen profession of physician. Grisham has been attempting new and different storylines. some have worked more successfully than others. While many criticize his writing style I find him eminently readable. He may not be deep or poetic, but he does keep a storyline going and I find myself always rooting for his characters, even those which I do not entirely like. Is Michael Brock sincere in his attempt to change his life and become a advocate for the homeless and destitute. Well, its' hard to say. Read the book and decide. For those Grisham fans, you will most likely enjoy this book as well. It doesn't have the thrill and suspense of The Firm, The Client or A Time to Kill. It continues on the theme of making a better world that was noteworthy in The Testament. I personally do not rate this book as high as some of those named, but it rates above some of his others.
Rating:
Summary: thumbs up
Review: although not as suspensful as others, a great story, good characters and a plain good read.
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