Rating: 
Summary: Read with your heart
Review: This book has evoked a certain emotion in me. As someone who has been active in the pursuit of community service, I feel strongly for those less fortunate ones. The book points to the problem of wealth distribution and disparity of a developed society. As the riches continue their grandeur style of living, there are many poor ones who cannot even afford the bare essentials and necessity such as food and shelter.Michael Brock, a successful lawyer who fast becoming a Partner in a giant D.C. law firm, met with a twist of event that led to his discovery of an illegal eviction by his firm. He walked out of his own comfort zone to work in a legal clinic as a public service lawyer with meagre earning as compared to his previous. The story revolve around Michael and his stolen file which contained evidence of the illegal eviction and how he levered on the situation and instead forced a settlement out from his previous firm for the good of those lingering in the streets.
Rating: 
Summary: A Wake-up Call to America about the Poor and the Homeless
Review: Attorney Michael Brock is a thirty-two-year-old Yale graduate, who will soon become a partner at the high powered Washington, D.C. law firm of Drake & Sweeney, where he will earn close to a million dollars a year and bonuses. He works eighty hours a week minimum and is climbing the ladder of success. Then one day a homeless man walks into the firm and takes some of its attorneys hostage. He not only has a gun, but a bundle of what looks like dynamite taped to his body and he laments that people like them walk right by him on the street, ignoring the poor and the homeless, and he demands they call him, Mister. Then he demands their tax records. He wants to check their charitable contributions. Mister meets a violent end, but the experience transforms Michael and his attempts to find out what motivated the man lead him to a world of soup kitchens, squatters, homeless shelters and a legal clinic where there are no million-dollar salaries. His guide to the world of the homeless is Mordecai Green, a firebrand in his early 50s who represents the poorest of the poor. He educates Michael and the reader about the elimination of low-cost housing and the trend in America to turn the homeless into criminals. It's not long before Green offers Michael a job and he accepts, becoming, you guessed it, "The Street Lawyer." Michael starts up in Green's clinic working on hundreds of cases, while preparing a lawsuit against his old firm. This is hard work and things start to get complicated when Michael realizes that a Drake & Sweeney file he has shows that his old firm had been guilty of wrongful eviction. This adds a very nice twist to the tale. Though this book is sort of a wake-up call to America about the plight of the homeless, it's first and foremost a John Grisham legal thriller, and as such you can expect a corporate conspiracy and a cover-up with our hero's life and livelihood on the line. You can also expect expertly drawn characters who you can easily identify with and non-stop Grisham suspense. I think everyone should read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Street Lawyer
Review: "N"Never judge a book by its cover". Sounds like a typical cliche. I never thought this was so, but I guess they were right. This is what John Grisham exactly does as he comes up with a "stereotype-ish" plot in his so-called-thriller, The Street Lawyer. The plot focuses on the idea of the Good versus the Bad. The good is exemplified by the the homeless (poor), and the bad is represented by the upper-class (bad). Not only does this plot seem to lack originality, the ending is by far one of the weakest I have ever read. The ending is simply too simple to be true.
The introduction, however, did bring some hype initially. The protagonist is Michael Brock, a senior associate working with the largest firm. One day, he finds himself in a situation where he, along with 8 others, are taken hostage by a homeless with dynamites sacked around his waist. Obviously, the homeless gets his head sniped by an officer, and all is saved (surprise!). Michael Brock begins to investigate the homeless victim (Devon Hardy) background, and soon he becomes intrigued by the homeless (poor) in general. Brock starts assisting the poor, without any profit, strictly out of good dead. This is the turning point in the thriller. But it makes me wonder why this senior associate, who is working with the largest, and the best firm, would even volunteer to do any sort of pro bono service. Personally, I just don't see how anyone can change their life in such a short instance. There was nothing unexpected, though there were many times where there could have been a few sudden twists or changes.
It is quite disturbing to see how John Grisham differentiates the good and the bad in two simple categories. It seemed as if the author had absolutely no knowledge about the homeless. I wonder if he even studied the facts about the homeless (poor), before he even wrote this book. Grisham also sends an idealistic impression that all rich people are bad, and the poor is good. This idea is just as superficial as The Street Lawyer.
But of course, if you were absolutely idealistic, obstinately perceiving everything as black-white, or right-left, then I would sincerely recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: While this is not the best of the Grisham novels I have read, this was not a bad novel. It was very interesting, entertaining and a pleasurable read. While it did not get into real depth, it raised some issues and concerns that the overall public refuse to bring to light. After everything that happened in the beginning of the book, you would think that Claire and his family would be a little more concerned about his well being and his incident. I think those characters were shallow. But, as background characters, their purpose was served. This book is about Michael's revelations and Michael's personal growth. Easy read, interesting and I would recommend it to anyone as a quick read.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This novel was the best novel I have ever read it showed great detail into the life a lawyer trying to make it in today's society and the moral struggles he must face. I recommend this book to anyone that is thinking about being a lawyer or to anyone that just wants to read a well-written novel. John Grisham in my eyes is one of the best authors of our time and the novel The Street Lawyer adds to the list of great accomplishments in his amazing career. I would advise anyone reading this review to spend the time to read the novel it is well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: The Street Lawyer
Review: The social stigma with pro bono work in the law field can be terribly negative. Some people associate it with an attorney getting a slap on the wrists requiring them to do community service just like a defendant in the judicial system. This book explores the true nature of the somewhat unglamorous side of the law. Through the struggles of the character, the reader wil undoubtedly move through emotions that would include frustration, warmth, disappointment, and of course the filling sense of accomplishment. All of these felt by main character. If anything, this story speaks to the human inside of every attorney. After all, we're people too.
Rating: 
Summary: Caution: DO NO READ THIS BOOK!
Review: I have never read a John Grisham book before but a friend recommended "The Street Lawyer" as one of his best so I decided to read it. I can only thank God she lent me her copy and I didn't actually have to purchase this book. It was painful from beginning to end. I kept expecting to be surprised, but the book developed along exactly the way you would expect. There were many opportunities for the writer to give us an unexpected twist, but this novel read routinely: rich, corporate lawyer turns life around after realizing (gasp!) that there are homeless people in the world who need help! It's as if Grisham wants us to believe that the entire world exists as good or bad, there is no gray area. Homeless people are stepped on and abused and it's rich people like Michael who abuse them for their own gain. That is too superficial and easy to be true. How did John Grisham research this book I wonder? Did he go to soup kitchens, talk to public interest lawyers, spend time with homeless people or did he think about all these issues from his mansion while wrapped in a soft bathrobe in the nice part of town. If you are really interested in issues like the homeless and failing marriage and want a story that is unexpected and funny, read Nick Hornsby's "How to Be Good". It is one of the best books I've ever read and gives a much better treatment to the idea of helping others and troubled marriage (it doesn't have anything to do with lawyers or crime drama though). As one final side note, the idea that runs through the book that "Republicans" are to blame for most of the problems of the homeless comes off ignorant and preachy. I consider myself a Democrat, but I'm not deluded enough to believe that if the Republicans were gone the world would magically get better for everyone. That view of the world is as superficial and simplistic as this whole book. Grisham wants us to see the world in black and white, rich people are bad and greedy, poor people are victimized - thank God I didn't buy this book and give him any more money to use for oppressing the poverty stricken lower class.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, But Not Action Packed
Review: What would it take for you to give up all your material possessions for a good cause? For Michael Brock, it took one fateful day at his high-powered Washington D.C. law offices, Drake and Sweeney, to turn him into an advocate for the homeless. After being taken hostage by a man simply called "Sir", Michael is shocked that a person, even though homeless, should commit suicide in such a way just to raise awareness for the rights of his fellow man.
Determined to do his part, Michael joins Mordechai Green, a famous homeless advocate in the city, to fight for the rights of the homeless. Along the way, he uncovers a sinister plot to put the homeless out of their shelters for profit involving his old, beloved and corrupt law firm, Drake and Sweeney.
This is one of John Grisham's best novels to date. It is not packed with action, albeit, but it has incredible integrity when it comes to characters. Brock is very believable, and his emotions are not overplayed in the least.
Another excellent feature of this novel is Grisham's attention to detail when describing the people and scenery. You can imagine what each character looks like without stretching your imagination, or even picture in your mind their houses, offices and workplaces. The book is not fast paced though; and it is 449 pages, so you do have to have some patience, but overall, it is a well written novel that doesn't let the reader go.
Rating:
Summary: Street Lawyer Review
Review: The Street Lawyer by John Grisham is a fantastic book and easy to read. The way Michael shifts his life and changes it thirty-two days is amazing. Michael leaves his job that paid him so much money just to become a Street Lawyer and help the homeless. His experience in the beginning of the book changed his life, but it is so amazing for anyone to be so interested in law that related to homeless if he had nothing to do with it few days ago.
It was funny how Mordecai knew that Michael was about to leave his job and that he was looking for a chance just to leave it. Mordecai took this chance and made it to his own benefit. Michael made it so obvious when he took the file; I think the author should have waited a while to make Michael have couple of cases and then jump on the big case. I don't know why it took so long for Michael to leave Claire; I mean it was so obvious that their relationship reached a deadlock. It was weird how Michael took this case as personal and started to attack Drake & Sweeney.
I like this quote and I think it summarize the whole story "I could look back for the first time and try to make senses of it all. Thirty-two says earlier I had been married to someone else, living in a different apartment, working a different firm, a complete stranger to the women I was now holding. How could life change so drastically in a month?" This shows that it is not too late to make a change in someone else life or your life and do the right thing. First I didn't agree with it but now I could see how it could be possible and that you can wake up one day and find yourself as a different person. I recommend this book not just because of what I said but because the message that's behind it. It is one of John Grisham Masterpiece. It is Michael's journey in the Streets.
Rating:
Summary: I WANT A SEQUEL
Review: THIS WAS ONE GREAT BOOK AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS CHARACTER IN ANOTHER BOOK. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. A LOOK INTO THE DARK WORLD OF STREET PEOPLE
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