Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable and intelligent, but a bit preachy
Review: Quick moving and intelligent, but a bit too much social commentary. This was my first Grisham novel, and I don't know if this is typical for the author. While at many times I found myself wondering if the author was using the story as a liberal soapbox from which to preach, the story line was entertaining, if not somewhat provocative, and the ending was well written. In all, I recommend this book, and am anxious to "catch up" on his many other works!
Rating: 
Summary: Wait for the movie.
Review: John Grisham's novels have steadily gone downhill. Instead of writing literature, he is writing screenplays. For this book, the characters have no depth, the plot is very predictable and unfocused. I borrowed it from my best friend to read on a cross country flight. She doesn't want it back, and I got more entertainment and mental stimulation from watching cloud formations.If you are a reader, don't waste your time. If you prefer movies, wait until it comes on TV at 3am and watch it when you are drunk.
Rating: 
Summary: I usually don't read Grisham. Having read this one....
Review: I have a few points to make. I wonder about those who might look at this book in a certain way. The "preachiness" of the book might to some come across in a negative way. With respect to Grisham, I wonder about the following: 1) What do people know about how much Grisham pays to help the homeless? 2) Where do they get their information? 3) Would they make assumptions that he is greedy just because they would be greedy (if they had lots of money)? 4) Has the fact that John Grisham found his way to the legal clinic in D.C. and has befriended a network of people associated with helping the homeless gotten by some? What, pray tell, would he have been doing there (not all book ideas come on purpose). 4) Did the idea that future lawyers who read "The Street Lawyer" might be somewhat influenced by it to do some good ever cross anybody's mind? The negative light shed on this book seems in no small measure to be based on an uneasiness it engenders in those who have slammed it. I wonder if maybe they don't have a problem with being enlightened about the facts of life on the street. "Street Lawyer" is a fine piece of work. I'm not in the slightest influenced by the babblings of the person who wrote the review for the New York Times. His seething resentment is unmistakable, regardless of whatever "great" work he himself might have created.
Rating:
Summary: THE TELEPHONE BOOK IS FAR MORE INTERESTING THAN THIS BOOK
Review: I've read all Grisham's novels. A TIME TO KILL, THE FIRM and even THE CHAMBER were all excellent books and well written- a real delight. Last year I bought THE PARTNER and was really disappointed. While many friends of mine enjoyed the book, I found it extremely boring. The best part of it was the beginning. The first chapter started directly with the action (usually the real action in Grisham's books begins after 200 pages). However, I decided to buy THE STREET LAWYER, wishing to see if Grisham had recovered. The answer is real short: NO, NO and NO!!!! Like the previous one, the beginning of the book was quite promising: the mysterious homeless, hostages and so on. I thought: here is another page-turner. I was wrong. The rest of the novel was a real "crap". I couldn't indemntify myself with the sudden change of behavior of the main character. From a real golden boy, amazingly focused on money, he magically becomes a Mother Theresa (God bless her soul). I kept on reading, telling myself: it's the author's subconscious and guilt we are reading about. As if Grisham is ashamed of earning millions from writing his books. I am telling you all, if he'd really felt so guilty (as it now appears to be the case), he could have given some money to the homeless people, instead of writing this surmon of his. If all the readers had given the money (they had used to buy the book) to some of the numerous shelters, they could have helped many homelesses. The last two novels of Grisham are bad and annoying. AVOID THEM and SAVE YOUR MONEY. I want to rate this book less than 1 star, but unfortunately I can't...
Rating:
Summary: Yuck!
Review: IF you like rambling, unfocused, left wing propaganda you will love this one. It's boring and typical Grisham now.
Rating:
Summary: Way too "preachy", and downright boring
Review: My wife and I listed to this (Unabridged cassette version) on a trip to take my son to college on the other side of the state. While the first half of the book was interesting, when we got home and tried to listen to it separately, I became bored and asked my wife if she wanted to listen to the rest of it. She had no interest. This is very unusual as she has previously loved everything that Grisham has written. I agree with several readers who stated that if Grisham is so concerned with his "street" buddies that he puts some of the millions where his mouth is. Don't waste your time on this one!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: An execptional disappointment from a first rate author.
Review: I have read and thoroughly enjoyed most of Grisham's books. It was for this reason that I started this book with great anticipation. About half way through, however, I found myself laboring not to put the book down. With more than 13 years in Santa Monica, CA, I have had more than a little exposure to the homeless. Grisham conveniently omits homeless behavior which commonly occurs in our area: aggressive and threatening panhandling, urination in public places, assaults, etc. I have no doubt that my personal experiences with the homeless have influenced my reaction to the book. Having said that, I must add that the book lacks realism and, with the exception of the "real" street lawyer (Mr. Green), lacks character development. It could have been a far better book with a little more realistic portrayal of homeless behavior and a little more believable principal character.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I've read some stupid reviews in my time, but the idiots who didn't like The Street Lawyer have got to take the cake. Anybody who knows Grishams's writing at all know that The Partner and The Runaway Jury were his low points--when he gets on his soapbox and deals with injustice he's at his very best. The Rainmaker, The Client, The Pelican Brief, A Time to Kill, all were exquisite novels. So was The Street Lawyer. John, stay on your soapbox and you will always have me for a reader. The rest of you who don't like a grown up book can return to your comics and Hardy Boys mysteries.
Rating:
Summary: Best Since The Client!! Absolute Page-Turner
Review: He's Back! With captivating characterizations, and a setting guaranteed to melt the hardest heart, John Grisham has delved into the world of the homeless and down-trodden with a passion unseen since The Client and the Rainmaker. If you like to see a heart melt and the good guys win, you must read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Could not put it down!
Review: As a working mom, I do not have a lot of time to read books for my own pleasure. But once I started reading "The Street Lawyer", I could not put it down and I found myself reading it at all hours of the night while my family slept! I throughly enjoyed this book, although the topic is grim - the homeless on the streets of the Capital and the tragedy that befalls one young family. I am surprised at the negative comments the other readers have given this book. As someone who first read "The Client" in 1993, I have since read all of Grishams' books, with the exception of "The Firm". I did not finish "The Runaway Jury" and did not particually care for "The Partner", but I sure did like "The Street Lawyer".
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