Rating: 
Summary: Grisham Preaches to the Proverbial Choir
Review: At the risk of sounding insensitive of the plight of the homeless, I found "The Street Lawyer" to be almost insultingly preachy. As an attorney, I have seen first-hand the value of those who devote their career to providing legal aid to those who cannot afford legal representation, and have, in fact, volunteered hundreds of hours worth of pro bono work. But the extent to which the urban blight depicted in "The Street Lawyer" is forced down the readers' collective throats is enough to make even Sally Stouthers say "Oh, could you please give me just a small break, John!" Given the amount of money this novel has no doubt made, I am compelled to ask, "How much of the proceeds from this novel is Mr. Grisham donating towards programs designed to help the homeless?" Only if a substantial percentage was ear-marked for that purpose could I consider the price I paid on a hardcover edition of this book money well spent.The one semi-redeeming quality to the novel was the character of Mordechai Green, who could be a composite of several legal aid lawyers I have had the privilege of working with. I have always been a die-hard Grisham fan(as are, apparently, millions of other Americans). Up to now, I have without hesitation purchased Mr. Grisham's novels without even so much as browsing the dust jacket. This novel, I'm sorry to say, shall make me think twice about that practice. Perhaps the folks at Doubleday could lighten up on the apparent pressure on Mr. Grisham to put out a new novel every year, so as to allow him time to put more thought and creativity into his next effort. I know he's got it in him.
Rating:
Summary: I would not recommend this Grisham novel to anyone.
Review: This book really disappointed me. The beginning was really good when the homeless man trapped everyong in the office. When that episode ended, so did the interest of the book. It wasn't compelling. I wish John Grisham would go back to the formula he used with his earlier novels. Believe me it worked.
Rating: 
Summary: Person from Bridgewater
Review: I just finished reading the latest and probably the greatest put yet by John Grisham. It truly makes you think about your life and family. Everyone should read this and see how their life compares.
Rating: 
Summary: No Character Development
Review: The storyline could have been a good one but the quality of the characters doesn't support it. The homeless ARE overlooked in our society. But if Mr. Grisham wants us to believe that this homeless man who ends up getting shot when he takes a group of lawyers hostage makes a big enough impression for one lawyer to throw away a coming partnership and work for $30K a year to help them, he needed to develop the character much more. Not just decide he needs to help the poor. If this lawyer really wants to help the poor and senses that the law firm he works at is somehow involved, why didn't he stay on and help from within? Going after the law firm was lame -- it really is one lawyer in the firm that's the bad apple. And there is really no suspense -- we just read about how a lawyer decides to help the poor after a traumatic experience. While this new lawyer for the poor is going around taking cases from the poor, it reads just like "The Rainmaker". Did you take paragraphs from one manuscript and cut and paste them into this one? And why the extra effor to find Hector? Why not just go to the post office to get a forwarding address OR mail him something that tells the post office they need to be informed of a forwarding address? I'll tell you why -- he needs to add more pages to the book that do nothing to develop the character -- except to make the lawyer look stupid. And if he's so dedicated to the poor, why is he spending so much time taking cases instead of clearing them? Who really benefitted from the settlement? If Mr. Grisham really does care for the poor, did he donate any of the proceeds of this book to them? Why didn't he include a page at the back informing his readers of how to contact area shelters so that people could pitch in? Oh well -- maybe the next one will be better. I heard a rumor that Mr. Grisham wasn't going to sell the movie rights to his books until after it came out in paperback because so many people were just waiting for the movie. Maybe he wrote this book to discourage those movie people from even wanting to buy the rights ever again?
Rating:
Summary: Very worthwhile reading
Review: This was the first of Grisham's books I've had the privilege of reading. I didn't find his message to be overtly political. He got me thinking, which is a feat that (I feel) any literary work should accomplish. A writer doesn't deserved to be criticized simply because he dares to be dynamic with his style of communicating meaningful thoughts and pictures to his/her readers. A fast-paced courtroom drama is great, but so is a story that makes us aware of our consciences.
Rating:
Summary: A pathetic disguise of Grisham's liberal slant on bums
Review: I guess all of his money has made John Grisham soft! This book is a poor attempt at turning his liberal philosophizing on the "plight" of bums in Washington DC into a novel. If you can choke down the thinly disguised tirades, there are three or four interesting paragraphs in the books about real estate deals. As a John Grisham fan, especially of the Rainmaker, I'm severely disappointed in this book, and will treat future works with healthy skepticism.
Rating:
Summary: Next to Worst of Grisham novels
Review: I was dispointed by the political agenda that Grisham is beginning to object in his novels, and the intellectual intensity combined with some action is no longer in his plots. I felt like I should read an advertisement for the homeless and while notable I can do that without the help of a book. Still it was better than the Partner because I must have that at least somewhat optimistic ending.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the best.
Review: This is the second book I have read by John Grisham. I have read the partner, which I found hard to follow. This one I read in two days. Everybody seems to be slating it, but it isn't that bad. John Grisham has obviously done a great deal of research into this novel and a lot of it is very interesting and educational, but the story does seem a bit weak. successful lawyer on his way to be partner hits crisis turns to help the good of the people. Perhaps worth reading, perhaps not. I think I'll try the Firm.
Rating:
Summary: Really disappointing
Review: I've read every Grisham book to date and this is by far the most disappointing. I kept waiting for the Grisham magic to kick in, but the story just limped from one chapter to the next. The basic story was ok, but the Author would have done well to keep this at novella length. I'll read the next, but Grisham's on probation in my book!
Rating:
Summary: Definitely not up to Grisham's hard hitting past thrillers.
Review: John Grishman is my favorite author and this is the first one of his books that I have not thoroughly enjoyed. It lacks suspense that Grisham's past books have all contained. He chose to have a young woman with children to carry forth his story line probably knowing that he would find little sympathy for any other characters. John Grisham's past books have all been filled with suspense and difficult situations for his leading characters, yet this book contains very little story line to hold the readers attention. I have not recommended this book to anyone.
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