The Street Lawyer

Rating:
Summary: Patented John Grisham
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this Grisham novel, as I have the others. It was an eye-openener to the plight of the homeless. Prepare to feel guilty.

Rating:
Summary: What a stinker!!
Review: I can't believe I wasted money on this book! This is, without a doubt, the worst book Grisham has written. No plot twists, no character development - I actually fell asleep reading the last few pages because it was SO predictable. As a Republican, I was quite offended by the continuing insinuations that we were responsible for the entire problem of homelessness! Does Mr. Grisham put his money where his mouth is? Let's see his tax return!!

Rating:
Summary: Pro Bono
Review: Years ago, when I was entering practice, a lawyer I admire made the observation that if you are becoming a lawyer to make money, there are easier ways to make money. But if you want to practice law, then the money will find you. Michael Brock is one of the many fungible associates chasing the gold ring in the D.C. office of a large national law firm. Lawyers work hard, are paid extragant sums, but live lives of quiet despair. Most will find that the dream is illusory and that by the age of thirty five, they are disillusioned and disappointed. Grisham, himself a lawyer, reports that hundreds, if not thousands, of our colleagues at the bar, have expressed to him the singular desire to escape our profession and be professional writers. Michael, held hostage with seven other associates and one partner by a homeless Viet Nam veteran, seeks to discover why his captor selected his firm. This journey leads him in paths of rightousness and political correctness, while at the same time into disiplinary trouble with the bar. Another lawyers file, in the real world, is sacrosanct. Client confidences are inviolate. It is old-fashioned but necessary. To make the plot work, Brook steals a file, which he uses to sue the firm and its client. This is a plot device used by Grisham in The Partner, and in The Firm. Lawyers always face ethical dilemmas. Most resolve them quietly within the confines of the rules. Grisham could have moved his story without resort to illegal conduct. On the positive side, the rewards of a pro bono practice are illustrated nicely. The practice is demanding, varied, and non-renumerative.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely not John Grisham's best
Review: I don't expect John Grisham's books to be great literature, but I do expect better than this. The first chapter grabbed my attention, but as I kept reading, all I could think was, "Is this all there is to this plot"? The narrative has a very preachy tone. Yes, we all need to be more concerned about all people, but this book is like a hammer about homelessness.

Rating:
Summary: Could have done more!
Review: I've read them all but I doubt I will be very anxious to pay for another unless Mr. Grisham spends more time developing his characters and plot. Tom Clancy does too much and I won't give him another try. Scott Turow beats these two hands down.

Rating:
Summary: John Grisham LITE
Review: Like Tom Clancy's OP-Center series THE STREET LAWYER is a nice short story in the respective genres these authors have been known for. A single story line keeps this story moving at a quick pace but this story does not contain the in-depth characters and storylines that captured readers in his first (and best) books.

Rating:
Summary: GRISHAM AT HIS BEST
Review: If you are a John Grisham fan you won't be disappointed. He's sure not coasting on his laurels. This book grabs you right from the start. It's a good story about a very timely and thought provoking subject. The characters are great - you despise the villians and love the heros. Sure there are few and far between Mike Brocks, but there are many good people helping. Read this book it will ENTERTAIN AND ENLIGHTEN AND HOPEFULLY INSPIRE YOU TO HELP.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely boring and predictable
Review: As an avid Grisham reader, I couldn't wait for The Streetlawyer to become available. I read it in less than a day. That's how boring this book was. Other times I want to savour the story as long as possible and force myself to read only when I'm on the train. Extremely predictable, no substance, no debth of character and I truly regret spending so much money on the book (living in Europe makes it almost double the original cost). The story is almost a documentary dedicated to the homeless (which I commend), with no logic, the homeless people involved not really having a chance to tell their story or why Grisham decided to dedicate his next multi-million dollar book to them. My question is: what is Mr. Grishman's annual income and is he feeding the hungry, like "Mister" so adequately asked in the first chapter. If he is, more power to him. If he's not; now he knows where to turn to. Just leave us out of it.

Rating:
Summary: Good ideas but it's definitely a future Hollywood movie.
Review: This is really not a bad book. I realize that he is manipulating his name and writing with intent to eventually make money off of a Hollywood box office hit but this story makes you think. His past books didn't really do that. Homelessness is running rampant all of our country and the majority of the U.S population (270 million) don't think twice about it, only that they don't wish this terrible misfortune to fall upon them. But many of these people didn't take to life on the streets because they wanted to. The reasons are diverse. Grisham is a good writer overall and I think for the first time he has attempted to make his large fanfare think about deeper issues than just about courtroom procedure, etc. I hope he continues on this track.

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps one of the best Grisham books to date
Review: Got my interest right from the start and kept it right to the end. Glad I bought it right before the weekend. May have missed work otherwise. Vern Bjerk