John Grishan nos deleita con este libro que escribe con detalle las peripecias de un hombre que se debate entre el deber y el vicio, las acciones de un hombre arrepentido y el fuerte caracter de una hija perdida. El final, aunque algo predecible, es bastante impactante, tal y como nos tiene acostumbrado el autor.

This could be an amazing real story, he knows his family and how they think of him, so that's why he want to take revenge in his testament, may be this is because the way he educate them and in that case who's the responsible for their acts?

Wealthy, adulterous, Troy Phelan having 11 billions. Write a new will before his 6 children and 3 Psychiatrist their lawyers. But as soon as they leave the room. He has his nurse and two laywers to signeda new will. After this was done He promptly jumps from his wheelchair and jumps from his fourteen story building. What was in the new will? It annuls the last will and give his inheritance to an illeeegitimate child that was a missionary in Brazil. Would they find the heir? Would she want the money?What would become of the other 6 children of Troy Phelan? Non stopping in this book for their is mores questions that you want answered before you quit!

NICK FRANCISCO PERIOD 2

"A Time to Kill" is John Grisham's first novel. His fluid, detailed storytelling is unlike the choppy first attempts of many modern authors.In a small town in the Deep South, two redneck hooligans rape and maim a ten-year-old black girl. Enraged, the girl's father, Carl Lee Hailey, takes justice into his own hands, killing the two rapists in a courthouse shooting. He seeks the help of defense lawyer Jake Brigance to save him from the gas chamber.

Brigance, a young but sharp lawyer, has to find a way to win an impossible case: a black man is on trial for killing two white men, and his case is being heard by an all-white jury. Adding to the mix are violence between the Ku Klux Klan and the black community, and the fact that, during the shooting, Carl Lee had injured a sheriff's deputy.

When I first read this novel, I was angered and irritated by the depth of hatred that exists within racism. I was angered that had Carl Lee been a white man bent on avenging his daughter's suffering, he would never have had to face trial. The rape of ten year old Tanya, Carl Lee's daughter, by Billy Ray and Pete, A Time to Kill is a disturbing novel, aside from the raping and killing that opens the tale. It is not possible to look at our justice system the same way, especially from the viewpoint of the black community in the South.

John Grisham is of course my favorite author, and this is the perfect collector's item of sorts because it gives you all of his best books...in audio! If you listen to all his books, it just makes them come more alive and real, and it's just terrific.

Al igual que en las novelas anteriores de John Grisham, ésta nos mantiene al borde de la primera a la última página y además trata de un tema causa mucha controversia en la actualidad.

Una viuda, cuyo marido muere a causa de cáncer de pulmón, demanda a una tabacalera por el homicidio de éste, pues fumó 30 cigarrillos al día durante 30 años.

Por un lado, la parte acusadora sostiene que no es justo que una persona muera por usar un producto correctamente, además de que el tabaco crea adicción y la publicidad va dirigida a la juventud. Por otro lado, la defensa afirma que cada quien fuma por que quiere y que es posible dejarlo.

A lo largo del libro se uno se enterar de cosas muy interesantes como que las tabacaleras le agregan nicotina adicional al tabaco para lograr más adicciones y que sea más difícil dejar de fumar. También nos enteramos de todo el juego sucio que se desarrolla antes y durante un juicio importante en los Estados Unidos. Las tabacaleras, enormes negocios que ganan mucho dinero, quebrarían si perdieran el juicio, por lo que tienen que hacer todo lo que puedan para ganarlo, desde sobornar jurados hasta asustarlos.

Es muy interesante conocer todo el proceso del juicio, desde la selección de los jurados, la manera como los abogados estudian a los posibles candidatos para aprobarlos o rechazarlos. El trato que tienen con el juez y el procedimiento que siguen para ponerse de acuerdo y votar. Se encuentran varios personajes típicos norteamericanos fielmente retratados. Además de que se retratan las virtudes y defectos propios de las personas comunes, como la ambición pero también la honradez. También es importante notar lo influenciables que podemos ser.

Al fin y al cabo, es una novela de lo más interesante y la recomiendo mucho a todos los lectores que disfrutan de las novelas de acción.

Running away, escaping. That's what this book is about. Contrary to his regular way of writing, this book starts at the end: the main character, Patrick Flanigan, his being caught after four years in hiding.

A lawyer, Flanigan had planned everything: he faked his death, had facial surgery. He left with around 90 millions and fled for Brazil. Of course, the money wasn't his, and after four years, his old "socios" catch up with him... Now troubles begin.

I can not tell you the end, but one thing for sure: Grisham brings a new twist to this story that is a refreshment from his classic work. In this book Grisham reminds me more of Ludlum than of Grisham: No emotion. Action. Mystery. Twists and turns.

A really good book: I stayed up all night to finish it. And the translation in Spanish is not bad, either.

The three books in this set are worth every penny. They are hard-to-put-down-legal-thrillers. If you love thrillers and you enjoy learning about the legal system these books are for you

El senior Grisham,es para mi uno de los esritores mas brillantes que existen.Es una lastima que no tengamos todos sus libros es espanol. gracias.

In the hands of a greater author, or perhaps if Grisham had paid as much attention to some aspects of the book as to others, this could have been a truly powerful piece of work. The subject itself is fascinating: a black man takes the lives of his little daughter's rapists in the heart of the Deep South, where justice is still tainted by color. After reading the book, however, I couldn't help but feel that Grisham missed the mark somewhere.

I was amused when I saw that this book was required reading for an introductory Afro-American history class at my college. First of all, this book is not about a black father avenging his daughter. The book is about a white lawyer who braves the dangers and hatred of his peers to defend that father. In essence, the book ends up being a far weaker, more contemporary version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Anyone who expects otherwise will be disappointed. The black characters in the novel are secondary and painted in very broad strokes: Carl Lee Hailey at times appears to be a slow-witted oaf, his wife Gwen is a subservient black woman, and the black preachers are all stereotyped. Tonya Hailey is perhaps the strongest black character, and well-so. The opening scene of her rape is vivid and heart-rending, and Grisham portrays her later suffering throughout the book in a manner that is poignantly real.

Still, the white characters end up being decidedly stronger than the black. Jake Brigance, the lawyer, is the noble white knight who risks all to save the black man from the Klan, rednecks, and the closet racists of Clanton, Mississippi. His wife is quiet, proud, and believable in her concern for her husband. Ellen Roark, the law student who aids Brigance in his defense of Hailey, is brilliant and vibrant. After the initial rape and murder of the two rednecks, the focus shifts mainly on the whites and the blacks are reduced to cameo roles.

My biggest gripe about the book is the glib manner in which Grisham handles his subject. At times the novel seems to be almost frivolous in content. Harry Rex Vonner, Lucien Wilbanks, Rufus Buckley, and even Judge Noose are all cartoonish and rarely exhibit human depth. The word 'nigger' is used constantly and, at times, unnecessarily, particularly among the more liberal white characters in the novel. There is almost too much humor for a subject of this importance, especially in some of the dialogue. Comic relief is understandably needed in a novel this intense, but Grisham overdoes it.

Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad book at all. Grisham's breezy writing style makes for a comfortable read, and it is admittedly a page-turner. When he takes his subject matter seriously, he shines. The reader can feel Tonya's pain and sympathize with Carl Lee's justifiable wrath. The trials that Jake Brigance undergoes to defend Carl Lee are vivid and well-told, and his closing argument is perhaps the high point of the entire story. The diverging sentiments of the residents of Clanton both for and against Carl Lee are also well-described. Still, these moments are too few and far between. This is one instance when I can definitely say I thought the movie was more powerful than the book. The black characters and white characters are presented more on an even level and it makes a stronger statement about race and justice in this country. The book, while showing a lot of promise, ends up falling short of what it could have been. Like many other contemporary novels it fails to achieve any real depth, and the characters fail to linger with you after you've put it down. Still, if you are looking for an entertaining read, don't hesitate to pick up this book. Just don't expect it to make you think overlong about real race issues facing this country.

In the rural town of Clanton, Mississippi, Tonya Hailey, a ten-year-old, girl is brutally raped by two drunken young men. The men are arrested, but before their trial, the girl's father, Carl Lee, takes justice into his own hands with an M-16 rifle. In John Grisham's best selling novel, A Time To Kill, Carl Lee's attorney and friend, Jake Brigance, must come up with a plausible defense in order to save his clients life. After all, some might consider Carl Lee's actions completely justified. There's one serious problem however--Carl Lee is black, and the two men he murdered were white. This doesn't fly in the moderately racist county, and soon the Ku Klux Klan is threatening Jake's life. Grisham's novel is wonderfully gripping. At 515 pages, it may seem a bit intimidating to some, but the action and development is constant. I myself generally prefer a quick read, but there is so much fascinating depth to this story that I had no problem with reading it over the course of a few weeks. Granted, it was so powerful I would have loved to just sit down and read it straight through, if only I had the free time. I would recommend this book to almost everyone, as it is truly a remarkable book. If you are a southerner who is easily offended by being considered racist, you may have some qualms with this book. Other than that, I can think of little reason for anyone to not read it.

Finally, A Time to Kill, John Grisham's first novel, is a feature length movie. I just read this book, but I knew it was realeased in 1989. I'm only thirteen, and this was my first Grisham book. In this story, Grisham hits us with a subject that most might not like to discuss: child rape. Ten-year old Tonya Hailey is brutally raped and almost killed by two drunken rednecks; perhaps the saddest and hardest part to get through with the addition of little Tonya's dream of her father running to get her. After this horrid crime is committed, Tonya's father, Carl Lee exacts vengeance on the two rednecks, and kills them. He is put on trial, and lawyer Jake Brigance is introduced to us. He takes Carl Lee's case and must face his hated enemy, Rufus Buckley, in court. The days leading to the trial are filled with KKK threats, riots between blacks and the KKK, and several other chills and spills. Finally, the trial comes and the small town of Clanton, where the trial is held, is occupated by journalists, soldiers, KKK members, and thousands of blacks, as they all wait for the verdict on the edge of their seats..

PLOT: Mitch McDeere is fresh out of Havard Law School with an ambitious attitude and the will to succeed. He receives the best job offers from the largest firms in the country, but a small firm out of Memphis brings him in with the best pay, a new home, relief of his student loans, and a new BMW. Within his first week at the firm, two of his coworkers are killed in a mysterious explosion off the coast of Grand Cayman Island. This makes him suspicious and later finds out that five lawyers have died in the past fifteen years, all very suspicious. An encounter with an FBI agent investigating the firm arouses his curiousity with the security of the firm and starts to unravel a downward spiral of crime, corruption, danger, and possibly death.

GENRE: Drama-Suspense

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Grisham's character development is perfect in a sense where you know the characters, but not too well. The predictability of the book is impossible as well as the ability to put it down. The scene changes act as a stimulant for the reader, not elaborating one part of the book too much. Grisham did a supurb job in entailing drama, suspense, and humor into his work.

This book was the first of Grisham's I read and it will not be the last.

For the first Grisham book that I've ever read, I was really impressed with it. At first I wasn't sure if I really wanted to read it, but I was pressed into it by family and friends. I am so glad that I did!! The Firm is a book full of suspense and it always keeps you on your toes. I felt as if I were right there with the main character, through all his troubles.
The Firm is about a young industrious lawyer, Mitch McDeere, who straight out of law school finds himself in a firm that will get him more money than he's ever known. Mitch stays with the firm for a few weeks, but then is approached by the FBI, who tells him he is being listened to 24/7. Mitch then goes on the run, pursued by the firm, who now threatens his life.
The Firm is one of those books that is impossible to put down, I found it hard to stop and pay attention to the things that I really needed to pay attention to. If you're looking to start reading some of Grisham's books, I suggest starting with this one.

The Firm by John Grisham is a fast-paced and exciting novel about Mitch McDeere, a lawyer fresh out of college trying to make the big bucks. Mitch is asked to join the law firm of Bendini, Lambert, and Locke. They offer him a huge salary, a free BMW, and a low interest mortgage on a nice house. Mitch immediately takes them up on the offer. It sounds too good to be true and he finds out that it is when he is contacted by the FBI. The FBI knows that the firm is connected to the mafia and they want Mitch to help them bring the firm down. Mitch knows that he has to help the FBI but he also knows that he could end up dead like the other lawyers who tried to blow the firm's cover. John Grisham did an excellent job writing the many plot twists and surprises that this book contains. This is a very exciting and suspenseful book that is impossible to put down once you begin reading. If you like books with a lot of action and surprises The Firm is the novel for you.

A young man, struggling through college with a job and classes and the upcoming bar, finds out his future job is gone. He's in debt because his girlfriend dumped him right after buying her expensive jewelry, while facing the one of the worst Lawyer job markets around, and he just got evicted. This no luck kid finds the case of a lifetime.

Grisham expertly weaves a story about this young lawyer during a crucial time of his life. Through chance, he joins up with a sleazy law firm, finds and rescues a helpless girl, and takes on a large corporation. It's a touching story that really makes you root for the main character. The book is easy and fun read, and like any Grisham novel, the pages fly by.

The book is not perfect however. The ending is predictable and corny, and the hard luck story gets old after a while.

I suggest this book to anyone that wants a good read. I would not recommend the movie though, as it doesn't capture any of the essence.

I found this novel by John Grisham very entertaining. I had a hard time putting it down until I was done reading it. It kept me guessing about what was going to happen next and I would often guess wrong Also having never read a book about lawyers before I learned a lot of new things that I would have never known out otherwise. If you like stories about underdogs you will truely love this book. Rudy is a true underdog in this story. He is a just starting out lawyer whose first case is fighting a huge insurance company for 10 million dollars. Not your typical first day on the job. This book moves at a fast pace and my only complaint is that sometimes its hard to keep up. But overall go get this book and it will not dissapoint.

Summers are hot in Memphis, and the sweat is sticking to Rudy Baylor's shirt. His creditors are biting at his heels and the future's not looking too good. Once he had ideas of breezing his way through law school and jumping on the dollar train to anywhere. Now he doesn't even have a job. He's grasping at straws, and one of them is a smoking-related insurance dispute. The family are poor and Rudy Baylor struggles to file the lawsuit. In a novel heavy with suspense and legal shinnanekins, Rudy eventually gets to court and finds himself against a heavyweight corporate defense team. That's when he discovers he's in way over his head, facing a nightmare of lies and legal maneuverings. What started as a small insurance claim explodes into a million-dollar war of nerves that could even cost the young lawyer his life. Rainmaker is not Grisham's finest book, but it's certainly not his worst. At his worst, Grisham can pick up three stars from anyone. At his best, ten stars is not enough. This novel fits easily into the five star category. On the final page, it leaves a satisfied reader and an author who has met his commitment to deliver the goods.

I have been trying to find a good Grisham book all these time and this one disappointed me again. It made a promising start when this 11-year-old Mark gets himself and his brother into lots of trouble by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. As if witnessing a suicide wasn't enough, they tried to stop it and in the midst, learn of a big secret that puts their family's lives in danger. The entire incident sends Mark's brother into shock. It was fast-paced and immediately, we could tell that Mark was established as a witty and smart kid.

However, the middle starts to drag along with how he tried to outwit the police, the Mafia etc. The middle section is boring on the whole, but occasionally the wit of Mark gives readers pleasant surprises. Another major character was introduced, Reggie Love, the lawyer of Mark. She is carefully portrayed as a middle-aged, extremely caring lawyer, not only to Mark but to most of her juvenile clients. I feel that Grisham could have reduced the number of antagonists in this part as the names can get confusing if you try to read fast.

Towards the end, the story starts to pick up when Love and Mark breaks out of their limits and tries to uncover their secret. I was expecting a much better ending with a satisfactory conclusion as to what really happened but Grisham chose to leave the end as it is. Maybe he wanted to leave room for speculation?

On the whole, i am rather disappointed with this story. It is built on a rather weak plot with some parts rather unbelievable. The description is kept to a minimum and it should be an easy read. Only 2 of the character are built up enough and there are simply too many of the small characters. Disappointing... choose other novels if you are able to.

With the one two sucker punch of "The Firm" and The Pelican Brief" it wasn't surprising to learn that Warner Bros Pictures paid allot of money to adapt the next Grisham novel into a movie. Thing is he hadn't even written it yet. The 4th book from the magnificent author is a suspenseful story about a child in danger and a female lawyer who must protect his rights and ultimately his life. Mark and his little brother Ricky were sharing a forbidden cigarette in a weedy lot outside of Memphis when they first saw the shiny black Lincoln pull up. Inside a man is trying to kill himself, but Mark keeps stopping that from happening. When he is caught and dragged inside the car Mark is scared, but the lawyer does not harm him. He kills himself with a single gunshot wound to the head. His last words are what make Mark a wanted man as a shady District Attorney Roy Foltrig tries to pry the vital information that Mark has locked inside his brain. Mark hires a lawyer for one U.S. dollar named Reggie love a lawyer all of six years who takes his case and then ultimately endangers them both in a last ditch gamble to end the terror. The films pulse is maddening and the suspense is relentless as are the film's villain's, members of a mob family determined to kill Mark to keep him quiet. The novel takes a big risk in centring the story around an 11-year-old child, but it pays off big time. A great thriller.

This is my favorite John Grisham yet. He sets the scene when Mark, an 11-year old boy living in a trailer park, witnesses the horrible suicide of a Mafia lawyer. Before he kills himself, the lawyer tells Mark where one of his Mafia clients buried the body of a once-powerful and famous senator. Through a series of twisted events, everyone from the FBI to the Mafia discovers that Mark is carrying this dark secret. The FBI employs every method in the book to make him talk, and the Mafia will do anything to keep him quiet. In comes Reggie Love, an amazing Grisham concoction, who wants nothing but to keep Mark and his family safe. I thought Grisham did a great job developing the characters of Mark and Reggie, and I read the entire book, front to back, in one day.