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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
John Grisham is back with his latest courtroom conundrum, The Street Lawyer. This time the lord of legal thrillers dives deep into the world of the homeless, particularly their barely audible legal voice in a world dominated by large, all-powerful law firms. Our hero, Michael Brock, is on the fast track to partnership at Washington D.C.'s premier law firm, Sweeny & Drake. His dream of someday raking in a million plus a year is finally within reach. Nothing can stop him, not even 90- hour workweeks and a failing marriage--until he meets DeVon Hardy, a.k.a. "Mister," a Vietnam vet with a grudge against his landlord--and a few lawyers to fry. Hardy, with no clear motive, takes Brock and eight of his colleagues hostage in a boardroom, demanding their tax returns and interrogating them with a conviction that would have put perpetrators of the Spanish Inquisition to shame. Hardy, a man of few words and a lot of ammunition, mumbles cryptically: "Who are the evictors?" as he points a .44 automatic within inches of Brock's face. The violent outcome of the hostage situation triggers an abrupt soul-searching for the young lawyer, and Hardy's mysterious question continues to haunt him. Brock learns that Hardy had been in and out of homeless shelters most of his life, but he had recently begun paying rent in a rundown building; that means he has legal recourse when a big money-making outfit such as Sweeny & Drake boots him with no warning. When Brock realises that his profession caters to the morally challenged, he sets out on an aimless search through the dicier side of D.C., ending up at the 14th Street Legal Clinic. The clinic's director, a gargantuan man named Mordecai Green, woos Brock to the clinic with a $90,000 cut in pay and the chance to redeem his soul. Brock takes it--and some of the story's credibility along with it; it's hard to believe that a Yale graduate who sacrificed everything--including his marriage--to succeed in the legal profession would quickly jump at the opportunity for low-paying charitable work. However, Brock's search for corruption in the swanky upper echelons of Sweeny & Drake (via the toughest streets of D.C.) is filled with colourful characters and realistic, gritty descriptions. In the The Street Lawyer, Grisham once again defends the voiceless and powerless. In the words of Mordecai Green: "That's justice, Michael. That's what street law is all about. Dignity." --Amazon.com
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Daily Telegraph
'No one does it better than Grisham'
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
It might seem an odd choice to review a book coming up ten years old, but this has been sitting on my shelf gathering dust, and as it is the only Grisham book I haven't read, I decided to dip into it while I waited for the new Lee Child to come out. I'm glad I did.
It tells the story of Michael Brock, Corporate Lawyer earning big bucks, pretty wife, fast lane to partner status and millionairedom. Everything is rosy until an odd incident occurs. A vagrant, a street dweller hijacks the lawyers in their tower-block office and before he can make clear his demands, special-forces blow him away. The vagrant's brains are splashed over Brock's face. It changes his outlook on life, but then it would.
He begins to take an interest in the homeless, he resigns his cushy job and big bucks, loses his wife, and takes on pro bono unpaid legal work on behalf of the street people, and that is just the beginning of his journey.
This book concentrates attention on homeless people in American inner cities. Whether their plight has greatly changed in the intervening ten years I have no idea, but my guess is things haven't altered that much.
As always with Mister Grisham's books the narrative rushes along. I was never tempted to duck any pages and it is all too easy to see why he has shifted so many copies of his books over the years. I liked this one a lot. It was thought provoking, retained my attention throughout, and though I kind of guessed the ending long before I actually arrived there, I was never disappointed.
If you like Grisham, you will like this. If you don't like Grisham you will probably still like it. Definitely recommended.
Coincidentally this very day John Grisham was in London to collect a lifetime achievement award for among other things, selling over 250 million books. Incredibly he stated he had never won an award before. Perhaps writers should be more valued by us all, and feted too.
It tells the story of Michael Brock, Corporate Lawyer earning big bucks, pretty wife, fast lane to partner status and millionairedom. Everything is rosy until an odd incident occurs. A vagrant, a street dweller hijacks the lawyers in their tower-block office and before he can make clear his demands, special-forces blow him away. The vagrant's brains are splashed over Brock's face. It changes his outlook on life, but then it would.
He begins to take an interest in the homeless, he resigns his cushy job and big bucks, loses his wife, and takes on pro bono unpaid legal work on behalf of the street people, and that is just the beginning of his journey.
This book concentrates attention on homeless people in American inner cities. Whether their plight has greatly changed in the intervening ten years I have no idea, but my guess is things haven't altered that much.
As always with Mister Grisham's books the narrative rushes along. I was never tempted to duck any pages and it is all too easy to see why he has shifted so many copies of his books over the years. I liked this one a lot. It was thought provoking, retained my attention throughout, and though I kind of guessed the ending long before I actually arrived there, I was never disappointed.
If you like Grisham, you will like this. If you don't like Grisham you will probably still like it. Definitely recommended.
Coincidentally this very day John Grisham was in London to collect a lifetime achievement award for among other things, selling over 250 million books. Incredibly he stated he had never won an award before. Perhaps writers should be more valued by us all, and feted too.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is brilliant! The story grabs you from the very first chapter which prompts you to continue reading. The story tells of how a hard-hearted lawyer re-thinks his priorities in life and chooses to help those people less off. The story is touching and makes you think after reading it. It is definately not just a read and throw away book! John Grisham has demonstrated what an excellent writer he truly is with this text and I would advise anyone who is reading this review to purchase the book as soon as possible.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The story of Michael Brock, a highly successful lawyer for a giant Washington DC law firm. Expected to be a partner for Drake & Sweeney within three years. That was until his unexpected encounter with a homeless man. The violent encounter turned Michael's world upside down.
Who was he? Why did he have such an interest in the firm? Michael was determined to find out. The secrets he revealed would change Michael's life forever.
I was hooked on this story from page one. John Grisham open's the readers eyes to the world of the homeless. The poverty and desperation felt by those living on our streets. The attention to detail in this book has to be admired.
Buy this book today, you won't be disappointed.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
uninspiring
Boring . Tarts with great promise, but ends up being more like an essay . No twists or turns and just tells a story ,which in the end is not particularly interesting
Published 3 months ago by Mr. D. G. A. Debono
An eye opener into the world of homeless...
Following The Firm this was the second novel I read by Grisham. It is smaller and not as engaging as the firm but still interesting and an eye opener into the world of homeless. Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. MOHAMADI
Another great Grisham read.
This Grisham novel is not his best but is still thoroughly enjoyable. The storyline is entertaining yet unusually straight foward. Read more
Published 13 months ago by R. Whitehouse
Grisham returns to his standard story pattern
Grisham has returned to his standard pattern of story. Young lawyer becomes dissatisfied with his job at big firm. Leaves, sues them. Even the ending fits the normal plot. Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. R. Johnson-Rollings
best grisham
I alredy knew the plot (read on a book) but I wanted to listen to this great work by grisham on one of my long business car trip. I confirm my rate: pretty good. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2009 by Massimiliano Bonati
street lawyer
AS I HAD READ THE BOOK IT WAS A JOY TO OWN IT ON TAPE,
SO I WOULD RECCOMMEND THE AUDIO ESPECIALLY TO JOHN
GRISHAM FANS.
SO I WOULD RECCOMMEND THE AUDIO ESPECIALLY TO JOHN
GRISHAM FANS.
Published on 24 July 2009 by Mrs. Amanda R. Newman
Enjoyable and thoughtful
My first Grisham read. For someone as successful as Grisham you would expect an element of ease in the writing. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2009 by David Bartlett
Ohhh Think Twice
Michael Brock is a successful lawyer who is hoping to make partner in his large Law firm in the next few years. Read more
Published on 1 July 2008 by Sam
UTTER TOSH
Grisham must have written this in his sleep. It is formulaic, cliche-ridden and without any sense of growing excitement. Read more
Published on 12 May 2008 by Scribbler
Quite dreadful
This is a party political broadcast on behalf of the homeless of Washington DC. Not so much a page-turner as a must-I-really-read-it-to-the-end book? Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2007 by Amsterdamned
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