The novel has the stereotypical “conservative” boogeymen. It’s cheap, but I ignored it to enjoy the story. However, in a general sense the book descends into some stereotypical tripe, on many levels. The denouement and conclusion of the text are the stuff of melodrama and Lifetime movies. Really shoddy and a total cop out…until the very last chapter where Mr. Grisham pulls the rug out from under the reader. Good does not always win, at least in the short term. Jeannette Baker began to slide out of her chair. She was caught by both of her lawyers, who pulled her up, wrapped arms around her frail shoulders, and whispered to her. She was sobbing, out of control. John Ray Grisham Jr., popularly known as John Grisham, is an American attorney and award-winning author of legal thrillers, young adult and non-fiction books. I read this in April of 2008 after Justice Nehring (of the Utah Supreme Court) told me he was listening to it on CD during his commute each day. Three quarters of my way through it, he told me it was not worth finishing. He was right.

The Appeal Excerpt - John Grisham The Appeal Excerpt - John Grisham

By the end of this novel, I hoped someone would come by and pour salt on my wounds. Seriously. At least then I would feel something. In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions—a message that will touch off a vicious legal battle and transform dozens of lives. Because Troy Phelan’s new will names a sole surprise heir to his eleven-billion-dollar fortune: a mysterious woman named Rachel Lane, a missionary living deep in the jungles of Brazil. Though he had no involvement in the crime other than being in Garth's car, Woody is arrested as an accomplice. He's going to need serious legal advice to avoid juvenile prison. Fascinating…filled with deadly accurate characterizations by and author who knows both the law and politics from the inside.”– Los Angeles Times Timely, I should say, that I thought about re-reading this when the news about the passing of Associate Justice of US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, took over the media 3 days ago. I'll tell you why, Grisham cited the Caperton v. Massey case as his inspiration in writing this book. The Massey case secured a 5 to 4 ruling by US Supreme Court, where majority opinion ruled that, “[n]ot every campaign contribution by a litigant or attorney creates a probability of bias that requires a judge’s recusal, but this is an exceptional case,” wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy in the majority opinion, which was joined by Justices John Paul Stevens, David Souter, Stephen Breyer, and of course, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Samuel desperately wants to go home, but it’s just not possible. Partly out of sympathy, the coach of North Carolina Central offers him a scholar­ship. Samuel moves to Durham, enrolls in classes, joins the team, and prepares to sit out his freshman season. There is plenty of more mature talent and he isn’t immediately needed. One is left to believe that there is no real justice, that our political system leaves zero opportunity for the common man to be heard or represented, and that all persons wealthy are superficial and power hungry. I gave the book only 4 stars b/c it was a little more technical and a little less thriller and therefore less enjoyable but the tradeoff is the education factor and social commentary. The judge closed his eyes and let loose a deep, satisfying sigh. He smiled a happy, nervous smile of enormous relief, almost disbelief, and finally said, “Round up the lawyers.” Mary Grace scribbled a note about the wink, but in the fury of the moment she could not read her own handwriting. Try to appear calm, she kept telling herself.

The Appeal by John Grisham: 9780385342926

La Apelación cuenta la historia del litigio de un pueblo perdido en Misisipi contra una empresa química acusada de contaminar descaradamente la tierra, y por consecuencia, el agua potable por años. Arranca con la sentencia del juzgado local y sigue con la impecable estrategia que sigue el dueño de la compañía para revertir el veredicto en la corte suprema del estado. Woody Lambert is in trouble. He comes from a broken family, suffers bad grades at school and his older brother, Tony, is on probation for a drug offence. When Woody inadvertently gets caught up with Tony and one of his friends, Garth, cruising around Strattenburg in a beaten-up Mustang drinking beer, one thing leads to another and Garth holds up a convenience store with a fake gun. Ford County. The heart of the American deep South. A place of harsh beauty, of broken dreams and final wishes. Liptak, Adam (May 25, 2009). "Rendering Justice, With One Eye on Re-election". The New York Times . Retrieved June 19, 2010. In the immortal words of MR. Gekko "greed is good". No matter how much you have you always need more.And, during the trial, there had been precious little touching away from the courthouse or anywhere else. The length the company goes to to win their appeal is astonishing. The people that they trample on, the lives they ruin are of no consideration whatsoever. Winning the appeal is all that matters. Doroshow, Joanne. "Watch Hot Coffee, a Powerful New Film on HBO June 27". Huffington Post . Retrieved August 1, 2011. I found this book compulsive and disturbing. This book is a work of fiction but I have no doubt that the bribery and corruption as portrayed in the book is real and happens more than we think. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth.

The Appeal - Penguin Books UK The Appeal - Penguin Books UK

Mr. and Mrs. Payton were again both reaching for their client, who was overcome by the sheer weight of the verdict and trying pitifully to sit up. Wes whispered reassurances to Jeannette while repeating to himself the numbers he had just heard. Somehow, he managed to keep his face serious and avoid a goofy smile.Question number two: ‘Do you find, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the contamination was the proximate cause of the death or deaths of (a) Chad Baker and/or (b) Pete Baker?’ Answer: ‘Yes, for both.’” Stepping into a major trial is like plunging with a weighted belt into a dark and weedy pond. You manage to scramble up for air, but the rest of the world doesn’t matter. And you always think you’re drowning. The right to a fair hearing before an impartial judge, untainted by money or special interests, is at the heart of the nation’s justice system and the rule of law.” NY Times, June 8, 2009 Undeveloped characters and a last-minute plot contrivance that threatens Trudeau’s master scheme will leave even devoted Grisham fans wondering if the author is running out of gas." - Publishers Weekly.