May We Suggest...John Grisham

Long before his name became synonymous with the modern legal thriller, he was working at a small law practice in Mississippi. By squeezing in time before going to the office and during courtroom recesses, Grisham worked on his hobby—writing his first novel. Born on February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to a construction worker and a homemaker, John Grisham dreamed of being a professional baseball player. Realizing he didn’t have the right stuff for a pro career, he shifted gears and majored in accounting at Mississippi State University. After graduating from law school at Ole Miss in 1981, he went on to practice law for nearly a decade specializing in criminal defense and personal injury litigation. In 1983, he was elected to the state House of Representatives and served until 1990.

One day at the DeSoto County courthouse, Grisham overheard the harrowing testimony of a twelve-year-old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the girl’s father had murdered her assailants. Grisham spent three years on A Time to Kill and finished it in 1987. Initially rejected by many publishers, it was eventually bought by Wynwood Press, who gave it a modest 5,000 copy printing and published it in June 1988.

That might have put an end to Grisham’s hobby, however, his hobby quickly turned into a new full-time career. The day after Grisham completed A Time to Kill, he began work on another novel, the story of a hotshot young attorney lured to an apparently perfect law firm that was not what it appeared. When he sold the film rights to The Firm to Paramount Pictures for $600,000, Grisham suddenly became a hot property. Spending 47 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, The Firm became the bestselling novel of 1991.

The successes of The Pelican Brief and The Client, which debuted at number one, confirmed Grisham’s reputation as the master of the legal thriller. Grisham’s success even renewed interest in A Time to Kill, which was republished in hardcover by Doubleday and then in paperback by Dell. This time around, it was a bestseller.

Since 1988, Grisham has written one novel a year and all of them have become international bestsellers. There are currently over 275 million John Grisham books in print worldwide, which have been translated into 40 languages. Nine of his novels have been turned into films. The Innocent Man (October 2006) marked his first foray into non-fiction, and Ford County (November 2009) was his first short story collection.

Grisham lives with his wife Renee and their two children Ty and Shea. The family splits their time between their Victorian home on a farm in Mississippi and a plantation near Charlottesville, VA. Grisham took time off from writing for several months in 1996 to return, to the courtroom. He was honoring a commitment made to representthe family of a railroad brakeman killed when he was pinned between two cars. Preparing his case with the same passion and dedication as his books’ protagonists, Grisham successfully argued his clients’ case, earning them a jury award of $683,500—the biggest verdict of his career.

When he’s not writing, Grisham devotes time to charitable causes, including most recently his Rebuild The Coast Fund, which raised 8.8 million dollars for Gulf Coast relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He also keeps up with his greatest passion: baseball. The man who dreamed of being a professional baseball player now serves as the local Little League commissioner. The six ballfields he built on his property have played host to over 350 kids on 26 Little League teams.

A Time to Kill
The Firm
The Pelican Brief
The Client
The Chamber
The Rainmaker
The Runaway Jury
The Partner
The Street Lawyer
The Testament
The Brethren
A Painted House
Skipping Christmas
The Summons
The King of Torts
Bleachers
The Last Juror
The Broker
Playing for Pizza
The Appeal
The Associate
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer
The Confession
Theodore Boone: The Abduction
The Litigators

Adaptations

Feature films

• The Firm
• The Pelican Brief
• The Client
• A Time to Kill
• The Chamber
• The Rainmaker
• The Gingerbread Man
• A Painted House
• Runaway Jury
• Christmas with the Kranks
• The Last Juror

Television

• The Client

• The Street Lawyer
• The Firm (2011–2012), 22 episodes order

May We Suggest...Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell (born Patricia Carroll Daniels; June 9, 1956) is a contemporary American crime writer. She is widely known for writing a popular series of novels featuring the heroine Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner. Cornwell was born in Miami, Florida to Marilyn and Sam Daniels. Her father was one of the leading appellate lawyers in the United States and served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. Cornwell later traced her own motivations in life to the emotional abuse she says she suffered from her father, who walked out on the family on Christmas Day 1961.

In 1979, Cornwell started working as a reporter for The Charlotte Observer and soon began covering crime. Her biography of family friend Ruth Bell Graham, A Time for Remembering (renamed Ruth, A Portrait: The Story of Ruth Bell Graham in subsequent editions), was published in 1983. In 1984, she took a job at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia. She worked there for six years, first as a technical writer and then as a computer analyst. She also volunteered to work with the Richmond Police Department. Cornwell wrote three novels that she says were rejected before the publication, in 1990, of the first installment of her Scarpetta series, Postmortem.

Cornwell has made several notable charitable donations, including funding the Virginia Institute for Forensic Science and Medicine, funding scholarships to the University of Tennessee's National Forensics Academy and Davidson College's Creative Writing Program (the result of which is the Patricia Cornwell Creative Writing Scholarship, awarded to one or two incoming freshmen), and donating her collection of Walter Sickert paintings to Harvard University. As a member of the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital's National Council, she is an advocate for psychiatric research. She has also made million-dollar donations to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice for the Crime Scene Academy and to the Harvard Art Museum.

READ-A-LIKES

Kathy Reichs - Forensic scientist Temperance Brennan is based in Montreal, though recently more and more of her stories have unfolded elsewhere. These stories provide similar levels of detail; suspense; a strong cast of supporting characters, including the male-dominated police Tempe must battle to solve crimes; and a strong sense of place in Montreal and the other locations. The plots often focus on serial murderers. Deja Dead is the first.

Linda Fairstein's Alexandra Cooper thrillers are set in New York, where she heads up the sex-crimes unit of the District Attorney's office. A strong sense of place, violent crimes set in suspenseful tales, a tough attorney/investigator and a cast of interesting characters make these strong possibilities for Cornwell's fans. (In fact, Cornwell dedicated Last Precinct to Fairstein, and attorney Jaime Berger appears to have been based on Cooper.) Final Jeopardy is the first in the series

"Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, Never Let Me Go, is many things. It is a coming of age story, a romance, a mystery, a horror story, and a tear-jerker. It is a tale of deceptive simplicity that reveals emotional depth and resonance in its characters. But most importantly, it is well-told story that is enjoyable to read. Indeed, Never Let Me Go is a novel that doesn’t fit into a single genre. It’s not a surprise that the novel made Time Magazine’s All-TIME 100 Novels list.

Never Let Me Go is told through the reminiscing of Kathy, a student at an exclusive English private school named Hailsham. She and her fellow classmates are treated well, but as they grow older they come to realize that there is a secret which permeates their lives. By the time the secret is revealed, it is too late to save themselves. Set in a fictional England during the 1990s, Never Let Me Go takes place in a dystopian landscape.

Given the recent popularity of The Hunger Games trilogy, Never Let Me Go is an excellent choice for those wanting to read something similar. Even if dystopian literature is not your cup of tea, Never Let Me Go is an excellent novel for teens and adults. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves literature.

288 p.

Book review by Justin.

Soweto Gospel Choir’s “African Spirit”

There is a Psalm that says to "Make a joyful noise." I remember hearing this Psalm growing up, and the idea of a "joyful noise" has stuck with me. I can't think of a better description for the Soweto Gospel Choir and their album African Spirit. There is nothing timid about a gospel choir, even on CD, and I can only imagine how powerful this group must sound live.

The music combines South African gospel with spirituals, reggae, and American popular music. “Seteng Sediba” is a rousing opener in which I hear no Western harmony or melody, just fifty-plus thrilling voices with hand drums; in contrast, the album closer, “World in Union” includes Hollywood strings (and synthesizer?) and sounds like it could play over the end credits of The Lion King. Elsewhere, the reggae pulse of “Avulekile Amasango” appropriately segues into Bob Marley’s “One Love.”

Like the opening track, most of the songs use minimal or no instruments, and these were my favorite. These voices need no accompaniment, and I felt disappointed whenever a track began with an instrument other than a human voice, because this usually indicated a comparatively dull pop/R&B ballad (usually sung in English). Then, Bono shows up halfway through the disc for a rendition of U2's "One,” and the choir is pushed to the background. I don’t understand this, because there is such a distinct passion in the African songs and voices here that every other sound pales by comparison.

The Soweto Gospel Choir’s talents have not gone unrecognized. They have received awards worldwide, including two Grammy Awards, and they have performed with many popular musicians, so I guess that explains Bono. A few puzzling song choices aside, this is a rewarding introduction to South Africa’s music, and there is no missing the joy and intensity of these musicians, even for my Missouri ears.

Click on album cover or here to reserve a copy.

Review by David Hill.

"The Adventures of Nanny Piggins" by R.A. Spratt

What a fun read! This title was recommended in a librarian’s training session on selecting books for young readers. I must admit that I am probably not considered a “young reader” by anyone’s definition, however the title and cover art drew me in immediately. I would describe this story as a charming mix of Mary Poppins, Nanny McPhee and A Series of Unfortunate Events books all rolled into one, minus the darkness and impending doom of the Unfortunate titles. I actually laughed out loud a few times (I know that's difficult to believe from me).

I thoroughly enjoyed this unforgettable walk through a fantasy world where a chocoholic pig could ring the doorbell and inquire about a nanny position. Sure beats her former job as a circus performer! Don't even bother to ask about the cannon or the ballet dancing bear. Just sit back and relax. Nanny Piggins has everything under control. Rumor has it that a second installment of the porcine nanny’s adventures is in the works to be released next summer.

Recommended for Grades 3-6.
240 pages

Book review by Mel, Branch Manager at the Library Station.

Trick 'R Treat

Trick 'r Treat is a delightfully modern take on the classic slasher films with a little of the blood and guts torture of today's horror flicks thrown in. Don't let this scare you, though. It's all in good fun. Written and directed by Michael Dougherty, Trick 'r Treat is based off of his short film, Season's Greetings.

The film opens in a small town in Ohio, where we witness the sometimes strange, sometimes gruesome Halloween festivities. A principal and his son reveal a darker side while enjoying the usual traditions. A young woman, considered the "runt of the litter," attempts to lose her “virginity" so she can finally be part of the pack. The neighborhood children plan a dark tribute to the town's scariest myth, taking a prank too far. A man sits alone, frightening would-be trick or treaters, and a couple returning from a party debate the merits of certain Halloween traditions. All of these stories are seamlessly tied together with fantastic attention to detail. One common element is a creepy trick or treater in a shabby scarecrow costume. “Sam the Scarecrow” always shows up wherever someone isn't following Halloween tradition. If I were you, I would make sure to have plenty of candy. You don't want to run out before Sam makes it to your house.

Trick 'r Treat is both a unique take on the horror movie and also an homage to the popular anthology films of the 1980's and the classic horror comics of the 1950's. Trick 'r Treat reminds us that, while we all covet the mountains of candy, we were still scared stiff by the ghost and monster stories that make Halloween so wonderful. So, what are you afraid of?

Rated R.

Book review by Heidi, Circulation Assistant at the Library Station.

May We Suggest...Tim LaHaye

For 25 years, Tim LaHaye pastored one of the nation's outstanding churches in San Diego, Calif., which grew to three locations. It was during this time he also founded two accredited Christian high schools, a school system of 10 Christian schools, San Diego Christian College (formerly Christian Heritage College), and assisted Dr. Henry Morris in the founding of the Institute for Creation Research, the nation's foremost exponent of creationist materials.

LaHaye has written more than 60 non-fiction books on a wide range of subjects such as: family life, temperaments, sexual adjustment, Bible prophecy, the will of God, Jesus Christ, and secular humanism with over 14 million in print, some of which have been translated into 32 foreign languages. His writings are best noted for their easy-to-understand and scriptural based application of biblical principles that assist in facing and handling the challenges of life.

The Left Behind fiction series, co-authored with Jerry B. Jenkins, have broken all publishing records with a total of 80 million in print. These books have appeared on the best-seller lists of The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Christian Booksellers Association. Based on the Bible’s book of Revelation, the apocalyptic thrillers follow the lives of those left behind after the sudden disappearance of millions of believers.

LaHaye holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Western Theological Seminary and the Doctor of Literature degree from Liberty University.

LaHaye and his wife Beverly, who is chairman of the board and founder of Concerned Women for America, have been married for over 60 years and live in southern California. They have four grown children, nine grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren.

READ-A-LIKES

Joel C. Rosenberg - Rosenburg writes writes nail-biting political thrillers with an Evangelical themes. Fans of Left Behind will recognize Rosenberg's modern-day apocalyptic settings, with action taking place in America, the Middle East, and Europe.Start with Rosenberg's first novel, The Last Jihad; like the first Left Behind book, the story starts on a plane, though in this case it is a hijacked jet on a kamikaze mission to America. Fascinatingly, this novel of Middle Eastern terrorism was written prior to the 9/11 attacks on America.

Frank Peretti - Peretti is another wildly popular, fundamentalist suspense writer. Sex and strong language are never present, and Biblical quotations are common. Some of Peretti's characters are strong in their Christian faith, while others struggle, much like the characters in the Left Behind series. Start with his first novel, This Present Darkness. Set in contemporary America, it features human and superhuman heroes and villains who are waging a violent physical and spiritual war for the souls of individuals, of a town, and of a church.

Bill Myers - Myers is best known for his books for children, but his adult novels should appeal to Left Behind fans for their compelling plots and fundamentalist ideologies. A good starting place for Myers is Blood of Heaven. It is the story of a godless, soulless murderer who has a unique chance to escape Death Row: He will be granted pardon, but only if he agrees to receive an injection of DNA that is believed to have come from Christ's blood.