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The Runaway Jury by John Grisham

The TVClubHouse: Archives: Movies & Library 2003 -2004: Library: June 2003 - April 2004: The Runaway Jury by John Grisham users admin

Author Message
Meemo

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 6:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
this is one of the best books i have read by john grisham. i have read it 3 times. and i am very excited that they have made this a movie. i think it's coming out in oct? it probably won't be as good as the book but i can't wait to see it!! so hurry up and read it before the movie comes out!!!!

Not1worry

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 7:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Meemo, that was one of my favorite Grisham books too. I have mixed feelings about the movie. I didn't enjoy the Client or a Time to Kill, or the one with Danny Devito and Matt Damon (the title escapes me). If I hadn't read the books, I would have liked them more.

Ophiliasgrandma

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 8:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
As I understand they have changed much. It will no longer be about them taking on the tobacco industry. There is another major change but I don't remember what it is.

Meemo

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 8:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
wow, that is a major change, i guess they didn't want to ruffle anyones feathers. so i wonder what's it about? i think john cusack will do a good job as nicholas easter. but i always pictured jon voight as fitch.

Crazydog

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 9:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I had a huge problem with this book, and I think I read this one and that awful "The Partner" and then I gave up on John Grisham. I was just tired of him injecting too much politics into each of his books. His liberal leanings are obvious and I read for entertainment, not to be made to feel bad or guilty for my political views. (Another reason why I don't watch the West Wing.)

Personally, I thought the billion dollars that they wanted from the tobacco company was ridiculous. I think the tobacco suits in real life are ridiculous as well, and I didn't like his take on them.

"A Time to Kill" was about racism in the court system. "The Firm" was about the corrupt big law firms. "The Pelican Brief" was anti-industrialization / pro-environment. "The Client" was anti-police corruption. "The Chamber" was anti-death penalty. It goes on and on, and I just couldn't take it anymore.

Grisham may have popularized the legal thriller, but frankly I think he's not that great of a writer. His books tended to build up and then suddenly ended. It was as if he tired of writing and just ended the book - the endings were almost always unsatisfactory. Scott Turow preceded Grisham with "Presumed Innocent". He doesn't write books as often, but that's because he still holds down a job as a partner in a big Chicago law firm and isn't in it just for the money. I think Turow is a vastly superior writer.

I wonder how much of his money Grisham donates to these social causes he constantly espouses.

Rabbit

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 1:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well C-Dog, I agree very strongly with a couple of your points. Grisham has a problem with endings and Scott Turow is the best of the legal eagle fiction writers.

I don't mind the presentation of a political perspective whether it is one I agree or disagree with. Almost all political issues have shades of grey and to see an allegorical presentation of one side of an issue can be interesting.

For instance in "The Chamber" I felt that in the drama portrayed, that the death penalty had more redeeming qualities than if the character had served life in prison. Having a set date of execution of sentence brought about a reformation of the soul and healing within his family that would never have happened if he were to live all his years in prison rotting in his hatred, bitterness and prejudices. My reaction surprised me because I am sure that's not what the author intended particularily from a reader who was already against the death penalty for other reasons.

Jan

Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 10:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Ophilia and Meem I think they are taking on the gun industry instead of the tobacco industry so it isn't big corporation that is scaring them off. I think that it is just that lots of cig cases have been won since the book was written but no gun cases?

Solifelike

Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 11:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I love Grisham and so many others, but I hate the ruts that the writers get into when their characters become predictable. A really wonderful book by Grisham was one he wrote completly out of his genere. THE PAINTED HOUSE. I loved this book--it was so different from his norm, but well done. Howmany of you have read it?

Not1worry

Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 11:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I loved the Painted House too. It showed that Grisham can write something other that legal thrillers. I saw they made it into a TV movie, but I didn't watch it. I saw he's written something called "Bleachers" about a memorable football coach or something like that. I looked at it at the library, but it didn't seem too interesting for me. I may check it out next time.

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 7:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
if you haven't read grisham's "skipping christmas", you will laugh out loud. totally off the legal beaten path. a couple determines they spent over 6,000 on christmas the year before, their daughter is away in the peace corps, and they are taking a small cruise rather than hosting christmas. very entertaining!! it would be a great movie, too!

the movie of 'a painted house' followed the novel very closely but left out a couple of big things. still very good.