Sycamore Row

Although I’m a lawyer, we do not have Chancery Courts in my state. Thus, I can’t be sure, but as usual, Grisham seems to explain legal procedures briefly but accurately. A friend of mine, a medical doctor, recommended this book to me, and I’m glad he did. It’s been a long time since I last read one of his books, but I’m ready to start the next one.

Who else could write a novel where a tree is so important to the narrative? who else but John G. Another Jake BCourtroom drama with Jake B. With help from Lucien.

Could not put this book down. I knew Ancil was the key to the mystery. I love Jake Brigance and Harry Rex and Lucien. Great characters. Great great book. Sorry it ended.

I didn’t think it would be possible to write a sequel that would be better than A Time to Kill, but WOW did John Grisham deliver. Highly recommend reading this series, can’t wait to start on the third!

There is a lot to like about John Grisham's novel SYCAMORE ROW. Grisham has always been a great storyteller and that's once again the case in his latest novel. His ability to touch on issues of racism and social injustice while spinning a great tale are nearly unparalleled in fiction today.As advertised, in SYCAMORE ROW Grisham returns his readers to Clanton, Mississippi and the cast of characters from his classic best seller A TIME TO KILL. Along with lawyer Jake Brigance and his family, readers will recognize the sheriff as well as a host of lawyers, newspaper writers, and judges.What I didn't expect - although if you think about it, it makes sense and I'm sure other readers had anticipated this - is how much Grisham builds from the events in A TIME TO KILL to develop the character of his protagonist lawyer Brigance. I won't write any spoilers - but if you recall from the last time we saw Brigance, his house had been burned to the ground and his life had been threatened by the KKK, and so it stands to reason that in writing about Jake Brigance three years after those events that Grisham would show readers the impact they've had on Brigance and his family. My opinion is the way Grisham did so is a compelling part of the book - but I won't give away how, you'll just need to read it and see for yourself.The book description gives you the gist of the story - an old man hangs himself and cuts his children out of the will, leaving a fortune to his maid. It's in the Deep South and the element of race plays a huge part. There are greedy lawyers and greedy family members and all sorts of tragic stories. And yes, Grisham writes it exceptionally well.However ... I have just a couple of criticisms that prevent me from giving this book 5 stars ...From the product description: "The second will raises far more questions than it answers. Why would Hubbard leave nearly all of his fortune to his maid? Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly? And what does it all have to do with a piece of land once known as Sycamore Row?"Well, all very good questions. And that brings me to my major criticism and what really bugged me in reading the book (I guess this could be a minor spoiler, though I don't really think so): all these smart lawyers in the book, and no one ever thinks to ask the question "why commit suicide by hanging from a tree in the middle of the woods?" I mean really, of all the ways a rich man has to kill himself, wouldn't you think someone would ask that question from the very start and be curious if it had any meaning to what's going on? I say that, because when you're reading the book it's almost the first thing that pops into your mind. But in the story, it comes almost as an afterthought.And secondly, the part about "the second will raises far more questions than it answers" ... well, the old man who hanged himself had plenty to say in his will and his suicide note and the letter he wrote to his lawyer ... practically said everything you could want to know, except, that is, for the one thing that's key to the whole mess that ensues. But logically, based on what the old man did write, seems he would have said why he was leaving everything to the maid. And okay, I get it, Grisham couldn't tell us that because he needed a mystery for the rest of the story - and that's fine, but I felt like there was plenty left for a powerful story simply based on the racial tensions of a white man leaving his fortune to a black maid in rural Mississippi, without the contrived search for "why he did it" being interspersed with the story of whether or not the maid is going to get to keep the money.Anyway, it really is a great book.In my opinion Grisham has gone from being not "only" a great storyteller to also being a tremendous writer who offers remarkable insight into what motivates and ultimately what can destroy or bring success to individuals - a great line from the book to illustrate this: "When you have no future, you live in the past, and Lonny would be stuck there forever." It's pretty much a summation of the book - a lot of people with seemingly no future, a lot of people stuck in the past, and some who, no matter how many chances they're given, you can tell will never move forward and get on with their lives. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading SYCAMORE ROW and would highly recommend it to anyone.

When a successful, white Southern businessman decides to hang himself from a sycamore tree, and leave his entire fortune to his black housekeeper/maid, he knew he'd be opening a can of worms. Having grown tired of fighting his terminal illness, Seth Hubbard decides to end it all and do the unimaginable with his money. But, with $22 plus million dollars at stake, his family, who were cut out of the will, were not going to let his wishes stand without a fight. Enters Jake Brigance, the attorney who rose to fame by winning the acquittal of Carl Lee Hailey, who killed his daughter's rapists. No one is more shocked than Jake when he receives Seth's handwritten will in the mail a few days after his body is discovered. Jake has never met the Seth, nor does he know why he was chosen, but he appreciates his good fortune. Since the Hailey trial, business hasn't necessarily been booming and Jake could use the money. So Jake takes the case and is up for the challenge. It should be simple, if you ignore the other implications of executing a controversial will. After all, Seth has left explicit directions concerning what he wants done with his assets and offers no real explanation of why. He's written his kids out of his will, left a small amount to his estranged brother and his church, but the remaining 90% to Lettie Lang, is housekeeper. And while race relations have improved in Ford County (after all it is the year 1989), some things haven't. As a result, Jake finds that giving a dying man his last wishes will prove difficult and the courtroom drama ensues as some very apt attorneys fight over a fortune, only to bring past sins and family secrets long buried, to light.I will warn readers that while Jake Brigance is the same attorney that zealously defended Carl Lee Hailey, in "A Time to Kill", this is by no means a sequel. Besides revisiting some of the characters from ATTK (Harry Rex and Lucien), there are only a few references to what happened during the trial three years prior. Hard living Lucien, who can't escape the bottle, and dapper Harry Rex, are always there to provide legal advice and support to Jake as he puts his legal know how to the test against defense attorneys who will stop at nothing to win. Both visits to Clanton were familiar to me, but very different. Neither time has it been a real "who done it", instead they both have been interesting stories about race relations, reparations and forgiveness. In my opinion, this was not really what I would consider to be a legal thriller but a beautifully crafted story, in the form of a civil trial.There is a lot to appreciate about this story. To me, the writing was by far some of Grisham's best work to date. Even though it has been over 10 years between the two stories, A Time to Kill and Sycamore Row, Grisham hasn't lost his touch. Perhaps it is just something about Ford County and Jake Brigance that lures the reader in. I know I found myself transported to the small Southern town of Clanton, Mississippi. I could see the row of sycamore trees that would become pivotal to the story, and later serve as the name of the book. I could see the diner, the town and even the characters were so vivid that they came to life as the story unfolded. There were times when I cheered and times that I felt real sadness. Regardless, I enjoyed the story. Sycamore Row was a fantastic read that will stay in the hearts and mind of the reader for some time. I give it 4.5 to 5 stars.

Half way through but typical JG book, gripping

My all time favourite book written by John Grisham was "A Time to Kill". The young, brash lawyer, our hero, was named Jake Brigance and he defended a black man by the name of Hailey for murdering white men in Ford County, Mississippi. Many people, including me, thought the book was as great, timely and important as To Kill a Mockingbird was in it's day. Since 1989 when I read that book I have read many other Grisham books, some I liked a lot and some I didn't. But that book was never far from my mind when I read anything else he wrote. Then twenty years later and after many huge successes, Grisham decided to reward his readership with another appearance of Jake Brigance and the town of Clanton, with many of the usual characters. Now I am torn as to which is my favourite Grisham novel. This book is just as good, with a completely different subject, not a murder but a last will and testament. If it doesn't sound like it could possible be exciting, just read it. I was deeply immersed and totally enthralled with the case as only Grisham has proved he can do it time and time again.My next book to read in this genre will be the third Jake Brigance book which is already on my wish list. I have no idea how I missed it when it was published about 10 years ago but I recommend you don't.

Sycamore Tree is part of the trilogy featuring Grisham's "Time to Kill' and "A Time for Mercy" and takes place as the 2nd of the 3 story saga. Featuring Jake Brigance as the attorney who years earlier had gotten a jury to acquit a black man of killing a white man in Mississippi! Where A Time to Kill has a very quick pace to its storyline Sycamore is more indepth, takes you deeper into Southern culture in a contemporary setting. But, this book is a page turner and brings with it many of the writers brilliant character development techniques blended into a storylines that have made John Grisham a legend worldwide!

Leitura intrigante sobre um crime racial no Sul dos EUA, e suas consequências na vida de várias famílias numa pequena cidade de trinta mil habitantes. Crime, castigo e final tenso e imprevisível. Boa trama Juridica entre advogados experientes. Recomendo para quem gosta de “court room” dramas.

Grisham has the ability to enter into the social issues of the southern US head on, with little concern for political correctness, leaving the reader continually asking questions, always a bit off-balance. Much as a lawyer pleads his case, Grisham places the pieces to a perplexing puzzle in "Sycamore Row": Why would a rich, white businessman, who has estranged two wives and his family, yield most of his fortune to his black housekeeper? Slowly, surely, additional questions are raised, all against a backdrop of simmering racial tensions, political and legal ambitions, as well as the basic brokenness of humanity, unavoidable as it always is when wills and fortunes are at stake. A wonderful page turner that brings you to the south, into the courtroom, and into the minds of its protagonists. Grisham at his very best.