| |  | Author: John Grisham
Publisher: Dell
Category: Book
This item is no longer available
Avg. Customer Rating:  442 reviews
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 496
ISBN: 0440244978
EAN: 9780440244974
ASIN: 0440244978
Publication Date: November 18, 2008 (In 37 Days)
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| Customer Reviews:
 Wonderful page-turner. February 8, 2008
6 out of 12 found this review helpful
John Grisham's "The Appeal" focused on the case of Jeannette Baker who lost both her husband and son to cancer due to chemical pollution caused my Krane Chemical Corporation in small town Mississippi. The case was fought by trial lawyers, Wes and Mary Grace Peyton who became in debt after taking this case. The jury found Krane guilty and of course, Krane filed an appeal. Krane Chemical Corporation was lead by a shrewd businessman, Carl Trudeau who decided to purchase himself a seat on the Mississippi court. The book focused primarily on how that was accomplished.
This was such an engaging read for me. Grisham skillfully combined both legal drama and politics to make "The Appeal" such an exciting story. Grisham was able to show how politics can be manipulated especially when one has money and how much politics can influenced the judicial system. Highly recommended!
the master of the legal thriller strikes again February 7, 2008
8 out of 15 found this review helpful
I just this moment finished The Appeal, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I do all of Mr. Grisham's works. He is far and away my favorite writer. In regards to this book, hopefully without giving too much away, I have to say I was a little disheartened by the way it ended. But I would guess it was Mr. Grisham's intention to invoke a sense of outrage at the way the 'system' works, and in writing this book, he hits it right on the head. Congratulations to the master of the legal thriller for writing another engaging, exciting story. Here's to his continued success.
Big money...a cautionary tale. February 7, 2008
9 out of 17 found this review helpful
John Grisham can get a bit preachy from time to time. In this case, set within what amounts to the backstory of a mass toxic tort case brought in state court in South Mississippi, the guilty defendant attempts to stack the deck for its appeal by electing an unknown conservative to the state's highest court. Through this tale, Grisham rails against the danger big money presents to the judicial system and how contemporary political techniques can be used in unscrupulous ways.
While this work is fiction. the danger is quite real. Shortly before I was admitted to the Florida Bar, two Supreme Court justices were found to be circulating an opinion secretly drafted by the counsel for one of the parties, a major utility company. The removal of the two justices from the bench (as well as their subsequent disbarment) presented an opportunity for the governor to appoint the first African-American jurist to the court. This was followed in short order by an election campaign in which a trial judge of limited ability campaigned on the platform of a "matter of black and white."
Florida amended its Constitution after these events to provide for retention elections giving the voters power to remove appellate judges, but not seat them. This method is known as the "Missouri Plan" after the first state to implement it. It provides a degree of voter control, but removes the dangers skillfully exposed by The Appeal.
Few states followed suit, creating opportunities for big money donors to buy judicial elections. Grisham's point is clear-we must resist the efforts of any special interest group to destroy the public's right to (in Edmund Burke's words) "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge." Such a loss would be catastrophic, in Grisham's opinion and in mine as well.
However this lesson is not delivered with too heavy a hand. The engaging narrative of corporate misdeeds, political operatives, church/state meddling, and trial lawyering will keep you turning pages until late at night.
In the end, we find that its lessons are imbedded in our consciousness. Hopefully they will not be lost on readers and voters.
 A Civil Action February 7, 2008
3 out of 9 found this review helpful
A Civil action with John Travolta. Forms the plot of about 80% of this book.
The Appeal, John Grisham February 7, 2008
3 out of 10 found this review helpful
I was very disappointed and waited a long time for this book. He has left out the suspense and thrill that makes his books legal thrillers. It was boring unless one wants to learn about political networking. Not enough story or excitment. I won't buy him again unless he starts writing similar to "The Pelican Brief", "The Firm", etc.
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