The Rainmaker

Author: John Grisham
Other books by Author: Well known novels: The Pelican Brief, A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Client, The Chamber, and The Testament

General Summary and Plot
Rudy Baylor, a struggling third-year law student, is looking forward to graduation and his job from a small law firm. He painfully finds his firm has been bought by another larger firm and he no longer has a job. Rudy goes through two more job losses until he starts his own firm with a paralawyer, a man who could not yet pass the bar. They spend their time “chasing ambulances” to get cases and making rounds in the hospital.
During a class in law school Rudy must give free legal advice to senior citizens. This is where he meets Miss Birdie, an eighty year old socialite who thinks she is a millionaire; and the Blacks, an aging couple whose insurance company has refused to pay for their son’s bone marrow transplant.
Rudy agrees to take on the case against the insurance company. Donny Ray, the Black’s son, should have received a bone marrow transplant from a perfect match, his identical twin brother, a year ago. Now, his acute leukemia is killing him and he doesn’t have much time left.
Miss Birdie wants to revise her will to exclude her children and grandchildren. She would like to deposit her supposed millions on a tv evangelist.
Rudy spends his days at a hospital studying for the bar exam which hoping clients will come out of the wood work and solicit his services. A young woman with whom he strikes friendship confesses that her husband abuses her and she is too afraid to file for a divorce. She is in the hospital recovering from her latest beating. He must keep his distance and she is to call if she should need him.
The case against Great Benefit, the offending insurance company, is long hard work but things fall into the place. Purposefully hidden documents, scandal, and cover-ups just begin the list of wrongs.
Rudy settles all of his major cases and swears never to practice law again.

Positive Elements
Justice is served; bad men and bad companies are punished. The book is well written; the characters are dynamic and interesting. The plot is fully created, well rounded and intricate.
Spiritual Content
Miss Birdie wants to give her wealth to a tv evangelist who “goes around the world building homes, feeding babies, teaching from the Bible.” The evangelist also has a private jet.
Miss Birdie invites Rudy to church on a Sunday morning. Her “church” is her living room as she watches her favorite tv evangelist. Rudy recalls his childhood when his mother took him to a Methodist church and he liked it very much.
A close friend and his wife obviously regularly attend church, her father is a Southern Baptist Preacher, and frown on Rudy’s drinking.

Negative Elements
A couple of crooks run with their money to an island in the Caribbean, here justice is not met.
There is a very sad abusive relationship after a young girl marries the boy who had gotten her pregnant.

Profanity
Moderate. Not overwhelming but does appear in general conversations.
Dot Black uses the word “sumbitches” often, a word I was not entirely familiar with.

Sexual Content
Rudy mentions a former girlfriend, their “touching” and her legs. She is now pregnant with her fiancé’s child.
There is mention of the abusive husband “forcing intercourse.”
Rudy fantasizes about the body of his new friend. They “touch” several times. After she is beaten a final time and she files for divorce Rudy and (Kelly) lie in her bed holding each other. He does nothing because he is afraid of hurting her.
After some offhand comments Rudy has visions of a fat man naked and the Blacks having intercourse.
A woman, formerly employed at Great Benefit Insurance Company, admits to having affairs with a couple of her bosses to get pay raises and promotions.
One man is described as preferring “kinky sex”

Violence
One girl, Kelly, is severely beaten by her abusive husband.
A jury member jumps on a lawyer after being falsely accused.
Rudy beats the abusive husband with the man’s own baseball bat. (The man dies from his injuries)
The husband’s family makes a series of death threats against Rudy and Kelly. Someone shoots through a window at Rudy’s office. No one is hurt.

Overall Theme
Rudy works hard, is honest, roots for the little guy, and fights for the weak. He is an unlikely hero. Justice is paid in one way or another. Even after all the hard work and effort Rudy gets no reward besides fifteen minutes of fame and a new girlfriend, whom he intends (we hope) to marry.

Conclusion
As mentioned before, a well written book. The sensual parts of it would be worse if the book were made into a movie. In the current written form they are stated almost vaguely when the writer could have gone into painful detail. He has made a good choice in this at least. The interworking of what seemed to be unneeded bits of plot becomes tedious. The book is 443 pages long and could have been shortened to at least 400. In the beginning, it seemed Rudy could never get a good break and Grisham dwells a little too much on Rudy’s numerous misfortunes. Did he need to lose three promising positions in a matter of a couple months added on to being sued and going bankrupt (the list could go on)?

Over all, an interesting page turner. Skim through some of the non- essentials, ignore the lust and sensual points, and the book is hard to put down.

Suggested age group:
Adults, college age. (High school boys do not need to be fantasizing about giving 19 yr old girls sponge baths as Rudy does once)

The Testament

Author: John Grisham
Other books by Author: The Rainmaker, The Pelican Brief, A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Client, The Chamber

General Summary and Plot
A multibillionaire signs a holographic will in front of his lawyer and a few psychiatrists then jumps out a fourteen story window. His last will left his fortune to an unknown, illegitimate daughter, Rachel, who he had finally tracked to the jungles of Brazil where she worked as a missionary. His three ex-wives and six legitimate children were irate. A recovering druggy/alcoholic lawyer, Nate O’Reilly, is sent on a mission to find this woman, inform her of her inheritance, and advise her legally.
After many troubles and near-death experiences Nate finds this woman. She has forsaken civilization and is happily living and evangelizing an Indian tribe. She is inspiring and peaceful, yet she does not want the money and does not wan to sign papers. Nate must return unsuccessful. The jungle (and God) has changed him; he forsakes his former life and pursues a peaceful life and healing with his estranged children. Nate acts as Rachel’s lawyer (without her knowledge) and the other heirs settle for a portion of the estate.

Positive Elements
There are too many to list! An incredible book, action, drama, conflict, colorful characters, inner struggles – everything! The legal narratives are broken up with jungle adventures so they do not become too tedious. A man turns his life around with help from a humble missionary and a merciful God. A poor selfless missionary becomes and instant billionaire.

Spiritual Content
The missionary speaks of her work with the tribe. She urges Nate to say his prayers. She speaks of God’s forgiveness and mercy and actually leads Nate through a prayer for salvation.
In a small Brazilian church Nate gives his life and problems to God. He often reminds himself his problems no longer are his to worry about. Jesus will take care of them now.
Back in the U.S. Nate attends a church and the pastor encourages studying the Bible

Negative Elements
Greedy children and wives pepper the story with interesting, sad anecdotes. Nate is a messed up man addicted to (drugs I believe).

Profanity
Moderate, though too many to keep track of.

Sexual Content
An heir owns strip clubs and is married to a former stripper
Another heiress mentions wasting money on men and drugs
Some are having affairs.
The billionaire even as an old man liked curvy young women.
A secretary lies about having sex with the billionaire during his last months.

Violence
Is suicide violence?

Alcohol and Drugs
Nate tries to drink himself to death and has been in rehab three times for cocaine and alcohol abuse.
While Nate is in a hospital with fever he is “stoned” with prescribed medicine.
The eldest heir is a drunk.
Nate’s son and girlfriend insist on meeting in a bar and drinking.

Overall Theme
There is more peace and security in a quiet life in God’s will (as shown by Rachel and Phil, Nate’s new pastor friend) than in piles of money, alcohol, drugs, or women.

Conclusion
This book was incredible. You can see the contrast of greedy, selfish scoundrels and their conniving deceitfulness and the peaceful, relaxed existence of those in God’s will. If Grisham was not a saved man at the time of writing this book he may have persuaded himself. He sure is persuading his readers.

Suggested age group
Over eighteen because of the sexual references and occasional cursing.

The Maestro

Author: Tim Wynne Jones
Other books by Author: Some of the Kinder Planets, The Book of Changes


General Summary and Plot
Burl Crow has lived a rough life for a 14 year old. His sister died six years before the opening of the book, changing his parents forever. His father spends his paycheck on alcohol and has an abusive anger. His mother is usually stoned on Valium. Burl runs away swearing he will never return home. He finds a pyramid shaped cabin far into the woods and meets a musical genius, N.O.M. writing his last and final musical work. He is a quirky fellow who is gravely ill. He may have schizophrenia or he could be just a nut job. After one night with N.O.M. the man goes back home though Burl begs him to stay. Burl is allowed to stay in the cabin. N.O.M. has food airlifted to him after a month but, after the next month N.O.M. dies from his sicknesses.
Burl tries to keep the cabin even pretending to be the Maestro’s son. His last hope lies in the suitcase of handwritten music left in the cabin, The Revelation, a musical genius’ last written work. The ending is VERY unexpected but- for Burl it is probably for the best.

Positive Elements
Despite the hardships in his life Burl is growing up to be a sensible, compassionate man.
He carries his wounded father through the woods to safety
And others but, I can’t think of them right now

Spiritual Content
There is quite a bit of talk about the book of Revelation because the Maestro’s work is based on the fazes of Revelation. It is a prayer or an oratorio.
One of the only things left in the cabin after N.O.M. leaves is a Bible that Burl reads often.

Negative Elements
Abusive father
A very dreary look at life.
His father is having an affair.
The mother and the Maestro are addicted to prescription drugs.
Hunters make fun of a mentally challenged boy

Profanity
Is “Friggin’” a bad word? if it is then- they used it a bit.
P--- twice
D--- a few times
H--- a few times
Burl’s father calls Burl “a slut just like your mother”

Sexual Content
Father is having an affair with a local waitress

Violence
Burl’s father is abusive and in the end of the book they beat each other up.

Overall Theme
Making the best of what life gives you.

Conclusion
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written – though in a writing style I’ve not seen before. I won’t tell you the conclusion but, it turns out all right.

Suggested age group
High school- some of the subject matter is a bit mature.