Ford County

great read

Nice collection of short stories set in and around Ford County, Mississippi. The first two(Blood Drive and Fetching Raymond) and last (Funny Boy) stories don't have lawyers as important characters and read better than the rest that generally do have an attorney as a main character. Mr. Grisham seems to have as much respect for attorneys as most people have for con artists and drug dealers. His...more

Nice collection of short stories set in and around Ford County, Mississippi. The first two(Blood Drive and Fetching Raymond) and last (Funny Boy) stories don't have lawyers as important characters and read better than the rest that generally do have an attorney as a main character. Mr. Grisham seems to have as much respect for attorneys as most people have for con artists and drug dealers. His stories, while entertaining, have too many stereotypical actors playing their usual parts. The book, being set in the same area of the South, and attempting to evoke the same scenes and emotions, is reminiscent of Same Place, Same Things, or even Welding With Children, both written by Tim Gautreaux. In my opinion, Mr. Gautreaux has more success in this genre. As I said, entertaining and worth reading, if only to meet Leon Graney as he drives his mother to Parchman Penitentiary to see her youngest son one last time before his execution, or Miss Emporia as she comforts Adrian Keane, small town son of a wealthy family who has come home to die. Why am I drawn to literature from Mississippi? Care to explain, Mr. Moss Lane?   hide

Nice collection of short stories set in and around Ford County, Mississippi. The first two(Blood Drive and Fetching Raymond) and last (Funny Boy) stories don't have lawyers as important characters and read better than the rest that generally do have an attorney as a main character. Mr. Grisham seems to have as much respect for attorneys as most people have for con artists and drug dealers. His...more

Nice collection of short stories set in and around Ford County, Mississippi. The first two(Blood Drive and Fetching Raymond) and last (Funny Boy) stories don't have lawyers as important characters and read better than the rest that generally do have an attorney as a main character. Mr. Grisham seems to have as much respect for attorneys as most people have for con artists and drug dealers. His stories, while entertaining, have too many stereotypical actors playing their usual parts. The book, being set in the same area of the South, and attempting to evoke the same scenes and emotions, is reminiscent of Same Place, Same Things, or even Welding With Children, both written by Tim Gautreaux. In my opinion, Mr. Gautreaux has more success in this genre. As I said, entertaining and worth reading, if only to meet Leon Graney as he drives his mother to Parchman Penitentiary to see her youngest son one last time before his execution, or Miss Emporia as she comforts Adrian Keane, small town son of a wealthy family who has come home to die.   hide

Lovely writing. Grisham throws you into a situation quickly, you're involved, your palms are sweating. Then the stories tend to end a little abruptly for me. Memorable characters.