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The Appeal
The Appeal
Author: John Grisham
Politics has always been a dirty game. Now justice is, too. — In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town’s water supply, causing the worst “cancer cluster” in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Sup...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780385515047
ISBN-10: 0385515049
Publication Date: 1/29/2008
Pages: 384
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 439

3.6 stars, based on 439 ratings
Publisher: Doubleday
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Appeal on + 234 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 10
I loved this novel by John Grisham. I have read every one of his books, and was held captive until the end. I won't go into great detail as some of the reviewers before me have. Beware: some of the reviews give a little bit of the ending away, and the not knowing is what makes the story so good. There are some twists and turns along the way that make for some interesting reading. This is the first book that I am aware of that John Grisham wrote his opinion of some judicial decisions and background events. I didn't take offense at it as some readers before me have. I went to bed late reading this book, and woke up early to finish it. In my humble opinion, I think this is one of John Grisham's best works of fiction.
Havana-Bill avatar reviewed The Appeal on + 20 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
This book lays bare the corruption involved in a judicial system based on electing the members of a state supreme court. But the book also shows what can happen when money can be used to control any elected office. When someone is elected, that has received millions of dollars from interested parties, it gives one pause to think what the giver of that money is expecting in return.

Bill
loverofnature2008 avatar reviewed The Appeal on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I'm not sure that John Grisham is still the author that he once started out to be with his first several books. I found this book to be rather hard to keep track of all the different characters that are incorporated into the store telling. It did keep me going till about the last one-third of the book. I finally got through it, but makes me want to look at his writings in more detail the next time he comes out with another book.
scrapbooklady avatar reviewed The Appeal on + 472 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
John Grisham returns to genre he made famous with the legal thriller, "The Appeal". This is a book with a lot of good qualities and a book I really wanted to like, but in the end I was disappointed both in the direction the plot took and the overall message of the book.

The ending, however realistic it might be, is ultimately sad and frustrating. I wonder if the Grisham's goal was to agitate readers into political action. Personally, I'd rather the novel end with at least a hint of the good guys. That said, if you want a story in which the underdog wins, I'd pass on this one.
reviewed The Appeal on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I've read all of Grisham's books, and this is one of my favorites. This book is a wonderful example of how fiction can be used to educate the public. My guess is that before reading this novel, very few people put much thought into the politicization of judges by electing them to office, but it happens throughout our country every year. This book is a strong political statement against the politics of judges, but it also a very well written book with an extremely interesting plot.
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reviewed The Appeal on + 24 more book reviews
Not his very best work, but worth reading.
odetteaixa avatar reviewed The Appeal on + 3 more book reviews
I'm a John G. fan and this book really upset me 'cause I didn't expect the end!! It's very realistic as are the majority of his books and it even gave me goose bumps to think that our Justice system can be set up in the way he writes. Scary but prob true... a very good read if you like JG
MKSbooklady avatar reviewed The Appeal on + 933 more book reviews
Typical John Grisham, full of hard working lawyers, lying lawyers, hard working judges and lying judges.
reviewed The Appeal on + 85 more book reviews
Always a good read, sometimes hard to get through
reviewed The Appeal on + 3558 more book reviews
Great book or gift! In a crowded court room in Mississippi a jury makes a shocking decision about a chemical company who polluted the water. Could someone have paid them off and financed a judge of their choice to the Supreme Court? You will never see our justice system the same way again.
reviewed The Appeal on + 11 more book reviews
If you're a John Grisham fan you will surely enjoy this one; but I find his characters wooden and his plots predictable. Obviously he's a good storyteller, but this is not the book to read if you are looking for a literary novel.
reviewed The Appeal on + 18 more book reviews
This is typical Grisham... captures the interest from the start. While this story is fiction one can find many similarities to real life.

After finishing the book I picked up the newspaper and read an article (excerpts & summary follow) about Massey Energy the nations 6th largest coal company located in W Va and operator of The Upper Big Branch mine. Big Branch has a troubled safety record and was hit with $900,000 in federal fines in 2009. for 500 alleged safety violations according to Labor Dept records.

Massey CEO lost a $50 Million verdict in a fraud lawsuit and spent $3 million to help elect a state appellate judge who ended up casting a crucial vote to overturn the verdict against Massey. The CEO has donated $50,200 to federal candidates since 1989 and people associated w/ Massey and it's PAC have donated $307,000 to federal political candidates since 1990.

The above resulted in a US Supreme Court dispute that tested the effect of campaign donations in judicial elections. The high court said "a judge must pull out of a case when a serious risk of actual bias arises". Now if we could just get the court to do the same with political contributions and bias!!!

This one will get you thinking about what really goes on behind the scenes in our political and justice system.
reviewed The Appeal on + 6 more book reviews
This was a good book. The ending was not what I expected. Not all that far-fetched if you follow what is happening in some judicial elections.
kathleenmarie avatar reviewed The Appeal on + 91 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book and the politics of a small town being blown over by and evil corporation out to destroy whomever in the name of money, creed, power and politics.... A bit heartbreaking at times.
reviewed The Appeal on + 2 more book reviews
Good book, somewhat predictable.

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