Book Reviews of A Painted House

I usually am not a big fan of John Grisham, only because I don't really like legal thrillers. This, however, is completely different from anything else that I have seen written by him. It kind of reminded me of both Huck Finn and Grapes of Wrath. It is definately one of the best books I have ever read. I have recommended this book to all of my friends and family because it really did surprise me by being such a great book!

I enjoyed this book simply for the fact that the descriptions were so vivid, and it was a easy read. The story of the seasonal farmers is very interesting, and the perspective of the child was an interesting view.

John Grisham is a master of writing legal dramas so I wondered wondered how good he would be out of that format. He did not disappointment. The setting for A Painted House is a poor cotton farm in Arkansas in the 1950's. The story is told from the perspective of a 7 year old boy, Luke. The characters are very clearly developed. Luke encounters much at such a young age; his story is mesmerizing. In writing this books, Grisham clearly shows he is a versatile writer. It is a book you won't be able to put down.

A great book! Not at all what I expected from a John Grisham novel, but I really enjoyed the change of pace. Note: If you've seen the 'made-for-tv' movie based on this book, don't worry - the book is much better!

This is a great book set in Ark. around 1950.Deals with growing up on a farm,trying to make a living.loved it

I've been caught a million times boo-hooing like a baby while watching a movie. Very rarely do I actually cry when reading a book. I'm so glad I finished this book while by myself because I sobbed like I'd lost my best friend. It was a wonderful book and I loved each and every moment of it.

What a fabulous book! It was so different from Grisham's usual law thrillers, but what a wonderful story he told! It was through the eyes of a 7 yr.old boy in the early 50's on a cotton farm in Arkansas. One of the best I've EVER read!

This was a good story that Grisham took too long tell. The book progresses very slowly and ends with a lot of unanswered questions and unresolved struggles with many of the auxiliary characters which made the story feel incomplete. I would not recommend the book.

This book was excellently written, just as I expected. It is a clean, non-violent, non-expletive look at the cotton farms in their prime. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wonderful ... nice to know Grisham CAN write about life outside the courtroom.

nice story - hadn't read this author in a while and was surprised it was a different kind of story from the usual legal lawyer type books - story about southern family

Different from his other works. Where are the attorneys & evil money grubbers?? Still a good book and it reads fairly quickly.

This is a fantastic book. It is the only book I have ever read by Grisham, but I have been told it is very different from his other works. What I like most about this book is that it is an adult novel told through the eyes of a young boy.

Being a John Grisham novel, this story was off the beaten path of his usual fare of Law and the Justice System but a well written story and interesting nonetheless.

Different than Grisham's usual books, but I really enjoyed the story through the eyes of a 7 year old. The world can look quite different.

A welcome change from courtroom drama. It is wonderfully written, as is any John Grisham book, yet done in an entirely different style. An enjoyable easy read.

I really loved this book when I first started reading it. I couldn't wait to get back to it and read more about this southern farming family during the Korean war. It is written The story is told through a 7 year old boy's persepctive and it is funny, sweet, frightening, charming and sad. After a few chapters though it got really, really violent and graphic and I became a little repelled by it. I myself don't care for violence, blood, gore or any of that stuff but it may not bother most people. I don't normally read Grisham for that reason but since this book is a totally different type than his usual stories, I decided to try it. And I truly did enjoy it, kept my attention to the end.

Grisham did a fine job of creating the narrator's voice in this novel. So many sentiments that little Luke uttered truly put the reader in mind of ideas that a 7 year old farm boy might truly have. I would have to say that it was this, not necessarily the story, that kept me reading through to the end.

Just loved this story! It drew me back to when I was a young kid, in the early 50's. Grisham certainly has an excellent knowledge of Major League Baseball, too! Lots of fun, with a few unpleasant events woven through.

I couldn't put it down - it's that kind of book.

A great read by John Grisham that you dont have to have any insight to "lawyer language" like other books- I would highly suggest.

its been awhile since I've read a Grisham book and this one had been sitting on a shelf for awhile. I picked it up the other day and HAVE NOT put it down! Excellent book, great writing and characters. I found this book very different than his past efforts and I thoroughly enjoyed it

"The kind of book you read slowly because you don't want it to end...John Grisham takes command of this literary category just as forcefully as he did legal thrillers with The Firm...Never let it be said this man doesn't know how to spin a good yarn.
Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers-and two very dangerous men- cam through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born...and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives- and change his family and his town forever....
"Characters that no reader will forget...prose as clean and strong as any Grisham has yet laid down...and a drop-dead evocation of a time and place that mark this novel as a classic slice of Americana."
"Some of the finest dialogue of his career...Ever detail rings clear and true, and nothing is wasted."

This was a good book, certainly different from other grisham books. At first I was reading without feeling for the book, seemed like a story told a thousand times before. I still feel that way after reading the entire book, but it was a good story and it gave a good picture of rural Arkansas in the 1950's. Alot of secrets that a young boy had to keep. Worth reading if you do not have a giagantic TBR or you are looking for a lazy day read.

A story of rural 1950's Arkansas as told by a seven year old boy. The reader is transported to
the rigors of every day farm life, from picking cotton to the much anticipated trip into town.
This is a book that is hard to put down as very page has something that adds to the story.
A true American classic.

Really great book. Finished it in about a week.

I LOVED this book..had a little time getting into it as it is not the type book i regularly read, but once i got deep in it i was sorry to have it end and wish i could learn more about this fictional family.

This exceptional novel tells the tale of seven year-old Luke Chandler, a farm boy from rural Arkansas. His family picks cotton for a living, and this year, 1952, seems like it will be the perfect harvest, bringing more money so that Luke's family can buy their land. But Luke's sterile existence is broken apart when he witnesses a killing and a murder, he learns things that he would rather have not known, and grows up because of it. People who are used to reading Grisham's legal thrillers might not be kept interested because of its slower pace, but they might be interested in the fact that this book is based on actual events from Grisham's childhood. We can identify with Luke as he is put in a position that adults wouldn't want to be put into, let alone a child.

a Grisham story about an Arkansas farm boy and the results of farm life in a tough though loving setting on his parents and grandparenmts hardscrabble farm with Grisham conflicts from without the farm adding up to great reading

very well written, feels like you are really there at the scene

I loved this novel. Grisham can tell a great story. Much different, but just as good, as his legal thrillers!!!

A departure from this author's courtroom, lawyer novels. A story of a young boy's growing up in the 1950s Arkansas Delta.

It was a departure from his usual legal thriller. I thought it was enchanting.

A great book. Such a departure for Grisham. This book has so much heart and soul and is written beautifully.

Not for me. A real Yawn!

I loved this book. It is not the usual John Grisham book. It was quite different.

This John Grisham book is a bestseller...but a real departure from his normal courtroom novel. It takes place in 1950's in the Arkansas delta on a poor farm that relies heavily on migrant workers. I really enjoyed this book.

A young boy watches two groups of migrant workers come to work his father's cotton crops. And two very dangerous,deadly men came with them.
A brutal murder and a wanton ,lovely young girl awaken forbidden passions.
A very,very good read. I really enjoyed it,and did not want it to end.

Until that September of 1952, luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers-and two very dangerous men-came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A fatherless baby is born..and someone has been furtively begun painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives-and change his family and town forever....

This is unlike any other John Grisham books. It is not a legal thriller, but it is very good.

"THE KIND OF BOOK YOU READ SLOWLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT IT TO END...JOHN GRISHAM TAKES COMMAND OF THIS LITERARY CATEGORY JUST AS FORCEFULLY AS HE DID LEGAL THRILLERS WITH THE FIRM... NEVER LET IT BE SAID THIS MAN DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SPIN A GOOD YARN." ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

What a great storyteller John Grisham is!! You never want this book to end. The story itself is a classic tale about a young boy, living on an Arkansas farm with his family, in 1952 and two dangerous migrant workers that are hired by his father. The boy sees some things that could ruin lives, so what can he do? It's certainly worthy of finding out by reading this book!

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers-and two very dangerous men-came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke\'s world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born...and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives-and change his family and his town forever..........


I LOVED IT!!

Somewhat sad tale from the view of poverty. Good book though.

This was an enjoyable quick read. Not particularly meaty but I do enjoy books which offer a voyeuristic view at times and situations which I will never personally experience. Perfect beach book.

great book by a great author

This is the first John Grisham book that I've read simply because I was never interested in his legal thrillers. This is a complete contrast to those story lines and I LOVED it! One of the best books I've read in a while!
The great details not only about the area and the surroundings, but the characters themselves are people you'll love, hate and never forget..

This was an enjoyable read; the 7-year-old main character Luke is engaging and thoroughly believable, and I was totally hooked on the misadventures of his cotton-farming family. As a transplanted Yankee myself, I liked his take on life in the South, and the simpler times of the 50s.

I would have given it five stars, but I found the ending left loose ends unwrapped, and left me vaguely dissatisfied.

A very different Grisham book for me. I enjoyed it, but it was truly a different story than ever told.

One of my favorite books

Interesting book. It's different because it's written about a young boy who seems much older and wiser than his years. It's much different than any other Grisham book I've read. Worth checking out.

I really didn't know if I would like this book as it's been a long time since I'd read a John Grisham novel. I was not disappointed. It starts out a little slow but soon engulfs you in all the intriqueing details of life as a cotton farmer in Arkansas back in the 50's. I loved hearing things from the perspective of a 7 year old, albeit a very wise 7 year old! The book is a comfortable read with lots of laughs as well as heartache and pain. Just a good overall story!

I thought this was a terrific read. The story is told from the point of view of a seven-year-old boy in Arkansas. It was believable and spell-binding. Loved it!

This is one great book until we get to the end then it just putters to a stop and leaves a lot of things up in the air. I have always-ed hoped for a sequel but I better not hold my breath.

Good book, Girsham step out of the courts and into a really nice novel.

An easy read with human insight that only Grisham can impart.

Wonderful! way out of character for Grisham. Even if you absolutely hate Grisham's legal thrillers, you should give this one a try. It's Grisham at his best as far as I'm concerned!

I usually love John Grisham, but this wasn't one of my favorites. I read it and finished it through, but I wouldn't have been sad if this was a book of his that I hadn't read. Not his normal stuff.

Great book!! Not his usual legal stories.. Although, I love those too.

Not a typical John Grisham book. More thoughtful. A good story.

Great book, i couldnt put it down after reading a few chapters. 1st book i have read of John Grisham. More to come.

Another in the long line of Grisham legal thrillers. Takes place in 1952, in the Arkansas Delta, around the cotton farm of Luke Chandler. Good dialogue, good sense of Americana.

NOT GRISHAMS USUAL STUFF

A thriller authored by the writer who has yet to have an uninteresting book, and this is no exception.

Great author.

John Grisham always writes good mystery novels

Excellent Book...

Great story about a 7 year old Arkansas boy and life on a cotton farm.
Great reading.

very intersting read

Great book, very interesting. A great look into life in rural Arkansas in the 1950s.

Grisham delivers in this great book

Different from other Grisham novels.

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie but in the long hot summer of his 7th year two groups of migrant workers and two very dangerous men came into the Arkansas delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspension. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born and someone has begun painting the bare clap boards of the Chandler farm house. Slowly bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives and change his family forever.

Until that September of 1952 Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers -- and two very dangerous men -- came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world.

Really Enjoyed! Very different from his other books. I grew up on a farm and we did hire persons like this. Everyone will enjoy!

This was a change of pace for John Grisham - it was a very enjoyable read.

Another one of Grisham's books that you can't put down!

I enjoyed this book immensely. Great character development, especially the main character. Told from the perspective of a 7 year old boy in 1952.

Not typical Grisham, reminded me a little of A TIME TO KILL, which was less formulaic than his others. Not for you if you want another gripping courtroom story. I loved it and have read it twice. In fact, I may read it again now.

Until that Sept. of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer his 7th year, two groups of migrant workers and two very dangerous men came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the rundown structure in gleaming white. And as young LUke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives and change his fmaily and his town forever.

An interesting account of growing up in the south.Family and farm life as told by a young boy..Grisham at his best...

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers and two very dangerous men came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. As young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives -- and change his family and his town forever.

I love all of John Grisham's books, but this one was very good. About secrets and growing up.

Interesting memoir of child living with his parents and grandparents, rural Arkansas circa 1952

As an avid reader of Grisham, I sought out this book as the last one left that I had not read. It was not the typical legal thriller that he usually writes, but it was brilliant none the less! The pace was a little slower. A Painted House is told through the eyes of 7 year of Luke Chandler who lives with his grandparents and parents on a cotton farm in Missouri. Throughout the book he struggles with everything from poverty—sex—religion—family—love—commitment—prejudice—and yes (true to Grisham style) Murder! A great book all the way around.

Ever since he published The Firm in 1991, John Grisham has remained the undisputed champ of the legal thriller. With A Painted House, however, he strikes out in a new direction. As the author is quick to note, this novel includes "not a single lawyer, dead or alive," and readers will search in vain for the kind of lowlife machinations that have been his stock-in-trade. Instead, Grisham has delivered a quieter, more contemplative story, set in rural Arkansas in 1952. It's harvest time on the Chandler farm, and the family has hired a crew of migrant Mexicans and "hill people" to pick 80 acres of cotton. A certain camaraderie pervades this bucolic dream team. But it's backbreaking work, particularly for the 7-year-old narrator, Luke: "I would pick cotton, tearing the fluffy bolls from the stalks at a steady pace, stuffing them into the heavy sack, afraid to look down the row and be reminded of how endless it was, afraid to slow down because someone would notice."

This is not your typical Grisham novel. It's just as gripping but the characters compel you to keep reading instead of the drama. Plus, there's not a lawyer in sight.

What's not to like about a Grisham book? Excellent!

A book about a young boy in rural Arkansas, and the events of one summer. I found it to be interesting, but not the page-turner that his other books have been.

I have always been a John Grisham fan, but this book proved he could write in a different genre. I really liked this book, which took me back to a familiar time in my childhood.

Not one of Grisham's best book's but it is good. About sharecropers in the 50's.

A change of pace for Grisham. This novel has many unexpected turns.

You won't want to put it down and you don't want it to end.

It took me three days to read. Nice perspective from a young boy with some surprises throughout. About a cotton-picking farmer family and what is involved when hired hands are on the property.

Amazon.com: "Ever since he published The Firm in 1991, John Grisham has remained the undisputed champ of the legal thriller. With A Painted House, however, he strikes out in a new direction. As the author is quick to note, this novel includes "not a single lawyer, dead or alive," and readers will search in vain for the kind of lowlife machinations that have been his stock-in-trade. Instead, Grisham has delivered a quieter, more contemplative story, set in rural Arkansas in 1952. It's harvest time on the Chandler farm, and the family has hired a crew of migrant Mexicans and "hill people" to pick 80 acres of cotton. A certain camaraderie pervades this bucolic dream team. But it's backbreaking work, particularly for the 7-year-old narrator, Luke: "I would pick cotton, tearing the fluffy bolls from the stalks at a steady pace, stuffing them into the heavy sack, afraid to look down the row and be reminded of how endless it was, afraid to slow down because someone would notice."
What's more, tensions begin to simmer between the Mexicans and the hill people, one of whom has a penchant for bare-knuckles brawling. This leads to a brutal murder, which young Luke has the bad luck to witness. At this point--with secrets, lies, and at least one knife fight in the offing--the plot begins to take on that familiar, Grisham-style momentum. Still, such matters ultimately take a back seat in A Painted House to the author's evocation of time and place. This is, after all, the scene of his boyhood, and Grisham waxes nostalgic without ever succumbing to deep-fried sentimentality. Meanwhile, his account of Luke's Baptist upbringing occasions some sly (and telling) humor:

I'd been taught in Sunday school from the day I could walk that lying would send you straight to hell. No detours. No second chances. Straight into the fiery pit, where Satan was waiting with the likes of Hitler and Judas Iscariot and General Grant. Thou shalt not bear false witness, which, of course, didn't sound exactly like a strict prohibition against lying, but that was the way the Baptists interpreted it.
Whether Grisham will continue along these lines, or revert to the judicial shark tank for his next book, is anybody's guess. But A Painted House suggests that he's perfectly capable of telling an involving story with nary a subpoena in sight." --James Marcus

From Publishers Weekly: "Who needs lawyers? Not Grisham, in his captivating new novel...Here there are hardscrabble farmers instead, and dirt-poor itinerant workers and a seven-year-old boy who grows up fast in a story as rich in conflict and incident as any previous Grisham and as nuanced as his very best. It's September 1952 in rural Arkansas when young narrator Luke Chandler notes that "the hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day." These folk are in Black Oak for the annual harvest of the cotton grown on the 80 acres that the Chandlers rent. The three generations of the Chandler family treat their workers more kindly than most farmers do, including engaging in the local obsession--playing baseball--with them, but serious trouble arises among the harvesters nonetheless. Most of it centers around Hank Spruill, a giant hillbilly with an equally massive temper, who one night in town beats a man dead and who throughout the book rubs up against a knife-wielding Mexican who is dating Hank's 17-year-old sister on the sly, leading to another murder. In fact, there's a mess of trouble in Luke's life, from worries about his uncle Ricky fighting in Korea to concerns about the nearby Latcher family and its illegitimate newborn baby, who may be Ricky's son. And then there are the constant fears about the weather, as much a character in this novel as any human, from the tornado that storms past the farm to the downpours that eventually flood the fields, ruining the crop and washing Luke and his family into a new life.Grisham admirers know that this author's writing has evolved with nearly every book, from the simple mechanics that made The Firm click to the manifestations of grace that made The Testament such a fine novel of spiritual reckoning. The mechanics are still visible here--as a nosy, spying boy, Luke serves as a nearly omnipresent eye to spur the novel along its course--but so, too, are characters that no reader will forget, prose as clean and strong as any Grisham has yet laid down and a drop-dead evocation of a time and place that mark this novel as a classic slice of Americana. Agent, David Gernert. (One-day laydown, Feb. 6)FORECAST: Will Grisham's fans miss the lawyers? Not hardly. This is a Grisham novel all the way, despite its surface departures from the legal thrillers, and it will be received as such, justifying the 2.8-million first printing." Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Not your expected Grisham book.

This is a great story. this author can write so well, I love to read anything he writes.

Another great book by Grisham! An interesting story...the characters seem so real you wonder what happens to them when the story is over.

Grisham awesome as always, great read

This book will draw you in once started. The characters are well developed as Grisham unfolds a story that allows us to experience a different lifestyle.

The best writing John Grisham has ever done. A thrilling story full of strong characters and wonderful detail about cotton picking, families, and life in America in the early 50's. Far superior to his legal stories.

Very enjoyable read about a young boy living on a cotton farm in rural Arkansas in the early 50s. He narrates various events of that harvest season that change his life. Grisham's characters are so real and believable!

One of the best Grisham books.

So suspensful!

Gresham explores the inner thoughts and lives of a poor farm family in 1952 as seen through the eyes of a seven year old boy.

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers - and two very dangerous men - came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born...and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives - and change his family and his town forever.

wonderful book...great departure from the legal/suspense genre for Grisham.

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventy year, two groups of migrant workers -- and two very dangerous men -- came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born . . . and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives -- and change his family and his town forever . . .

Excellent

John Grisham is always a good read.

A departure from Grisham's usual faire. Great read!

NY Times Best seller - Classic slice of America set in 1952 Arkansas.

A nice break from writing about the law.

A definite departure from his legal books, but extremely well written.

Grisham sure knows how to wreck an ending. I really was enjoying this book. It is a story about a family who runs a cotton farm in Arkansas. It takes place in the 50’s. The story is told through the eyes of a 7 year old boy. They hire Mexicans and “hill people” to help them harvest their cotton crop in the fall. So, Luke’s father and grandfather go into town and choose several Mexicans and a family of “hill people” to help them. The “hill people” set up camp in their front yard. The Mexicans live in their barn. As the harvest kicks into full swing and these diverse people start working together in the fields, Luke is exposed to a pretty harsh life and witnesses things that may haunt him forever. Murder, illegitimate birth, poverty is reality here. There are just too many loose ends that never get resolved at the end of this book. It’s as if Grisham ran out of time and had to end the story as is. Or maybe it got too long and he had to end it as is. I was really let down

good writing - not much of a beginning or end but all middle.

A different kind of Grisham, but still as compelling as his legal thrillers.

Interesting story. Very different from Grisham's usual novels.

Very entertaining!

I didn't think it was one of his best, but it did evoke rural Arkansas in the 50's and the characters were certainly colorful

Until that Sept. of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers, and two very dangerous men, came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Lukes' world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautful young woman ignities forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born and someone has began furtively painting the bare clapboards of the chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakeingly, bathing the round down structure in gleaming white. And as young LUke waches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives, and change his family and his town forever.

Wonderful story. Grisham proves he is a master of the written word, and it doesn't have to be related to big business. I loved it.

Different from Grisham's usual books, but interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat all through it.

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers--and two very dangerous men--cam through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world.

Loved it! Interesting to read a book written in a 7 year old's perspective.

This book is different than other Grisham books, but a very good read.

A beautiful comming-of-age story of a young boy and his family living on an Arkansas cotton farm in the 1950s. Grisham is out of the "court room," and at his best!

This is not Grisham's usual thriller but it is still a good read.

Excellent story, even if you are looking for his law-related tales. Graet to see Mr. Grisham expanding horizons. Give it a try!

Very different from the usual Grisham - and very, very good!

this is a great book...loved it

John Grisham is about as good a storyteller as we've got in the United States these days...The plots and subplots twine. The pages turn. The characters take on their own lives. And at times, as the cotton bolls glisten in the sun, you can't help thinking of other coming-of-age novels from the South "Huckleberry Finn or To Kill A Mockingbird...... The New York Times Book Review

it's been quite some time since I read the book, but I enjoyed it very much. It was a definite departure from John Grisham's usual story line and I preferred it to his past books.

Good book. The first Grisham novel I've read that wasn't a legal thriller. The character development is good and left me wondering how things turned out for the young boy and his family when I finished the novel.

excellent for I felt as if I were there with the characters in the 50's and 60's. Well written for an author that normally does legal stories.

Grisham Is a excellent story teller and this book which is different from his lawyer themed books. A story of a young boy growing up on the cotton fields of Arkansas. It is full of exceitment and conflicts. It shows that even Grisham can make any story facinating.

A new direction than his usual lawyers but very good just the same. A story of rural Arkansas with migrant workers and hill people, a murder and a young boy that witnessed it.

One of his best in my opinion

Excellent book

Different than most Grisham novels. Not your typical courtroom drama, but a good read none-the-less.

Sorry, I've not read the book.

This is not your typical John Grisham book. When I started reading it, I didn't know anything about it. By the end, I was crying because it so moved me. I truly enjoyed this book. It's written from the perspective of a young boy who doesn't completely understand everything that's going on around him. I really enjoyed that aspect of the story because it's so different from so many other books out there, expecially other John Grisham books.

This book was a fantastic piece of work by John Grisham. It steps away from the world of lawyers and those out to get them, and into the world of cotton, poverty and difference.

thorough and well written as always

A book you hate to see end.

Great read! It is a totally different style from his usual books.

OK, not wonderful, not dreadful. Thought A TIME TO KILL was much better, at least in terms of writing skills. At least this isn't one of his cookie-cutter books.

Very exciting book. Not a legal thriller like the rest of Grisham's books. this is an insightful, thought provoking novel.

Cotton and baseball fill the life of seven-year-old Luke Chandler, but in the harvest season of 1952, his world is transformed by a series of secrets. The promise of 80 acres of a good crop necessitates the hiring of Mexican migrant workers and the Sproul family from the Ozarks to help pick the cotton. As narrator, Luke provides a child's-eye view of innocence, wonder, and confusion that is also rich with hopes for his beloved St. Louis Cardinals and overwhelmed by row after row of cotton. Grisham creates a powerfully touching family story.

A great book. Not the usual Grisham "lawyer" thriller. Refreshing change.

great story. you cant put it down.

Excellent read, Gresham's great writing style and this book is one of his bests.

I'm not a big fan of John Grisham but I loved this book!

New book, had already read. Grisham is terriffic as always.

Until that sept of 1952. Luke had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers and two very dangerous men came through the Ark. Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm.

A very un Grisham-like book. The tale of a summer in the life of a little boy on a poor farm. Refreshing!

This should not be under the category of mystery suspense. It's a great story ... very well told.

couldn't put it down

Grisham is always a good story teller, and this one is no exception. It's a refreshing departure from his standard plot lines. MOST enjoyable.

Not your usual John Grisham. A great read as it follows a few months in the life of a seven year old boy. Couldn't put it down.

An interesting book, but definitely different from Grisham's other books

great read

A very different Grisham -- I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wonderful John Grisham book

John Grisham's tale of a farm family and their dealings with two migrant worker groups who come to the Arkansas Delta to work their cotton fields.

In true John Grisham style. If you are already a fan, this book will keep you as a fan. On the other hand if you have never read one of his books before, this is definitely a good first to choose.

great read

From cover:
Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers — and two very dangerous men — came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke’s world.

A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born ... and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives — and change his family and his town forever....

"Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers--and two very dangerous men--came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born...and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives--and change his family and his town forever..."

Really did not like this book. Not a normal Grisham at all.

Until that September in 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of mugrant workers--and two very dangerous men--came throught the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions, A fatherless baby is born,,, and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Like watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives--and change his family and his town forever...

Until that Sept of 1952, Luke had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the summer of his 70th year 2 groups of migrant workers came through to work the farm. Mysteries are flooding his world. Luke watches his world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives and changes his family and his town forever...

very different from usual. hard to put down.

A very good book!

Really out of genre for Grisham! Think "Grapes of Wrath" but slightly less depressing. I'm not a huge fan of Grisham in general, but his writing here really works. I was drawn in. Has the feeling of a "To Kill a Mockingbird."

I loved this book, I wish Grisham would write more along this genre rather than court room dramas.

I recommend this book to anyone

The beginning is slow to start - but once this book starts, it keeps you drawn in with the colorful language and descriptions!
This story is told from the perspective of a seven-year-old boy who lives on a cotton farm down South. I really enjoyed this book!

4 stars!465 pages. It is 1952. Story told by 7 year old Luke.He lives on a cotton farm in Arkansas.As Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives, and change his family forever and his town forever. This is such a very different novel for Grisham and he writes it and handles it masterfully! I was so glad I read this book!

Great Book

Embarrassed to admit that this is the only John Grisham I've ever read. I thought it was good. This is not his usual lawyer or courtroom type of book. This book takes place in 1952, and tells the story of one summer on a farm in Arkansas, and how the migrant farm workers that come to stay and help affect a young boy.

I bought this book on a Friday. I have 4 children. I finished it on Saturday.

Very pleasing coming of age story full of local mystery...I loved this quiet book.

My favorite Grisham book.

I loved this book, I think they should make a movie of it.

A little bit too sweet for my taste...

In 1952 Luke Chandler, 7-yr old, unravels secrets in his town that could shatter lives. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip & suspicion, a young woman ignites forbidden passion, & someone is painting the Chandlers farmhouse.

This was a slow moving book, but compelling and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to the characters.

I love this book! John grisham show us he can write about more than just courtrooms. This was a real page turner for me.

I personally am not a great fan of Grisham, but this is truely a good book. A main selection of the doubleday book club and literary guild as well as the mystery guild.

Ever since he published The Firm in 1991, John Grisham has remained the undisputed champ of the

legal thriller. With A Painted House, however, he strikes out in a new direction. As the author

is quick to note, this novel includes "not a single lawyer, dead or alive," and readers will

search in vain for the kind of lowlife machinations that have been his stock-in-trade. Instead,

Grisham has delivered a quieter, more contemplative story, set in rural Arkansas in 1952. It's

harvest time on the Chandler farm, and the family has hired a crew of migrant Mexicans and "hill

people" to pick 80 acres of cotton. A certain camaraderie pervades this bucolic dream team. But

it's backbreaking work, particularly for the 7-year-old narrator, Luke: "I would pick cotton,

tearing the fluffy bolls from the stalks at a steady pace, stuffing them into the heavy sack,

afraid to look down the row and be reminded of how endless it was, afraid to slow down because

someone would notice."
What's more, tensions begin to simmer between the Mexicans and the hill people, one of whom has

a penchant for bare-knuckles brawling. This leads to a brutal murder, which young Luke has the

bad luck to witness. At this point--with secrets, lies, and at least one knife fight in the

offing--the plot begins to take on that familiar, Grisham-style momentum. Still, such matters

ultimately take a back seat in A Painted House to the author's evocation of time and place. This

is, after all, the scene of his boyhood, and Grisham waxes nostalgic without ever succumbing to

deep-fried sentimentality. Meanwhile, his account of Luke's Baptist upbringing occasions some

sly (and telling) humor:
I'd been taught in Sunday school from the day I could walk that lying would send you

straight to hell. No detours. No second chances. Straight into the fiery pit, where Satan was

waiting with the likes of Hitler and Judas Iscariot and General Grant. Thou shalt not bear false

witness, which, of course, didn't sound exactly like a strict prohibition against lying, but

that was the way the Baptists interpreted it.
Whether Grisham will continue along these lines, or revert to the judicial shark tank for his

next book, is anybody's guess. But A Painted House suggests that he's perfectly capable of

telling an involving story with nary a subpoena in sight.

set in rural Depression era

A step back into a simpler time in America, during a long and hot summer of 1952. Characters that come to life, fine prose, and a story you won't forget.

This is the first book I read from John Grisham that was not a story about lawyers and the legal system. It was fair. I prefer his legal novels though.

Couldn't put this book down!

One of my favorite John Grisham books. The characters are so well laid out. Lots of mystery and intrigue.

If you like books by John Grisham you'll like this.

Brought me to tears at the end.

great read...good characters

Brand new, excellent read, stayed up all night

This wasn't a typical John Grisham mystery / lawyer book.

Interesting characters, with a storyline of small town life mixed with gossip and suspicion.

Experience life on a farm through the eyes of a young boy. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. See a different side of Grisham's writing. You won't be disappointed.

It is a different type of story for John Grisham and one I really enjoyed! It is much more about family and relationships.

Great book, kept me interested.

A lot different then his normal storyline, but an easy read.

My first Grisham book. Intersting read. Kind of slow at first.

WOW!!! Not your typical Grisham.

This is a great book with good characters. I have read it several times, it was so good. Not the typical Grisham book.

I loved this book and it stuck with me for a long time after I finished reading it.

I am not a Grisham fan, but this one is a great book.

An interesting departure from Grisham's typical legal thrillers.

A good read for a rainy day. John Grisham is one of my favortie authors!!!

Luke Chandler has never told a lie or kept a secret until September of 1952. At the age of seven, his town experiences a brutal murder and somebody has been painting his house white.

A very excellent book. I enjoyed reading it!

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers and two very dangerous men came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives and change his family and his town forever.
Another John Grisham thriller.

John Grisham books are always worth reading.

Typical Grisham book, excellent!!

I enjoyed this book very much!

Definitely one of the better John Grisham books.

Until that September of 1952, Luck Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers--and two very dangerous men--came thruough the ARkansaas Delta to work the Chandler cotton Farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born....and someone has begun furtively painting th ebare clapboards of th eChandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives---and change his family and town forever.

This book shows that Grisham can cover other subjects than the law. Great character development.

Wonderful story. Not the typical John Grisham, just a great story.

Excellent characters, all round good book

Your standard John Grisham fare - good summer book.

This is definitely not the typical Grisham suspense novel. It is a lovely book with no judges or crooked lawyers. By the end, I was crying because it so moved me. I truly enjoyed this book.

It's written from the perspective of a young boy who doesn't completely understand everything that's going on around him. I really enjoyed that aspect of the story because it's so different from so many other books out there, expecially other John Grisham books.

The boy is seven year-old Luke Chandler, the son of an Arkansas family renting and farming in 1952 Arkansas. To say Luke "grows up" between the covers would be an understatement. Luke tells us a story of cotton pickers that will have you feeling every possible emotion, right along with young Luke.

The murder is brutal, the times are brutal but the story is delivered in gentle prose wih no sentimentality to cloud the writing. Well worth reading.

If you of someone you know were raised in the deep South, you have to read this book. Not what you'd expect from Grisham's other works.

This Grisham was quite different from others I have read. I enjoyed
the different direction this one took on. I guess I liked it because
i can relate to the setting of the book. It kept me wondering if that darn house would ever get painted!!!
Earl H., Meldrim, Ga.

Not quite the usual Grisham, but excellent all the same.

You HAVE to read this book! Loved it!