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Search - A Painted House
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Book Description:
The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father, over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop."Members who requested this book also requested:
Thus begins the new novel from John Grisham, a story inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it.
For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.
A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience.
On-sale February 6, 2001.
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Genres:
- Literature & Fiction >> General >> Literary
- Mystery & Thrillers >> Thrillers >> Suspense
- Substores >> Reading Group Guides >> Literature & Fiction >> Popular Fiction
Top Member Reviews
Rebecca H. (
29 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was not a fan of this book although I know many people that have enjoyed it. I sincerely hope it finds a home with someone who will appreciate it more than I did. It is slower moving than most of Grisham's novels.
Angela D. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this book to be a very great read. the details of every thought was well established and easy to catch on to. Grisham's expression of his life as a child and the way things were in that time was wonderful.
Janis K. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Honestly, I could not wait for this book to end. It was SOOOOOOO slow from start to finish. BORING is the only way to describe it... I would not recommend. I'm a big Grisham fan and admire him for trying to depart from the legal stories but this just didn't work for me.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
A departure for Grisham but a worthy one. Inspried by his own childhood in rural Arkansas, the narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age 7, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little how that's never been pained. Their rented 80 acre farm requires them to hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest the cotton. For 6 weeks, battling the heat, rain, fatigue and sometimes each other. Luke sees thinks and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop, but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really enjoyed reading this John Grisham. Loads of surprises and it's told from the point of view of a 7 year old boy. Different and enjoyable.
Renee H. from LAFAYETTE, IN wrote on 1/9/2008...
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not a typical Grisham-style book, but still a good read.
Lisa J. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
A neat story. Definitely not what you'll expect. Follow this family through their ups and downs.
Andy R. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Enjoyed this book. Something about it reminds me of something John Steinbeck might write.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
WoNdErFuL wOnDeRfUl WONDERFUL BOOK!!! Loved it!!!
Erin C. from OGDEN, UT wrote on 3/14/2007...
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Second time I've read this. This time my 14 year-old and I read it together. Good read. Sure am glad I don't have to pick cotton in the south!
Rate These Member Reviews
Normally do not like Grisham's genre. This was one of the best books I have ever read! It was about a cotton farming family in the fifties. Full of even suspense~ it was great. I wish Grisham would write more like these!
Philip S. (One of the best books I have ever read. Grisham takes you on an adventure which must surely be representative of his childhood. Part coming-of-age, part suspense-thriller; all touching and personal.
For me this is reflects a situation similar to my childhood in cotton fields in Oklahoma. It tugs at my heart and my chain of memories that live at the edge of my awareness of growing up.
Haunting, loving, terrorizing.
This was one of the least enjoyable books I've read. I haven't read much from John Grisham, and after this, I don't know that I will. I just kept waiting for it to end.
This book was just ok for me. Others in my book club liked it a lot. Maybe Grisham should stick to writing lawyer books.
Jenny O. from MANISTEE, MI wrote on 1/6/2007...somewhat of a disappointment compared to his other works
A different but very good story from John Grisham.
The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was Wednesday, ealy in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers withe three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop" From the back cover.
Great story about a boy growing up in depression era Arkansas. Very entertaining.
Judy S. from EASLEY, SC wrote on 11/12/2006...This story was inpsired by John Grisham's own childhood in rural Arkansas.
Jeny L. (I loved this book. It was an interesting change from John Grishams usual writings.