The
Timely & Timeless Book Club met
on May 24th to discuss John Grisham’s 2014 novel, Sycamore Row. This book was well liked by our members, rating
it at 4.6 out of 5. This sequel to Mr. Grisham’s A Time to Kill brought back Jake Brigance, who in the first novel defended
Carl Lee Bailey, a black man, who was
accused of murdering two young white men acquitted of raping and leaving for
dead Carl Lee’s young daughter. The same
small town setting of Clanton, Mississippi was again the center for most of the
action in this new work. Many of us at this meeting commented that we had seen
the movie, “A Time to Kill,” and
heard Matthew McConaughy’s voice in Jake’s words as we read.
When
Seth Hubbard, a wealthy curmudgeonly
old white man, commits suicide by hanging himself and Mr. Hubbard’s new
holographic will is delivered to Jake Brigance’s office on Monday, the day
after the deed, a firestorm erupts regarding the contents of the new will. Jake is named by Seth to defend the new
will. Seth’s two children and
grandchildren are prepared to legally challenge the new will, which completely
cuts them out of the substantial inheritance provided for in the previous will. The most controversial aspect of the new will
is that the bulk of Seth’s wealth is to go to his maid, Lettie, a black woman. Also
in the new will, Seth’s church and Seth’s long lost brother are to share the
remainder. Seth leaves detailed
instructions attending to the details of his funeral and for Jake in the role
Jake is to have in the matter of the new will.
In “Grisham-esque”
fashion there are lots of characters and lots of plot thickening moments. Jake is set to defend this new will in Judge Atlee’s courtroom. The idiosyncrasies of a small southern town
and the liberties taken with the law color the story. All of the characters have a role to play
even if they don’t actually have a voice in the outcome of the litigation. Old story lines from the first novel reappear
to add more layers and complications.
I always feel
that a book is a winner when I am reluctant to reach the end. This one had me dragging out the experience,
withholding page turning until the end. Grisham
fans will not be disappointed. This is
terrific summer reading.
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For June, we are reading Twelve
Years a Slave by Solomon Northup.
We will meet at Brew’Ha at noon on June
28th.
From Goodreads.com:
This unforgettable memoir was the basis for the Academy Award-winning
film 12 Years a Slave. This is the true story of Solomon Northup, who was born
and raised as a freeman in New York. He lived the American dream, with a house
and a loving family - a wife and two kids. Then one day he was drugged,
kidnapped, and sold into slavery in the deep south. These are the true accounts
of his twelve hard years as a slave - many believe this memoir is even more
graphic and disturbing than the film. His extraordinary journey proves the
resiliency of hope and the human spirit despite the most grueling and
formidable of circumstances.
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