John Grisham?

Question

I've recently become a fan of JG's books and have, so far, been happy with my decision. I read "The Brethren" and "The Client" back-to-back in three days! I just started reading "A Time To Kill" tonight and I'm having a problem. Why does he insist on using the forbidden racial epithet for African-Americans so rampantly in the book? I can understand that he might be trying to set the mood of the characters and the town, but the word seems to appear just a little too often. Am I just being an overly-sensitive West Coast hippie, or does anyone else share my concern? Also, does anyone know of a way to contact him directly; either through email or snail-mail? Thanks.

Answer 1

He's just being authentic. People in the time and place (more the place than the time, really) happen to not go along with the politically correct to the extent most of us find more acceptable. I think his point is made, however, that when a rude comment is the common way of speech, in loses most of its impact. So it is with those who habitually use the "f" word in everyday speech. (Seriously, you non-Americans; there are plenty of subculture groups where that is not only accepted, but expected.)

Yes, the "n" word indicates their lack of respect. But after you know that about the character, you know that he is not going to stop using that word. It is the word which is his vocabulary, and now you know something about that character.

The problem, I think, is that it is often a character you might otherwise want to like. And yet he is living in an environment where such talk is no big deal, anymore than the "f" word in the gangsta style: not only accepted, but expected. So if he were to use "African-American" once, his cronies would ride him for a week on it.

Peer pressure can be a terrible thing.

Answer 2

Grisham often writes from a southern perspective. It may be part of it. Though I am not sure.

Grisham is good, but he does tend to formula based...so don't read him one after the other. You will probably find something else to bug you too. Put a few books between them and you will appreciate him for his talent.

If the author is open to email, it should be on his book jacket.

Answer 3

The book was first published in 1989, so although this doesn't make his overuse of the word justifiable, it may be something to bear in mind as attitudes and usages of sensitive words such as the one you refer to have changed dramatically in the last 17 years. Also, as you rightly suggest, he would also have been using the word so often as, abhorrent as it it, it was used with shocking frequency. If you want to contact him , your best bet is to do so through Random House, his publisher.

Answer 4

I loved his older cloth although the stunning 4 or 5 books were authentic stinkers. they have an really good advance and also you assume something large, then midway by it, it really is extremely somewhat as if he has reached his time reduce and he has to end it up truly quick and the excitement and plot purely disintegrate. Sigh. He became once so reliable. Now i love Joseph Finder and Lisa Scottoline for my legal thrillers.

Answer 5

Hey Roming Lion,

I cannot comment on the content, nor make excuses for him. Try the official site for John, listed below. You can sign up for the mailing list, and there is a place that says "Tell us about yourself", where you could direct comments to him. I do not see a direct contact for him there.

Answer 6

I think J.G. was trying to paint a picture of southern racists and I don't think many of them would refer to African Americans. They are a good read and from the way he writes it would be hard to imagine that he is a racist. In fact I would say just the opposite.