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SOOLEY
By John Grisham
Once again, I’ve picked a book by one of my favorite authors, John Grisham. This is his 36th novel and, believe it or not, I have read them all. However, this is not his usual courtroom story. The court he chooses to write about this time is a basketball court.
The main character, Samuel (Sooley) Sooleymon, is a 17-year-old boy from South Sudan, who has been chosen to come to America to play basketball for a traveling team that showcases the skills of young Sudanese players for college coaches.
The secondary tale is about Sooley’s family, after their village is burned by a rebel group while Sooley is in America. His father is killed, his sister is missing, and his mom and 2 younger brothers flee to a refugee camp in Uganda. Grisham moves the story along rapidly with his usual great writing skills. The story held my interest, and his recaps of the games the boys played made me feel like I was in the arena.
I enjoyed Sooley’s character and charisma, and he will remain in my memory for a long time. Since I love basketball, I was thoroughly drawn in by the book. I do think, however, a sports fan or not, you will enjoy this book.
About the Author:
Grisham was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, in 1955. He started out as a lawyer before becoming an author. As a child, he dreamed of being a professional baseball player. He played basketball in high school and shared that he was not noticed by any college coaches.
