NO less than 28 publishers share the dubious distinction of rejecting his first full-length work, “A Time To Kill.” But that was 10 years and 12 books ago. Initial rejections didn’t stop the small-time lawyer from Mississippi from becoming, perhaps, the world’s most popular and perhaps best-paid novelist.
At 46, John Grisham today earns more than $40 million a year. And that’s a conservative estimate. Those in the know put the figure at $50 million. Grisham really arrived on the world scene with his runaway hit, “The Firm,” in 1991. The entertainment giant, Paramount Pictures, paid him a cool $600,000 for the film rights, with the lead role being played by none other than Tom Cruise. That deal really helped in establishing Grisham’s status as a world-class novelist.
Grisham lives on a 1,000-acre farm in Virginia and has over a dozen horses. He has his own private Lear jet and a pilot’s license. He has built a state-of-the-art baseball facility on his premises where the local kids can enjoy a game or two. As a child, Grisham wanted to be a baseball star. We find evidence of this in his latest work, “A Painted House,” which is markedly different from his earlier works, all legal thrillers. In fact, “A Painted House” does not even feature a single lawyer. It’s a semi-autobiographical novel revolving around a small boy (Grisham) growing up in rural Arkansas.
The author lives with his wife and two children, a son and a daughter, on the Virginia farm. Apart from the time he spends writing, Grisham spends the rest of it with his family. In fact, the entire family first lived in Mississippi. But an enterprising young tour operator started organizing bus rides for tourists who wished to see “the great author’s” residence. Naturally, there was a host of such enthusiasts and the tour-operator made a killing. But the Grishams didn’t particularly like the idea and so moved to rural Virginia.
More copies of “A Time To Kill” sold after Grisham established his credentials with the publication of “The Firm,” his second and, arguably, his most popular novel. He draws heavily on his experience as a law student and a lawyer to provide material for his novels. Delightfully portrayed courtroom battles and a simple, yet racy style make his books real page-turners.
All his novels have the same basic theme — the struggle between the good guys and the bad ones and the eventual victory of the former. And, with the exception of his latest, “A Painted House,” all his novels feature four professionals — lawyers, journalists, cops and criminals. And, all their escapades are woven together into a fine, racy tale by the master storyteller.
Grisham is extremely media shy. He is also very weary of critics who tend to write off anyone who writes popular fiction, whether good or bad. One of the elements that marks Grisham’s fiction is that he writes for anyone who can read. Especially, his subtle treatments of subjects such as violence and romance is refreshingly different from other leading novelists. His books are of the type that the entire family can enjoy.
Almost all his novels, including “A Time To Kill,” “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief,” “The Runaway Jury,” “The Client” and “The Partner” have been made into Hollywood hits.
