John Grisham's "The Brethren": A Review

"The Brethren" (Simon & Schuster, 2000) is the perfect introduction to John Grisham. This is one of his most original works to date and is not bogged down in lengthy court scenes that can put people off some of his earlier works. Cynics and optimists alike can find something to really sink their teeth into with this novel.

Who Is John Grisham?

Grisham is loved on both sides of the Atlantic for his highly realistic and tense legal thrillers. He also annoys other authors because he is so prolific. How did Grisham get to be such a good author? Because he was such a bad lawyer. Actually, that was a small joke (very small). He was a successful lawyer and even was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives but it wasn't his real passion.

After his first couple of novels made money - and his "The Pelican Brief" became a hit movie - law and politics took a back seat to the writer's chair. Writers are constantly admonished to write what they know and that's exactly what Grisham has done - to a point. Hopefully, he doesn't personally know The Brethren, but in one sense it would be nice to think that such a trio exists.

What's The Book About?

One problem about being sent to prison is that you can't make much money at it - unless you are The Brethren. These are three formerly disgraced judges serving time at a minimum security prison in Florida. All three believe firmly that they have been wrongly incarcerated, but Grisham's non-judgemental narration hints that each judge got exactly what they deserved.

The Brethren also settle disputes within the prison walls in a hilarious courtroom farce, so the prison guards and warden are very happy to do anything they can to please the trio. Of course, being on the receiving end of handsome bribes also makes the guards happy to turn a blind eye.

The Brethren have figured out how to make money in prison - lots of it. They run an innocuous personal ad in the back of very questionable magazines and then strike up a romantic correspondence with the marks. Then they send the bombshell letter to the mark. Of course, The Brethren make sure that all of their marks are very rich - otherwise, what would be the point of blackmailing them?

Life Imitates Art

This novel came out during the incredibly heated Presidential campaign of 2000, which pitted Texas Governor George W. Bush against then Vice President Al Gore. The Brethren manage to snag a Presidential candidate in their scam. The intricacies of how a President is made can seem eerily familiar to Americans today. The book also predicted that a major terrorist attack would happen in America or in an American embassy in another country.