Ford County by John Grisham

There are several reasons why John Grisham is always at or near the top of my list of favorite authors. He is a master story teller and few if any novelists do a better job of character development. Every time I read Grisham, it seems I know a person or two just like those he brings to life on his pages. In other words, Grisham’s characters are real and relatable; common folk for the most part, exhibiting common faults and frailties.

Perhaps this is a bit of a self indictment, but I enjoy reading about idiotic behavior. It’s easy to rationalize my guilty pleasure by saying I’m only trying to learn from the imperfections of others but the greater probability is that in doing so, it becomes easier to justify my own.

John Grisham’s latest novel, Ford County, is a collection of six short stories, the first of which is entitled Blood Drive. The idiotic behavior portrayed in Blood Drive was enough to etch a permanent grin into my face. I still chuckle whenever I think about this story. Sadly, I’ve known people exactly like Aggie, Calvin and Roger, but we won’t get into that here. Blood Drive is classic Grisham story telling—sans attorneys.

Another reason I enjoy Grisham so much is his ability to milk stereotypes for all they’re worth without making the characters unbelievable. The six stories in Ford County are set in or around the fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi, where hillbillies, hicks, and country bumpkins rule and where more gentrified Suthin-uhs are the anomaly. Where bigotry and racism is alive and well and the difference between the haves and the have-nots is pronounced. In Funny Boy however, the stereotypical characters are anything but funny. When a young man by the name of Adrian returns to his childhood home of Clanton to die of AIDS, rumors and innuendo begin to fly; dividing the local whites, the whites and the blacks, and ultimately even the blacks. Funny Boy is a compelling story that ultimately smacks you right between the eyes with its poignancy and relevance; proof that Grisham can also deliver a point with his prose.

In between Blood Drive and Funny Boy, are four short stories, including two which feature lawyers. After reading Michael’s Room and Quiet Haven, I was once again left wondering how John Grisham is generally viewed by his fellow attorneys. Let’s hope for his sake the majority have a sense of humor. According to Steven Wright* “97% of attorneys give the rest of them a bad name.” Few of Grisham’s counselors fall in the 3 % group—another reason I enjoy his books so much but we won’t get into that now either.

There’s a final reason I admire John Grisham: Not once have I had to put down one of his books and pick up a dictionary. He uses common language and common terms to describe his common characters; a rarity among today’s best selling authors. The stories in Ford County are not only interesting but easy to read—perfect material to relax and enjoy.

*Steven Wright is a stand up comedian known for one liners that are spot on humorous.