secular John Grisham?

I've enjoyed Grisham considerably. While I do not condone his use of profanity, I can understand it. I doubt many of us will ever experience the editorial process with major publishers. Grisham's books are works of fiction intended for a secular market. Editors are concerned with a work being commercially viable and have significant authority over its content. I'm sure his books have been subject to rewrites at the insistence of the publisher. Words are powerful and they drive tone and inflection. Sadly, normal conversation is laced with profanity and vulgarity (means common doesn't it?). I remember being bothered by the prominent place alcohol played in A Time to Kill, as well.

To Grisham's defense, however, there is a noticeable regression in his use of profanity. I usually read an author through the chronology of his works - in order of their publication. As Grisham's works gained merit and could stand by themselves in the market place, there is a noticeable shift from the use of common language and situations to a discernable injection of Christian values. The Chamber contains one of the clearest presentations of the Gospel you will ever find in a secular work of fiction. I don't recall anytime where the Lord's name was used in vain.

There are obvious concessions made in the use of language. Whether that blemishes Grisham's testimony is subjective. As his popularity has increased, he continues to participate in mission trips with his church and has funded a sports program (baseball) in his community.

I am reminded of my dear grandmother who refused to use the KJV because it used the word pisseth which she considered a inappropriate use of vulgarity.

 

That's funny, how vulgar, plus you add to that the taking of God's name in vain in the euphemism "God Forbid" and I give it a PG rating at least. Not appropriate for my kids to read on their own yet.


Grisham really does write a good yarn, and I would have to say, given the subject matter and his closest rivals, his books are fairly clean. As far as the movies are concerned, get a TV Guardian and stop worrying so much about it. The Pelican Brief is still in my top 5 list of movie scripts, and the book is better than that.

 

I really enjoyed the Firm but was put off by the profanity. I have not read any Grisham books since then. After reading this I think I will try another.

superdave is right, get a guardian. I don't know how we ever watched TV without one.

As far as movies made from books go. I don't know that I have ever seen a movie that measured up to the book. There is no way you can get the detail of a good book packed into 2 or 3 hours.

 

I really enjoyed "Runaway Jury." I picked it up in the library totally by accident a few weeks before the movie was even advertised. Although the movie was good, it was quite different from the book. I liked the book better.

 

I went and got the chamber from the library. It was pretty good, very thought provoking

 

I really like his books. I was not so crazy about Bleachers, but that was the only one.

 

When I read a book, if it has language I don't want to read I substitute the words for words of my own or skip over them. I feel kinda dirty if I read them as is.

I guess it goes with the context of a story though. Something about crime, etc. may have some language as long as it is not gratuitous.

 

I enjoy John Grisham's books too. I appreciate the fact that he doesn't resort to using profanity to tell his sories.
Faithgirl46