Books

NEW YORK – Some things John Grisham knows: He got 15 rejections before his first book, A Time to Kill, was published. He made $9 million last year. He's not James Joyce or William Faulkner. He's an entertainer.

"I'm not sure where that line goes between literature and popular fiction," he says. "I can assure you I don't take myself serious enough to think I'm writing literary fiction and stuff that's going to be remembered in 50 years. I'm not going to be here in 50 years; I don't care if I'm remembered or not. It's pure entertainment."

Mr. Grisham is happy to write what he hopes is "a high-quality popular fiction." And now, the former Mississippi state legislator has written a book that's more political intrigue than legal thriller.

The Appeal (Doubleday, $27.95), his 21st book, tells the story of a huge chemical company that loses a $41 million lawsuit for causing cancer deaths and then essentially tries to buy an election for the state Supreme Court – where, yes, the appeal will be heard.

"I guess every year now is a political year. ... And it just felt like it was time to write this story," Mr. Grisham says.

The author, who turns 53 Friday and still has the lanky look of an athlete who once chased a baseball career, is a big supporter of Hillary Clinton. He is so addicted to following the presidential race that he jokes he might need rehab.

"My wife and I went out to dinner a couple of weeks ago, and we actually called somebody to find out if they had any results from the Nevada caucuses," he says, chortling almost sheepishly. "And I said this ought to tell us something: 'You know, we're in this thing way too deep.' "

Still, he's able to pull himself away from primaries and polls to indulge fans and tour with his new book, which is already at the top of some best-seller lists.

Reviews of The Appeal have been generally positive, though some can be reduced to previous assessments of Mr. Grisham: fine storyteller but not a particularly good writer. "When I start getting good reviews, I worry about sales," jokes Mr. Grisham, who says he's learned to ignore reviews.

"It's a better day if I don't read any reviews," he says. "It's the only form of entertainment where you're reviewed by other writers. You don't see rock stars reviewing each other's albums and you don't see directors reviewing each other's movies."

An enduring influence on Mr. Grisham's work is John le Carre, author of such celebrated thrillers as The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. "He's still my hero," Mr. Grisham says. He started this year with the goal of reading everything by John Steinbeck, who was one of Mr. Grisham's favorite authors growing up. And he just finished a Mark Twain binge.

"I keep up with the other lawyers [who write] – Scott Turow. I read all Scott's stuff. And I think Scott is really underestimated as a writer. He's really, really good," Mr. Grisham says.

Douglas J. Rowe,

The Associated Press

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