Ford County: Stories

A collection of short stories set in Clanton, Mississippi. I didn't find the characters very compelling and struggled to read through the stories. I wish I could say I enjoyed it more.

He always surprises me

I've been one of John Grisham's fans for a long time, and have read the majority of his books; my favorite being A TIME TO KILL (his first). I'm ordinarily so deeply involved in reading the book that I don't even try to anticipate where it might be going, therefore, I'm

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usually surprised by his twist in the plot. I recently read THE INNOCENT MAN, which was a true story, and I really didn't care for it. That was another surprise for me.Then someone gave me FORD COUNTY (2009). This is a collection of seven of his short stories, each of which is excellent and completely different from the others. The next-to-last story, FUNNY BOY, is a heartbreaker. I really believe John Grisham is one of the very best of our contemporary writers.

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A really good collection of short stories from Grisham's Ford County, the same place that he set A Time To Kill! There are 7 stories and all, and I enjoyed each and every one of them! A crazy mess as some boys try to donate blood, and AIDS patient returns to town, a lawyer gets an update on an old

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case, and other stories! I only recognized one character from A Time to Kill, ol' Harry Rex Vonner the divorce lawyer, so not much connection to that book. And I'm curious if it'll cross over to the upcoming sequel. But, all on its own, this is a mighty fine book to read!

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I loved these stories of the quirky folks from Clanton, Mississippi in Ford County. I agree with Pat Conroy: "Ford County is the best writing John Grisham has ever done." Each story is unique and the characters and situations were interesting and fun to read. This is a refreshing departure from the

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usual Grisham books, although those are good too. Dear Mr. Grisham please write more short story collections like this one.

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I have said often, around here, even, that I wish John Grisham would slow down a little; take some time with his books and his characters. His early works show that he is well in possession of the ability to write great characters and plots. I felt like he was leaving that behind with some of his

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latest legal novels.

With Ford County: Stories, I see that he has left nothing behind. I know that he has said that these were mostly stories that would not flesh themselves out into full length novels, but I am so glad they didn't. Seven stories; all taking place or at least originating in Ford County Mississippi.

The most profound: Funny Boy. I am from the south, lived in various small towns, and am in the medical profession. I didn't need anyone to tell me what happened in the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic; I watched it. But Grisham evokes the fear, the panic, and the despair of the time with this story. The simple story of a man dying of a disease no one understood, and his small partnership of sorts with a woman who just wants to secure her home as her own brought me to tears in the end. And if anyone had told me even two weeks ago that a Grisham story would bring me to tears, I would have told them they were out of their tree.

There's also a couple of legal stories, done in the well-known Grisham style. Fish Files brings the back the only character I remember from his previous work (Hello again, Harry Rex!) . A lawyer sees a way out of his bleak existence and takes it and runs. In Michael's Room, another lawyer is forced at gunpoint to lay witness to the human cost of his actions.

Blood Drive is a classic telling of the "no good deed goes unpunished" mantra. Casino is a revenge tale with flair. Fetching Raymond shows us a side of capital punishment that evokes Grisham's The Chamber. My second favorite, Quiet Haven, shows us a man who slides into retirement homes with a dual purpose; avenge poor care and make a little scratch while he's at it. At its beginning, I was afraid where he was going with it, afraid he might decide to relieve the residents' suffering in a different manner. I was relieved and elated to see the protagonist was mainly benign.

Frankly, I would rather see many, many more short stories of this caliber than a poorly thought out complete novel from Mr. Grisham. Very well done.

I listened to this as an author - read audiobook. At first, Grisham's reading felt stilted and choppy. But I acknowledged that they were his stories, he could read them in any manner he pleased. I rapidly got used to it, and to be honest, missed the style when I moved on to my next book. As an audiobook, I give this an A as well.

Highly, highly recommended.

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In an episode of the TV show, 3rd Rock From The Sun, the Soloman’s are sitting in a living room reading books, Dick asks what the others are reading, they reply, the “new John Grisham about the idealistic young lawyer” and they all switch books. That’s the way I’ve felt about John

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Grisham’s novels, they’re fast paced, keep the reader turning the pages, with a chase followed by an explosion, there wasn’t much depth to the characters, and the books will entertain you for an afternoon, but after you’re done there’s not much left to hang onto, they were interchangeable. With Ford County, Grisham plants those literary roots and takes hold, trading fast food for a feast.

In Ford County Grisham doesn’t stray too far from his legal roots, most of the characters are lawyers, plantiffs, defendants or people suffering repercussions of the legal system. The difference from his other novels, he adds depth to the characters. The plots of the stories in Ford County are all character driven and Grisham adds dramatic tension and emotion of the characters. and the situations which might at first seem to have simple answers don’t seem as easy as when you started the story.

All of the stories in Ford County have their own attraction. Blood Drive gives an altogether different meaning to the phrase and shows how the best of intentions can go all to hell in a short amount of time. Fish Files posits the theory that for lawyers, divorce is the way to realize all your dreams of success. Fetching Raymond and Michael’s Room are two stories that the characters are really well drawn and create their own tension. And they’ll really turn your head around and leave you thinking because the situations at the end aren’t as easily resolvable as at the beginning and leave you wondering who is right and who is wrong in the situations the characters find themselves in.

Am I a literary snob? Yes. So is Grisham. He’s cited William Faulkner as an influence for years, but his novels haven’t lived up to the literary standard he wants to emulate. In the last story, Funny Boy, Grisham challenges those ideas and seemingly takes on Thomas Wolfe’s dictum “that you can’t go home again.” Funny Boy shows that bigotry hasn’t disappeared but has evolved. It’s not the bigotry of race but of ignorance, and the main characters discover they have some things in common they might not have otherwise realized. Grisham invokes Faulkner in the story, and the understanding and empathy the characters discover in each other are worthy of the Faulkner allusion.

I don’t think John Grisham’s fans will be disappointed with these short stories, although, the stories are slower paced than his novels. And people who heretofore avoided Grisham will be pleasantly surprised at the discovery of the writer within John Grisham.

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This is some of John Grisham's best work. From cover to cover, readers will enjoy and be intrigued.

Although I am not a die hard Grisham fan, I have enjoyed most of his books that I have read. Unfortunately, Ford County is not among my favorites. Had it not been for the last (“Funny Boy”) of these seven short stories, I probably would have rated this book 2 1/2 stars. The first story,

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“Blood Drive”, initially impressed me as something that would have come out of a decent creative writing class. The others seemed to me to have better writing, but most of the characters, all in Ford County, Mississippi, were unlikeable and I really didn't care much about their stories. This is a quick read, and somewhat entertaining, but I expected better of Mr. Grisham.

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John Grisham presents a book of short stories on the fictitious Ford County in Mississippi. Although all the stories are fiction, many are rooted in actual events and many of the places bear a resemblance to places in north Mississippi. The stories are well-written, and I'm sure that persons who

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are fans of John Grisham and his legal thrillers will find them more interesting than I did. My problem is that most of the stories were about persons I'd never want to meet in real life. Most dealt with the criminal element. The final story, however, did not. I really did not like the stereotypes of Mississippians that this collection seemed to reinforce.

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Characters from a number of previous Grisham books make brief appearances throughout this collection of short stories, all of which are set in Clanton, Mississippi, the setting of Grisham's first novel that went nowhere (at least until The Firm took off, and then people noticed A Time to Kill).

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Unlike his best-selling legal thrillers, these short stories are more focused looks at characters in specific situations: a man on death row, a man whose wife leaves him and he finds he has a talent for gambling, a young man ostracized from an aristocratic family who returns home with AIDS. Like "A Painted House," this seems to be Grisham's attempt to show a literary side. The stories are slices of life, and only a few of the characters find any transformation or see much change as a result of the things that happen to them-- but perhaps that's the point he's making after all. Not much changes in rural Mississippi. I enjoyed the stories, but as a librarian whose main business is recommending novels to students for independent reading assignments, I don't see this collection getting a lot of traffic.

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I just want to start of saying that this is more about me than the book. I don't want to give you the impression that, though I really didn't like it, this is a bad book by any means. As other reviewers have said, these are "slice of life" stories all set in the same county as some of John

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Grisham's previous titles, and though I didn't recognize any of the characters, more thorough readers of his oeuvre probably will. It's different from his usual fare: there are several lawyers in Ford County that make an appearance, but courtroom dramas and legal thrillers are not really a part of these tales. It's much more about the characters simply living out their lives.

Basically, however, I dreaded picking up the book. Ford County is a pretty depressing, impoverished place as described in these stories, and the characters are depressing too. There were only a few with whom I sympathized, and even fewer that I actually liked. None of the stories were particularly hopeful, so reading it generally put me in a bad mood.

Why then did I finish it? Why give it any stars at all? Well, as I told you, this is more about me. I generally have no problem putting down a book I dislike or even one that I would enjoy in a different mood - no use putting myself through it when there are so many other great books out there that I want to read now. But before finishing this book, I had already abandoned two books and only finished one, and I was determined not to start of the year with a 3:1 abandoned to finished ratio. Added to that, I reached page fifty (the place where I would normally abandon a book) in the second story, "Fetching Raymond" which was just as depressing as the others but also managed to make me care about characters that I didn't like - and that's saying something. It's because of that story and the fact that I appreciate Grisham trying something new - and doing so decently well, even if not to my taste - that I'm giving the book two stars.

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I not normally a 'short stories' reader but I have to say...I really enjoyed this collection. A few of them I would have enjoyed as a full novel. I would definitely recommend this book.

Since A Time to Kill is my favorite Grisham book, I was excited to read these stories based on the country where it took place. These stories (although brief) were great reads.

Short stories are weird. More often than not, I find myself questioning everything I’ve just read as I close the book and set it down. Mainly, I question why the story was written, what point was possibly trying to be made, and why I should care.

Luckily, John Grisham is good enough to silence the

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inquisitions. Grisham’s ante-courtroom fiction is always a nice change of pace from the nail-biters he usually serves up. And, as with every legal thriller he’s written, "Ford County" sucked me in from page one. This collection of seven short fiction tales all focus on characters from Ford County, Mississippi – the setting of many of the former lawyer’s bestsellers, beginning with "A Time to Kill."

The cover shows a two-lane country road curving up a hill and into the horizon, and it’s a fitting image as many of the stories center around a trip of some sort. First off is one of my favorites, Blood Drive, a tale of three good ole’ Ford County boys heading to the big city. In a situation as realistic as if it happened in my stomping grounds of Mitchell County, Ga., a juicy story gets bigger and more convoluted as it passes from person to person. A hometown boy, Bailey, has been in an accident in Memphis, and though he’s only suffered a few minor breaks and scrapes, by the time the story makes its way across town, poor Bailey is barely clinging to life.

Facts fall by the wayside as rumor and supposition take charge. It’s decided that, due to Bailey’s fading condition, the three brave young men should embark on the two-hour drive to Memphis to donate their blood. A simple task turns into a saga, however, as the boys end up outrunning the law, and shortly thereafter, a shotgun-wielding homeowner. A beer or two for the road turns into a six-pack or two, and by the time they reach the Memphis city limits, the plans include a short stop at the friendly local strip club. And then, of course, straight to the hospital they will go.

Except that one of them gets lost in an inner-city gang shootout, and the other two end up on the wrong side of a rumble involving strippers, the Memphis vice squad, and some rowdy bikers. And poor Bailey never gets his blood donations, which is just as well since he ends up safely at home long before anyone else.

The best part about Grisham’s Ford County characters is how real they feel. Someone who wasn’t born in the South or who hasn’t spent a good deal of time here might perhaps think characters like this couldn’t truly exist. I beg to differ. I know these people. I went to school with these guys, I’ve worked with these folks, or my friends are related to them. People like Aggie and Calvin, who, when they finally reach the information desk at the first hospital they could find in the city, tell the clerk they need to find Bailey. The problem is, they don’t know his full name. And they couldn’t imagine why the hospital wouldn’t just list patients by their first names.

Calvin- “I thought Bailey was his first name.”
Aggie- “I thought it was his last name. They used to call him Buck, didn’t they?”
Calvin- “Yeah, but his Momma’s last name is Caldwell.”
Aggie- “How many times has she been married?”

It is in dialogue like this that Grisham makes me feel at home. He’s not an outsider mocking the South, he’s just a guy telling a story that is funny and down-to-earth and, most of all, very probable.

One reason short stories can be difficult is that there is an inherently short amount of time to develop a character. Many end up feeling aimless. But Grisham is in control at all times, telling simple stories about hometown people going about life. You may not know which direction you’re heading, but you know that you’ll enjoy the ride.

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Seven short stories all set in the same town but with different characters. I enjoyed them all.

Grisham's book of short stories revolves around life in a particular area although their lives don't intersect. I found the book interesting, which surprised me. I'm not normally a short story person. However, these stories are interesting and complete enough to have satisfied my need for more

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information. They're almost like stories you would hear on the front porch during an evening of rocking chairs and iced tea.

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Standard John Grisham. Wonderful background of ordinary (or extra-ordinary) people living their lives in a part of America that people from neither the East nor West Coast are familiar. Each story starts fast, and grabs the reader's attention. However, many of the endings are predictable. A nice

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casual read.

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These short stories focus on the inhabitants of Ford County, Mississippi. The good ol' boys, the former rich, the former slaves, and especially the lawyers. This IS Grisham, after all. I enjoyed all of these stories.

My thoughts- Excellent collection of short stories. I read them all in the span of a few days - appreciated each one but contrary to the inside back cover "a cast of characters you'll never forget", I did forget them when I sat down to enter this book. However, on reading the three sentence teaser

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for each story on the inside front cover, I found that the stories and settings quickly came back to mind.

Keep in mind that these are not "warm and fuzzy" stories. Some of the characters are not admirable and many do not "get their just deserts". But they truly come to life under Grisham's pen and you almost surely will not regret spending time in Ford County.

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Interesting short stories. Enjoyed the book. Nice to read short stories for a change.

John Grisham's sense of humour comes to life like never before in this series of short stories, where I found myself bursting out laughing while listening to the audio version, narrated by the author himself. His sensitivity to what is tragic, ironic, and endearing in the south makes each story a

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masterpiece. Some stories will leave you empty while some stories will leave you hoping to remember all the funny things you want to retell your friends, though retelling the stories isn't the same as giving this collection away. And I can promise you that this is the perfect gift, at any time. Feel free to give this collection book lover at any time of year. If you're looking for something for someone who doesn't read often, give the audio version, which is great for travel.

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This book is a nice little collection of seven short stories which all take place in America's South. They tell brief and lively tales set in the rural Ford county.
On the whole I pretty much liked each of those stories. They start right ahead and are stories that are not only highly imaginable but

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certainly come very close to the truth. Grisham uses a well-dosed amount of humor and - at times - there is even a hint of slight criticism.
This book is certainly a nice and refreshing read. Page-turning and highly recommendable. What I miss is the depth some other books (probably mostly novels, although this is not to say that depth cannot be provided in short stories as well) additionally manage to provide. Therefore, 4 stars.

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Loved it. He makes the people he writes about in Mississippi so believable. Several weeks after reading it, I am still thinking of some of the portraits he gives us:

- the impoverished mother and her two grown sons traveling to the state prison for the third son's execution for murder. She's in a

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wheelchair strapped to the floor of a van they had to borrow from the older son's boss. The family's last meeting before the prisoner enters the gas chamber is quite poignant. This is the most tragic story in the book. It's about poverty, class, broken homes, alcoholism, and many other things. More than anything, it's about dealing with the cards you're given, even when they're all low numbers and jokers.
- the professional swindler who befriends residents of an inhumane nursing home. He's there to trick them out of their money - and the way he goes about this is quite clever - but he also provides companionship and empathy to a group of very lonely people whose own families have long since stopped caring.
- the litigation lawyer looking for his next big break. He finally gets one, but not before revealing his shady character and, ultimately, a pretty shallow life.

I'm not normally a Grisham fan, although I love the films that have been made out of his books, especially Runaway Jury and The Firm. This rare short story collection may just make me go back and check out the rest of Grisham's wo

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Yay, the old John Grisham is back! This group of short stories is reminicent of some of his first fiction. Many of the stories have a twist and each one is elegantly written. If you shy away from short stories because you prefer novels, set that inclination aside and pick up this book.