Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Calico Joe by John Grisham

I watched my father closely and at one point saw something that did not surprise me. With Joe flat on his back, unconscious, seriously injured and convulsing, I saw my father smile.

Title: Calico Joe
Author: John Grisham
ISBN: 9780385536073
Publisher: Doubleday/2012
Pages: 208

Calico Joe is unlike any other novel written by John Grisham. It is novel based on baseball and what happens off the field touches the heart. So much different from his legal thrillers, Calico Joe makes a moral statement, speaking of good versus evil.

It is told in the voice of Paul Tracey, son of Warren Tracy who is a Mets baseball player. Warren is not a role model for anyone. He is abusive towards his family. No one seems to like him,not even his children. Whenever Paul watches his father playing, he feels good and proud but Warren does not give a damn. The Mets and Cubs are locked in a mid-season pennant race.  Paul is a huge Mets fan for obvious reasons, and always roots for his father.

The clubs call Joe Castle to replace one of their regular players who has been injured. Castle becomes a sensation overnight and Paul is torn between his loyalty towards his dad and admiration for Joe Castle. Warren feels threatened by Castle and what happens in the field between him and Castle has tragic consequences. Castle's career ends as abruptly as it had started. Paul's relationship with his dad takes a nose drive. Warren goes away from their lives.

Thirty odd years later, Warren has cancer and Paul wants him to face what he did to Castle. Joe has disappeared from public life and now leads a quiet life, fiercely protected by his brothers. The novel epitomizes the rise and fall of an upcoming baseball player.  The forgiveness of a person to the one who did him wrong. I do not know baseball but that did not deter me from reading it. It is as interesting as his legal thrillers.

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17 comments:

  1. Nise' July 31, 2012 at 7:11 AM

    I enjoyed this novel too. I like the different cover.

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  2. fredamansJuly 31, 2012 at 7:35 AM

    That leaves a creepy image in mind.

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  3. Brooke from The Bluestocking GuideJuly 31, 2012 at 7:44 AM

    Grishom is an author that I've never read.

    Here is mine

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  4. Yvonne @ Fiction Books ReviewsJuly 31, 2012 at 10:37 AM

    Hi Gautami,

    I have read some of John Grisham's earlier novels and thoroughly enjoyed them, but have to admit that I have been put off reading this particular book, because it is about baseball.

    To that end, I have never even picked it up off the shelf to bother reading the synopsis thoroughly.

    Now that I have taken the time to discover the book properly, through your excellent post (including those great teaser lines), it is going onto my reading list.

    Thanks for making me take a second look at this one.

    Yvonne

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  5. Mary (Bookfan)July 31, 2012 at 4:08 PM

    I haven't read many of his legal thrillers but I really enjoyed this book. The author would probably be pleased to know you did as well :-)

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  6. Karen and GerardJuly 31, 2012 at 4:09 PM

    I usually like Grisham's books but didn't like this one much--moved along too slow for me.

    Here’s ours: http://www.ourstack.blogspot.com/2012/07/tuesday-teasers-between-lines.html

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  7. VanessaJuly 31, 2012 at 4:29 PM

    I like John Grisham's early novels, but I haven't read this one. Nice teaser!

    I hope you'll stop by and visit my teaser!

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  8. AnonymousJuly 31, 2012 at 9:17 PM

    Heard a lot about this one,interesting teaser.

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/07/teaser-tuesday_31.html

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  9. thecuecardJuly 31, 2012 at 9:51 PM

    Yeah this is his second sports kind of novel. Remember Grisham's "Playing for Pizza" about football in Italy? That was pretty decent too

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  10. Cathy De Los SantosJuly 31, 2012 at 10:58 PM

    Interesting teaser, thanks for stopping by today!

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  11. StephenAugust 1, 2012 at 12:35 AM

    A final triumph?

    I'm expecting this book for Christmas. :)

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  12. JC JonesAugust 1, 2012 at 1:19 AM

    I haven't read anything by John Grisham is a long time. Thanks for visiting.

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  13. UnknownAugust 1, 2012 at 2:31 AM

    John Grisham writes a good book! Intense, deep and moving. Thanks for sharing the tease!


    Here is mine for this week:
    CarolynBrown-Books

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  14. SabinaAugust 1, 2012 at 2:58 AM

    Nice teaser. I like Grisham's novels but I haven't read this one.
    Thanks for stopping by my TT =)

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  15. YvonneAugust 1, 2012 at 4:13 AM

    This sounds so good!

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  16. LizzyAugust 1, 2012 at 8:19 AM

    Ohh, great teaser! I've read a couple by Grisham, and this one does sound really different. I'll have to give the first few chapters a try.

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  17. Kimberly @ Caffeinated ReviewerAugust 5, 2012 at 11:17 AM

    As both a Grisham fan and baseball fan this appeals to me on so many levels..thanks for sharing this one!

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