Sooley
By John Grisham
- Release Date: 2021-04-27
- Genre: Fiction & Literature
Description
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop dreams—and even bigger challenges off the court.
“Hard to put down ... the pages turn quickly ... building to a climax that won’t leave readers doubting whether this is a John Grisham novel.” —Associated Press
In the summer of his seventeenth year, Samuel Sooleymon gets the chance of a lifetime: a trip to the United States with his South Sudanese teammates to play in a showcase basketball tournament. He has never been away from home, nor has he ever been on an airplane. The opportunity to be scouted by dozens of college coaches is a dream come true.
Samuel is an amazing athlete, with speed, quickness, and an astonishing vertical leap. The rest of his game, though, needs work, and the American coaches are less than impressed.
During the tournament, Samuel receives devastating news from home: A civil war is raging across South Sudan, and rebel troops have ransacked his village. His father is dead, his sister is missing, and his mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp.
Samuel desperately wants to go home, but it’s just not possible. Partly out of sympathy, the coach of North Carolina Central offers him a scholarship. Samuel moves to Durham, enrolls in classes, joins the team, and prepares to sit out his freshman season. There is plenty of more mature talent and he isn’t immediately needed.
But Samuel has something no other player has: a fierce determination to succeed so he can bring his family to America. He works tirelessly on his game, shooting baskets every morning at dawn by himself in the gym, and soon he’s dominating everyone in practice. With the Central team losing and suffering injury after injury, Sooley, as he is nicknamed, is called off the bench. And the legend begins.
But how far can Sooley take his team? And will success allow him to save his family?
Gripping and moving, Sooley showcases John Grisham’s unparalleled storytelling powers in a whole new light. This is Grisham at the top of his game.
Reviews
SOOLEY Review
5By MamaSOKO78This book was AMAZING & I could NOT put it down; lost a lot of sleep & cried through the last two chapters when I realized how it was going to end. John Grisham is the master of twists, turns & surprise endings! Thank You!!! mamaSOKO5-3Sooley, Sooley, Sooley
5By D.B.EssCould NOT put it down! Only when I came to the tragic end; even then I wanted another twist, a twist that would reunite mother & son! But it was not to be.For the love of the game!
5By mskijunkReally a good book about the sad state of the professional game and the effect on it players as well as the sad state of immigration to this Country. I loved seeing the game through Sooley’s eyes. That is how I remember the game. Not sure many kids get to see the game this way anymore!Great story!!!
5By TDaleTI have to confess that I have never liked basketball at any level, but Gresham kept me interested from cover to cover. Always good to see a story about rags to riches and amazing talent.Sooley’s Adventure
5By TRINSL13I’ve been hooked on John Grisham novels for a very long time. When I came across his Sooley novel, I read it nonstop. I was so impressed to see that Seth Curry ( go Warriors) was included in the book because I live where the Warriors team lives. I was heartbroken upon reading that Sooley died; I wish the book would have gone on forever and Sooley would have continued into the spotlight of living out his dreams. One of my favorite books.Sooley
5By Retlam1This story is mesmerizing and agonizing all at once. The angst I felt over the plight of Sooley’s family and his goal in helping them, and at the same time trying to navigate a new life in America kept me at the edge of my seat. I am not a sports fan and do not follow any favorite teams, and yet Mr. Grisham introduced me into the seductive world of professional basketball. I could not put the book down until it was finished. Thank you, Mr. Grisham for writing an incredible and unforgettable story. I hope aspiring athletes and agents can glean lessons learned from “having too much fun”.I loved it!
5By Zsa Zsa 1Totally engaging. Not even a basketball fan, but I enjoyed this book quite a bit.Disappointed
3By smoochmomHated the turn of events towards the end, in fact I was mad at the author.Awesome
5By GillybocargoGood read and touching story.5 stars!
5By AT98!Absolute page turner! Sooley! Sooley!Love
5By DehSoNiceSuch a heroic story of a boy determined to help his family through basketball.Our friendships and the Journey they take us on.
5By MefordThe story keeps you interested from beginning to end. It’s about luck and the relationships we build along the way.Different
3By maavanPretty long story that turned a bit boring (not typical for Grisham) with an unexpected ending...Dooley
5By vachonrpA fantastic read, keeping you interested throughout the book. Ups and downs with a unique surprise and a great ending!!Spell binding
5By mcddbyI could not put the book down.Sooley
5By Cmb338I enjoyed the details about basketball and refugee camps. The book provides interesting behind the scenes facts for both areas. Sooley is not his typical legal genre but is used to describe some immigration law facts. The book has ups and downs. Admittedly I was shocked but in the end happy I had chosen to read this book.A Great Read
4By kenalbrinThis is my first John Grisham book and I enjoyed it. I felt that the ending went against the nature of the titular character some but it only means that the book was enjoyable enough to INVEST in the characters…Amazing
5By PtvogelzangLove this story.Sooley is a winner
5By BMShelThis engaging story made me laugh out loud, cheer for Sooley, and cry at the tragedy and atrocities. I came to love the characters and wish for their success. As a college basketball fan, I enjoyed the look into that world. As with every Grisham book I’ve read, I could not put it down.
