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🏆Link to True Baller Books Podcast🎙️-audio version of book review.— Chris@TrueBallerBooks (@TrueBallerBooks) August 1, 2021
People who know John Grisham’s work are very familiar with his gripping legal thrillers. Being the self avowed former jock that he is, he took a turn with his thriller genre into the world of basketball, and left all of us hoops-loving book worms with an epic that will stir your soul.
The novel’s namesake, Sooley, is Samuel Sooleymon, a teenager from South Sudan who has giant dreams of basketball transforming his life. While he is on the path to see his dreams come to fruition, his country is mired in a ruthless civil war. His family back home falls into an utterly desperate situation, and Sooley finds himself torn between coming to their aid and pursuing his ticket to a better life.
I loved experiencing Sooley’s basketball journey with him. Grisham obviously has a good handle on how the tightly-knit basketball universe operates, and it was fun to read. His time spent interviewing some of the most familiar names in the game evidently paid off in the finished product. Basketball junkies will be intrigued with how this world works as young Samuel is making the most out of every opportunity that opens up to him.
The other major takeaway for me, with Sooley, was that it gave me a new awareness of the plight of the South Sudanese people. It taught me a lesson in my own personal insularity. It motivated me to learn more about the South Sudan, and to be more open to extending my compassion beyond just what my daily interactions present to me. In our globally interconnected world, it serves us well to contemplate not only the ability to be more globally aware, but the responsibility to be so. Poverty really sucks no matter where you live, but the kind of violent poverty that other human beings experience in poor nations around the world would leave most Americans in complete bewilderment.
I found Sooley to be fun, exciting, and educational. It moved me in unexpected ways, and challenged me to think and act more deeply regarding the human community. What more can you ask for from a novel? Job well done.
For teachers, educators, and coaches, Sooley may be best suited for older students due to the intense emotions that arise, and also some of the adult situations in the story. Best to keep this to ages 17 and up.
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Bestselling author @JohnGrisham is considered the “master of legal thrillers.” Now, he’s swapping the legal court for a sports court with his first basketball book, “Sooley.”
Grisham joins us with more from @UVA‘s @JPJArena. pic.twitter.com/NdUsj64F9q
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) April 27, 2021
I just finished John Grisham’s new novel Sooley about a kid from South Sudan who escapes a Civil War to play in the USA. In the author’s notes he thanks one of my former players Evan Nolte for his help as a former player. He sent Evan a signed copy. They are friends. Cool stuff.
— David Boyd (@DavidBoydhoops) May 3, 2021
Just read John Grisham’s “Sooley,” a novel about basketball and life in the Sudan. Excellent book.
— Dave Weinberg (@DaveWeinberg19) August 16, 2021
5 of 5 stars to Sooley by John Grisham https://t.co/SHNMHU0jjN
— Debra’s Book Cafe (@Debrasbookcafe) August 15, 2021
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey was really good. Bit of a memoir by him, some really good stories from his life. Liked it a lot. Sooley by John Grisham is incredible. Not his usual fare, about a kid from South Sudan getting a chance to play basketball. 10/10 wld recommend
— Jeff Y. (@Jrocc260) August 14, 2021
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