Sparring Partners

John Grisham is a bestselling American author known for his legal thrillers and crime fiction. Born February 8, 1955, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Grisham was raised outside of Memphis, Tennessee, so Southern culture is an important influence in his work. Grisham’s parents had no formal education, but encouraged his love of reading, and helped him enroll in community college. Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University in 1977, and earned a juris doctor (JD) from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. He practiced law for almost a decade, and his time as a lawyer deeply influenced his eventual writing career. In 1983, he was elected as a Democrat to the Mississippi House of Representatives; he served as a state representative for the 7th congressional district until 1990.

Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill (1989) follows Jake Brigance, an untested young lawyer, as he defends Carl Lee Hailey, a Black man who murdered the white men responsible for raping his daughter. Grisham’s second novel, his first national bestseller The Firm (1991), centers on Mitch McDeere, a young lawyer who learns that his new law firm is aiding and abetting criminal activity. Grisham’s other significant novels include The Pelican Brief (1992), The Client (1993), and The Rainmaker (1995).