The Firm: A Novel[糖衣陷阱]

Longbeforehisnamebecamesynonymouswiththemodernlegalthriller,JohnGrishamwasworking60-70hoursaweekatasmallSouthaven,Mississippilawpractice,squeezingintimebeforegoingtotheofficeandduringcourtroomrecessestoworkonhishobby—writinghisfirstnovel.BornonFebruary8,1955inJonesboro,Arkansas,toaconstructionworkerandahomemaker,JohnGrishamasachilddreamedofbeingaprofessionalbaseballplayer.Realizinghedidn'thavetherightstuffforaprocareer,heshiftedgearsandmajoredinaccountingatMississippiStateUniversity.AftergraduatingfromlawschoolatOleMissin1981,hewentontopracticelawfornearlyadecadeinSouthaven,specializingincriminaldefenseandpersonalinjurylitigation.In1983,hewaselectedtothestateHouseofRepresentativesandserveduntil1990.OnedayattheDeSotoCountycourthouse,Grishamoverheardtheharrowingtestimonyofatwelve-year-oldrapevictimandwasinspiredtostartanovelexploringwhatwouldhavehappenedifthegirl'sfatherhadmurderedherassailants.Gettingupat5a.m.everydaytogetinseveralhoursofwritingtimebeforeheadingofftowork,GrishamspentthreeyearsonATimetoKillandfinisheditin1987.Initiallyrejectedbymanypublishers,itwaseventuallyboughtbyWynwoodPress,whogaveitamodest5,000copyprintingandpublisheditinJune1988.ThatmighthaveputanendtoGrisham'shobby.However,hehadalreadybegunhisnextbook,anditwouldquicklyturnthathobbyintoanewfull-timecareer—andsparkoneofpublishing'sgreatestsuccessstories.ThedayafterGrishamcompletedATimetoKill,hebeganworkonanothernovel,thestoryofahotshotyoungattorneyluredtoanapparentlyperfectlawfirmthatwasnotwhatitappeared.WhenhesoldthefilmrightstoTheFirmtoParamountPicturesfor$600,000,Grishamsuddenlybecameahotpropertyamongpublishers,andbookrightswereboughtbyDoubleday.Spending47weeksonTheNewYorkTimesbestsellerlist,TheFirmbecamethebestsellingnovelof1991.ThesuccessesofThePelicanBrief,whichhitnumberoneontheNewYorkTimesbestsellerlist,andTheClient,whichdebutedatnumberone,confirmedGrisham'sreputationasthemasterofthelegalthriller.Grisham'ssuccessevenrenewedinterestinATimetoKill,whichwasrepublishedinhardcoverbyDoubledayandtheninpaperbackbyDell.Thistimearound,itwasabestseller.SincefirstpublishingATimetoKillin1988,Grishamhaswrittenonenovelayear(hisotherbooksareTheFirm,ThePelicanBrief,TheClient,TheChamber,TheRainmaker,TheRunawayJury,ThePartner,TheStreetLawyer,TheTestament,TheBrethren,APaintedHouse,SkippingChristmas,TheSummons,TheKingofTorts,Bleachers,TheLastJuror,TheBroker,PlayingforPizza,andTheAppeal)andallofthemhavebecomeinternationalbestsellers.Therearecurrentlyover225millionJohnGrishambooksinprintworldwide,whichhavebeentranslatedinto29languages.Nineofhisnovelshavebeenturnedintofilms(TheFirm,ThePelicanBrief,TheClient,ATimetoKill,TheRainmaker,TheChamber,APaintedHouse,TheRunawayJury,andSkippingChristmas),aswasanoriginalscreenplay,TheGingerbreadMan.TheInnocentMan(October2006)markedhisfirstforayintonon-fiction.GrishamliveswithhiswifeReneeandtheirtwochildrenTyandShea.ThefamilysplitstheirtimebetweentheirVictorianhomeonafarminMississippiandaplantationnearCharlottesville,VA.Grishamtooktimeofffromwritingforseveralmonthsin1996toreturn,afterafive-yearhiatus,tothecourtroom.Hewashonoringacommitmentmadebeforehehadretiredfromthelawtobecomeafull-timewriter:representingthefamilyofarailroadbrakemankilledwhenhewaspinnedbetweentwocars.Preparinghiscasewiththesamepassionanddedicationashisbooks'protagonists,Grishamsuccessfullyarguedhisclients'case,earningthemajuryawardof$683,500—thebiggestverdictofhiscareer.Whenhe'snotwriting,Grishamdevotestimetocharitablecauses,includingmostrecentlyhisRebuildTheCoastFund,whichraised8.8milliondollarsforGulfCoastreliefinthewakeofHurricaneKatrina.Healsokeepsupwithhisgreatestpassion:baseball.ThemanwhodreamedofbeingaprofessionalbaseballplayernowservesasthelocalLittleLeaguecommissioner.Thesixballfieldshebuiltonhispropertyhaveplayedhosttoover350kidson26LittleLeagueteams.