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The Pelican Brief [Abridged][Audiobook] (Audio Cassette)

~ John Grisham (Author), Anthony Heald (Reader)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (219 customer reviews)


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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

John Grisham's head was full of movies when he wrote The Pelican Brief, which is such a brisk page-turner you could use it to dry your hair. He had Julia Roberts in mind for the heroine, Darby Shaw, a brilliant Tulane law student who comes up with an ingenious theory to explain the baffling assassinations of two Supreme Court justices in one day. They were shot and strangled by ace international terrorist Khamel, who loves the film Three Days of the Condor, but government gumshoes don't get what connects the deaths. Silly government guys! They died so the conservative president, who just wants to be left alone to play golf, will appoint new, conservative justices who will help out a case involving an industrialist who is the enemy of pelicans and other living things. It's all spelled out for them in Darby's brief. She likes to do legal feats to impress her boyfriend, her boyish law prof Thomas (who, like Grisham, prefers to shave at most once a week, and is cool, smart, and antiauthoritarian). The prof likes to paint her toes red, in homage to Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham. (Sarandon also starred in the film version of Grisham's The Client.)

But when Thomas gets splattered by a car bomb meant for Darby, she escapes the hospital and hooks up with a Washington Post reporter, Gray Grantham, who sleuths like the guys in All the President's Men.

Grisham wishes he hadn't written The Pelican Brief quite so quickly (his first novel, A Time to Kill, went through dozens of drafts), but Pelican's very breathlessness contributes to its dreamy, cinematic chase-o-rama atmosphere. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly

In this tale of the aftermath of the assassinations of two Supreme Court justices, Grisham delivers a suspenseful plot at a breakneck pace, although his characters are stereotypes. The hardcover was on the PW bestseller list 48 weeks and the mass market was No. 1 last week.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

  • Audio Cassette
  • Publisher: Random House Audiobooks; Abridged edition (June 17, 1993)
  • ISBN-10: 1856861813
  • ISBN-13: 978-1856861816
  • Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (219 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,583,474 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

219 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (219 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Brown Pelican by Emily, November 9, 2001
A Kid's Review
"The Pelican Brief" by John Grisham is an exciting novel with an amazing plot. It begins by introducing the character Khamel, a crazed killer who is paid to murder two Supreme Court Justices, named Rosenberg and Jensen, both who have received many death threats but refuse to let the FBI protect them.

In New Orleans at Tulane University, Darby Shaw, an attractive second year law student, was trying to sove the mystery behing the killings. Darby had a thirteen page brief on who she thought killed the justices. The brief was passed on to many people and it finally came to the President, who after reading the report became very scared. The FBI wanted to pursue the lead, but after a phone call from the President that told them to back off it, they decided to look at other suspects.

In the meantime, reporter Gray Grantham received a call in the middle of the night from "Garcia" who said that he might know something about the case.

Darby was on a date with her lover/professor when he got a little too drunk to drive. Darby insisted that she drive or walk, and to her surprise, he told her to walk. When the professor got into his car and started the engine, the car exploded, killing him on the spot. Darby called a friend of the professor, Gavin, and told him what happened because he was the first to see the brief which was later named "The Pelican Brief".

Through all of this chaos, Darby managed to stay alive and found time to meet Gray Grantham in Washington D.C. He learned her entire story and in order to confirm it all, they had to find "Garcia". They knew that he was a lwyer at a small firm in Washington D.C., so they asked the many interns there if they recognized a picture of him. One out of seven did, so they go to meet him. To their surprise, "Garcia" was mugged and killed on the streets.

"The Pelican Brief" is a wonderful book that contains a variety of charaters and twists that I think everyone should read. This book has just about every element that makes up a good book; suspense, mystery, murder, law, and love all put together in a perfect mixture that will make your head spin. John Grisham is an awesome writer and I look forward to reading more of his fantastic novels.

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Quick Beach Read, May 31, 2000
I've read most of Grisham's novels, and have to say 'The Pelican Brief' is not one of his best. Actually, he's never been able to surpass his first novel 'A Time to Kill', for characters and plot.

The main character, Darby Shaw, is a law student who stumbles upon the conspirators of the assassinations of two Supreme Court Justices. Once this information is leaked she becomes their next target. Of course, she's smart enough not to get killed, but rather is able to escape the bad guys, and find a newspaper reporter who will run the story and blow the conspirators out of the water.

Trouble is the reader doesn't know why Darby's running until two thirds into the book when Grisham finally reveals the contents of the brief. It's evident that this work of fiction was really meant to be a movie script and not a novel. A quick beach read for any Grisham enthusiast.

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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, July 19, 2002
While the book entertained me, it is certainily not a book for Republicans. Grisham is definately a democrat and some of his stereotypes can be offensive. Besides that, it is certainly an entertaining and often gripping read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Disapointed
I purchased this book thinking it was new from your discription. You did not indicate that this was a re-run of a book that came out in 1992. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ben Willingham

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. Another great one from Grisham.
Opinion:
Good writing. Good suspense. Good characters. He's a talent. Although John Grisham has been writing for 20 years, I just recently discovered him, so he's new... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jane Stewart

4.0 out of 5 stars Conspiracy Thriller
Like The Firm, this is an entertaining page-turner and is difficult to put down. However, it does not live up to its promise and peters out at the end. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Bonnie Brody

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a masterpiece
I am usually a slow reader but, I read this novel in just two days. It has a rich plot and it is really well written. I loved it.
Published 10 months ago by Harmonious

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful quick read
"The Pelican Brief" by John Grisham is an exciting novel with an amazing plot.

Two Supreme Court Justices, named Rosenberg and Jensen, are murdered and no one can... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Carlos T. Mock

1.0 out of 5 stars Crap novel
I like John Grisham about every 4th or 5th book. His Rainmaker was terrific, and The Firm was rather sweet too. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ray Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Page Turner
Grisham is a great writer and started great with his first three novels with this being his third. I give a five star rating when I can't stop turning the pages and do not want to... Read more
Published 20 months ago by John Mercier

4.0 out of 5 stars Corrupt Lawyers Act on Behalf of a Corrupt Client to Manipulate Corrupt Politicians and Be Chased by Investigative Reporters
If you are thinking about going to law school, this wouldn't be a bad novel to read to get a sense of what the profession is all about before you commit yourself to three... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Professor Donald Mitchell

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book. Ever.
Rather shocked to see any negative reviews. This book is a wonderful page turner. I was lost in the world of small intelligent law student, fighting for her life inside the... Read more
Published 24 months ago by D. Rodrigue

5.0 out of 5 stars The Pelican Brief
"Four-thirty A.M. He listened to the voice, jumped to his feet, and eight minutes later was in the oval office. . . "They're both dead. Read more
Published on February 17, 2008

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