How is "The Broker" similar/different from " An Innocent Man"?

The Broker and The Innocent Man are related to judicial issues that are used against the main characters to place them in abominable situations. It puts the characters in terrible predicaments because Joel Backman like Ron Williamson and Denis Fritz are in the mercy of the United States court. These books are very similar in writing style, which is suspense. Although both were filled with much suspense I felt like both took breaks in between action filled chapters to convince readers that although these characters were portrayed as criminals, being informed of their past and hard times, they deserve sympathy. John Grisham does a wonderful job of intriguing his readers by structuring the text in a puzzling written way that keeps you glued to his books because unanswered thoughts or questions causes a reader to read more. He usually doesn't reveal answers until the end of his novels. To every problem it is in our nature to figure out the answer which he demonstrates greatly in An Innocent Man following Ada polices' journey to solving the case and proving innocence among the two "criminals" Williamson and Fritz that were wrongly convicted. I think the only major difference between the two books is one is fictional, the other non-fictional, which is why I personally prefer An Innocent Man over The Broker. I sometimes watch re-told murder mysteries on Discovery and WEtv because it freaks me out sometimes, which isn't always a bad thing because it means they've done their job to keep my attention and An Innocent Man had more of a connection to the characters because seeing real pictures in the book and the fact its based on a true story makes it more realistic for me which causes more of an interest to continue reading. I would reccommend both books to anyone that is interested in Grisham's suspenful story lines.

Now, Backman is living in Bologna. I find out that the CIA is going make sure Backman is killed because he possess secrets that could compromise the national security, so the CIA goes under cover and leaks out information to the three countries, (Russia, China, and Israel), regarding Joel Backman's where abouts so they can lay eyes on the country that kills Backman due to his unwanted knowledge of this satellite. Surprisingly, John Grisham takes a rest from the suspenful action and actually gives the reader a chance to get to know the main character. You discover events from his past about his experiences in the white house and his sadness after he was convicted because he felt abandonment from his three children who left him when the scandal broke. But so far, when Backman gets to Italy, he is really enjoying himself which I would've thought the opposite. He compliments everything about Italy: The food, the language and the lovely scenery. So for a second I forget about the undercover spies coming to kill him. He now has to learn the language, where he is forced to attend this Italian class and has changed his identity. If a person asks him something in Italian, like the difficulty he faces of ordering food, that he doesn't understand he can't say anything in english so he must either nod his head or speak Italian like the Italians. Grisham choses to take a break from the action for a second so he can excite us towards the end, making the story a good ending because the ending of a story or how the story unfolds, must be interesting.

Chapter 1 starts out with the main character Joel Backman in jail. Most authors write a introduction that leads up to an event or turning point but John Grisham jumps right to a sudden event in the book. Although it was a bit confusing, because it doesn't clearly state he's in jail in the first couple of pages. I just had to envision the story just like a film in my head where you listen to the characters and watch for clues so you can finally put all the pieces together. Joel Backman has been sentenced to twenty years in jail for treason. He worked in the White House with the president Author Morgan but was sentenced to jail after discovering this universal satellite system. He doesn't realize that Author Morgan's term is about to be up after a calamitous (i hoped i used that word correctly) loss for votes in the presidential election. So President Morgan begans to feel pressured from the CIA to free Joel Backman "the broker". To allow Backman to go under cover and live in Italy with a whole new identity, but there's a twist, the president and the CIA know he will be killed. " It's not a matter of if he will be killed, but who kills him." The CIA is looking for a country that wants access to Backman's discovery of this incredibly powerful satellite system and they're looking to see who makes the kill. Russia, China, or Israel. When a detective comes to talk to Backman about the presidents deal to pardon him he doesn't really understand whats going on so through the chapter I' m on pens and needles because I feel just as confused as the main character. The detective isn't answering most of the questions he asks. "And we don't have time to explain, it's a quick deal, Mr. Backman. Unfortunately, you dont have time to contemplate things. A snap decision is required. Yes or no. You want to stay here, or you want to live on the other side of the world?" " Where?", says Backman. "We don't know where but we'll figure it out." " Will I be safe?" "Only you can answer that Mr. Backman." So Backman is thrown into this CIA project that is extremely questionable but seems to be a great ticket out of jail for someone who's been rotting away in the big house for six years. Once again I love mysteries and suspense because it doesn't give a reader answers right away, you have to continue reading the text.

The Broker

The Broker is a New York Times Bestseller and my mom seems to think it is one of John Grisham's most thrilling novels. Everytime it comes time for me to read a new book I look through my parents stack of books stored upstairs in our chest that would be a good read. My parents always give me these spiritual holy christian books they keep upstairs and this time I wanted to break away from that and pick something new since quite frankly its only so much education about God one persons mind can bare to take. So my mom gave me this book and I thought, " I did read a John Grisham book for my summer reading". Like any reader puzzled about a certain book, I turned over to the back cover to be informed a little about the story and I grinned as i realized this book had suspense written all over it and those are my favorite reads. Even the critics reviews were convincing. " A fast-paced, fun read with echoes of something deeper. The author's command of pop fiction delivers crisp, sharp prose."- Boston Globe and " Where Grisham leads, millions of readers follow." -New York Daily News. After having read An Innocent Man, I knew this book would be just as good if not better.

I always give a reasoning of why I chose this book and this book deals specifically with life and thats my struggle now, is trying to deal with life especially as I get older and see how life is passing me by and I can't control it but thats my issue, you can't control time but you can control what you make of your time. My pastor told me what a good read it was and I told him I especially needed a book so I could get my blogs done. : ). Not that I don't have the enjoyment of flipping open a book on my own but getting a good grade helps.(off topic) But what stood out to me was the title. " Living a Life that Matters". I questioned the title even before I had read a single sentence from the book because I thought well, who's life doesn't matter, I mean we all matter in some way shape or form, but in the very first chapter, which is usually what I read to determine if I like a book, it showed me lots of people feel their life doesn't matter and that in many ways we all feel insignificant at some point and that was the hook. Something that could relate to me. If it relates to me, or a book can give me advice and answers, I WILL read it. As I get older I am also growing much deeper in my faith and this book definitely goes into detail about that because as I understand my faith, the more questions I have about it. Many of his remarks and claims are open to interpretation but the book definitely leads you in the right direction of finding the answers to common unanswered questions about your "life" whether your religious or non- religious .

What Kind of Person do you want to be? Is the title of one of the chapters. The first line of this chapter is, " Why do good people do bad things?" Kushner uses an example of a married couple that came to him many years ago and said they needed counseling. He had known the family for many years and thought it was no other but the main, either marital problems or problems with their teenagers. When the family came he asked what the issue was and it was none of the above. It was about their business, they had signed with a religious Jew, as business partners and he stole lots of money from the them and the business. So they came to find the answer to the question, " Why do good people do bad things?" The wife constantly kept going on about how involved in the church the Jew was and how flabbergasted she was at the incident. Another story in the chapter was the preacher who was more active and giving than anyone in their town and had to move far away because he had been caught having inappropriate relations with the young girls in the youth group. Kushner says, " I tried to tell the married couple and the preacher I had eaten lunch with that organized religion attracts all sorts of people, good and bad, strong and weak, for all sorts of reasons. I quoted a line I had once written, that a church or synagogue that only admitted saints would be like a hospital that only admitted healthy people. It would be a more pleasant place and easier to run, but that's not what we're in business for." This is my favorite chapter because we see cruelty every SINGLE day on the news. Some stole something, a person was murdered, a child was kidnapped, and every time I hear these stories with my mom, We always have that disgusted look on our faces and say, " What kind of human being would do such a thing?" But while I sit and judge the murderer, which is a sin, am I much better by lying to a person to their face or judging a fellow classmate that has a style that I don't agree with? What differentiates the two? Am I so much better? Kushner sums up the chapter by saying that we don't really understand the definition of good because someone can do bad things but still do good for some else, but we tend to look more at what a person lacks than what a person gains.

Not to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but he also talks about religion, God specifically. He says that Christians tend to make the mistake that we feel that God should forgive us because we deserve it. " But as my audiences taught me, and as a moment's reflection might teach us all, sometimes we want to hear the father's message that we are loved because we deserve it, not only because the other person is so generous and tolerant." Christians need to realize that we are not forgiven because we deserve it, but because God is generous enough to forgive us. Even in everyday life. A friend tells you a secret, " Please, don't tell anyone", she says. But you can't help but to tell someone else and it gets around school and guess what, your friend hates you. Now when you approach her and tell her how sorry you are, don't say, and I mean DON'T say, Well... you should forgive me because I DERSERVE it. If that happens you might want to go friend shopping. That friendship is no longer. But you plead for forgiveness because you know she doesn't have to forgive if she doesn't want to. Hopefully she does. " People need to hear the same message from God that children need to hear from their earthly parents. Just as it is an unforgettably comforting and necessary experience for a child caught doing something wrong to be forgiven and to learn that parental love is a gift that will not be arbitrarily withdrawn, a lesson no child should grow up without absorbing, so it is a vital part of everyone's religious upbringing to learn that God's love is not tentative, that our failures do not alienate us from God."

Living A Life That Matters

Living a life that matters deals with the one of the issues that humans are so consumed with the idea of being insignificant. The author, Harold S. Kushner, uses an example of when he was 10 years old. He felt like he wasn't receiving any attention at home so he faked sick from school, and when he got back all his classmates were laughing and giggling and telling him what a good time they had yesterday when the teacher threw a surprise party. That's when Kushner had a sudden epiphany and realized that just because he was sick the world wasn't going to stop for him. "Life moves on with or witout you." By Kushner, it is your job to make yourself significant by understanding that the world doesn't stop for you and that you have to PROVE yourself. I just wanted to through in here that this part of the book kind of reminds me of the skii documentary we watched. How all those professional skiiers had the need or want to be significant or well-known to man kind. Just a thought. But back on the subject.... Kushner doesn't want to just damper your party by telling you your insignificant but by saying that we think we're insignificant when really all of us matter to the world. All you need is the right stepping stones to make a difference not only for the world but for yourself.

BARACK OBAMA

Lately I have really been into inspirational books and I think everyone can agree that Obama's speeches are very motivating and really make you wanna get up and do something with your life. So... instead of reading his other novel which is very similar called The Audacity of Hope I wanted to read of his life when he was a kid like me or how he became the character that he is today. I like biographies because I love to see how a person was shaped and molded into who they are now. This book inspires me because the president of the United States was a kid once too,like me,and made mistakes once too, like I have. But yet he has still come out victorious. Obama shares with us the experiences of child hood starting with his heritage. Obama's mother is white and his father is from kenya. But he shares the experience of growing up in a home where he never really knew his father because Obama's dad moved back to Kenya when he was only two years old. Obama and his mother moved from the states to hawaii but things changed when his mother got married to obama's stepdad which caused her to move to indonesia but she wanted Obama to stay in Hawaii with his grandparents and he feels that since he lived with his grandparents that truely was what gave him his chracter today. What people grow up around does have an effect on why they are who they are.