Fiction

Sooley

Sooley

  • Downloads：8488
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-05-13 06:20:34
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：John Grisham
  • ISBN：B08V115QC7
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

In the summer of his seventeenth year， Sam­uel Sooleymon gets the chance of a lifetime: a trip to the United States with his South Sudanese teammates to play in a showcase basket­ball tournament。 He has never been away from home， nor has he ever been on an airplane。 The opportunity to be scouted by dozens of college coaches is a dream come true。
Samuel is an amazing athlete， with speed， quick­ness， and an astonishing vertical leap。 The rest of his game， though， needs work， and the American coaches are less than impressed。
During the tournament， Samuel receives dev­astating news from home: A civil war is raging across South Sudan， and rebel troops have ran­sacked his village。 His father is dead， his sister is missing， and his mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp。
Samuel desperately wants to go home， but it's just not possible。 Partly out of sympathy， the coach of North Carolina Central offers him a scholar­ship。 Samuel moves to Durham， enrolls in classes， joins the team， and prepares to sit out his freshman season。 There is plenty of more mature talent and he isn't immediately needed。
But Samuel has something no other player has: a fierce determination to succeed so he can bring his family to America。 He works tirelessly on his game， shooting baskets every morning at dawn by himself in the gym， and soon he's dominating everyone in practice。 With the Central team los­ing and suffering injury after injury， Sooley， as he is nicknamed， is called off the bench。 And the legend begins。
But how far can Sooley take his team？ And will success allow him to save his family？
Gripping and moving， Sooley showcases John Grisham's unparalleled storytelling powers in a whole new light。 This is Grisham at the top of his game。

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Reviews

Archd ，

DNF

Beth ，

Thank you to Goodreads， Penguin/Random House - and John Grisham for the free book to review。 I read it in two days， I couldn’t put it down。 The first few chapters set the background tone， involving life in South Sudan。 As time went on， the emphasis switched more to basketball games， and made me understand the preparation of the elite athletes， much better。 Any basketball fans out there would love this book。 It had nice switches in location， to develop various characters。 Shocking twists in the p Thank you to Goodreads， Penguin/Random House - and John Grisham for the free book to review。 I read it in two days， I couldn’t put it down。 The first few chapters set the background tone， involving life in South Sudan。 As time went on， the emphasis switched more to basketball games， and made me understand the preparation of the elite athletes， much better。 Any basketball fans out there would love this book。 It had nice switches in location， to develop various characters。 Shocking twists in the plot， took my breath away。 I hope they make this into a movie。 Wow this would make a great movie。 Thanks again！ 。。。more

Denisek ，

Never so disappointed in a book。 I would’ve given this book 5 stars。 It was such a great story about a refugee from Sudan turned basketball star。 Until the last part then it took a stupid turn and I can no longer recommend this great book turned stupid。

Donna Bazzano ，

I would give this book 5 stars。 Grisham makes you feel like you know Sooley and going along on his adventure

Karen Wolfe ，

AMAZING！ John Grisham can write a beautiful story on literally any topic。 This was such an amazing book。 I would never thought I’d read a book on basketball but I did and genuinely loved the characters each and every one of them。 The story line was incredible！！！！

Dlwolfmeyer ，

Very different from other Grisham books， but I still thoroughly enjoyed it。

Lori VanTubbergen ，

BasketballJohn Grisham changed his lawyer/court for basketball court。I was disappointed in this book。 I am not even sure he wrote this book！ The only positive thing is that I learned about the African people and their struggles。

R Dinesh ，

4。5*…。loved it

Amy and Iain Waddell ，

An excellent departure into a story not normally associated with John Grisham。I have given this 5 stars as it is a great read with a twist。 A book with much activity going on as you would expect from a writer of his calibre。 Well worth reading。。

Charles B。 Flynn ，

“Sooley Mesmerizes”I thought “Calico Joe” was a knockout。 Read “Sooley” and you’ll never meet a more visceral fictional character。 John Grisham is a storyteller of the highest order。

Elaine ，

Good straight forward story。 So well written such that you really care for the characters。 Highlighted issues in Sudan。

Luanne Ollivier ，

John Grisham writes legal thrillers。 But he also writes stand alone sports novels that are just as wonderful。 The latest is the newly released Sooley。Samuel's home in is South Sudan， a war torn country beset with violence。 Samuel dreams of someday playing basketball in the US - and bringing his family with him。 And through a series of events。。。he makes it to the US。。。。Oh， I love a good underdog story！ Sooley's story is one of those。 The listener will fall in love with him and have their fingers John Grisham writes legal thrillers。 But he also writes stand alone sports novels that are just as wonderful。 The latest is the newly released Sooley。Samuel's home in is South Sudan， a war torn country beset with violence。 Samuel dreams of someday playing basketball in the US - and bringing his family with him。 And through a series of events。。。he makes it to the US。。。。Oh， I love a good underdog story！ Sooley's story is one of those。 The listener will fall in love with him and have their fingers crossed that he fulfills his dreams。 Grisham has done a fantastic job building his characters。 The supporting cast of coaches， teammates and supporters drew me in just as much as Sooley did。 There are some real life people woven into the story as well。Sooley is told in alternating settings - with Sooley in the US and then cutting to the Rhino Refugee Camp in Uganda where Sooley's family is。I thought the plot was fantastic， believable and possible。 I was caught off guard with an unpredictable development that I must admit， made me a little angry。 But it was indeed a believable turn。 Grisham hits many social issues in this book。 All in all - I loved it！ I chose to listen to Sooley。 The narrator was Dion Graham and he was the perfect choice。 His voice is rich and full and really pleasant to listen to。 He provided different voices for every character - they suited the mental images I had of the characters and it was easy to discern who was speaking。 The voice for Sooley was so very good。 Graham easily interprets Grisham's book with his expressive voice。 And extra points for 'calling' the basketball games。 It sounded just like we were in the stadium。 I've said it before and I'll say it again - listening immerses me in a book and I feel like I'm part of the story。 Even more so in this case。 。。。more

Brenda Scott ，

This is a different subject for John Grisham。 It took me a while to get into it but overall it was a good book。

Lisa ，

2。5 I can certainly appreciate the basketball knowledge and play but didn't love the story or the outcome。 The story was rushed。 2。5 I can certainly appreciate the basketball knowledge and play but didn't love the story or the outcome。 The story was rushed。 。。。more

Ahuva Traube ，

Oh my gosh。 What a gorgeous， heartfelt， mesmerizing read。 This is John Grisham at his very best。 He's wasted on his legal thrillers - this is the book that he is destined to write。 This is a master storyteller。 I opened the book and couldn't put it down。 I want to read it again。 And again。 And I'm so jealous of all of the people that get to discover Sooley for the first time。 Read this book， and then give it to your friend。 Your father。 Your daughter。 Your husband， or wife。 Read it， love it， and Oh my gosh。 What a gorgeous， heartfelt， mesmerizing read。 This is John Grisham at his very best。 He's wasted on his legal thrillers - this is the book that he is destined to write。 This is a master storyteller。 I opened the book and couldn't put it down。 I want to read it again。 And again。 And I'm so jealous of all of the people that get to discover Sooley for the first time。 Read this book， and then give it to your friend。 Your father。 Your daughter。 Your husband， or wife。 Read it， love it， and pass it on。 。。。more

JoAnn ，

A different read from Grisham - basketball！ Such a story。 As always from Grisham， characterization- the best。

Terri Heckmaster ，

I am not a big basketball fan， but oh my goodness， this book！！！ Sooley is heartbreaking， intriguing， captivating and thoroughly entertaining。 It makes the reader think about those in situations beyond their control。 Sooley is a slam dunk！！ Dear John Grisham。。。。if you are reading this please write a sequel with Sooleys brothers， mother and his adoptive family。

Cindi Haby ，

I am not a basketball fan but I am a John Grisham fan so of course I am going to read this book。 If you like basketball you will really like the story of Sooley。 If you are not a big hoops fan and don’t care to hear the play by plays of the college basketball games， there is a great subplot that will have you turning pages faster than you can say “nothing but net”。 Very heartfelt ending。

Denise Cox ，

Most often I shy away from books that don’t have a lot of dialogue。 This was an excellent exception because of the basketball descriptions。 Through the magnificent wording you could see and hear the games！ There are parts of it that will tear at your heart and there are messages to take away。 Highly recommended。

Helen ，

An excellent story about the tragic life of a South Sudanese basketball player。

Leigh Gaston ，

4 1/2 starsI went into this one without any expectations。  I have loved many of Grisham’s  books and been disappointed by a few。  This was quite a departure from most of his other books。  Loved the South Sudan refugee side and wasn’t sold on the U。S。 college basketball side at the beginning but I was won over。  I think some of the basketball scenes were repetitive but overall the book grabbed me and kept me rooting for Sooley and his family。  Flew through this book but I don’t want to give anyth 4 1/2 starsI went into this one without any expectations。  I have loved many of Grisham’s  books and been disappointed by a few。  This was quite a departure from most of his other books。  Loved the South Sudan refugee side and wasn’t sold on the U。S。 college basketball side at the beginning but I was won over。  I think some of the basketball scenes were repetitive but overall the book grabbed me and kept me rooting for Sooley and his family。  Flew through this book but I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just leave it here。  。。。more

Leila Kern ，

This story had me from the beginning！ A boy chosen and taken from his war torn country to “perhaps” play basketball in the United States。 What are the odds he will be successful？ This is a warm yet heartbreaking story of a dream to play basketball。 Although it angers me of the manipulations of so-called agents to throw these young kids into the limelight of which the kids are not prepared so many kids have this dream！ John Grisham is certainly a masterful storyteller！

Judy Candell ，

I vowed after the last Grisham flop that I would never read another of his books。 I did not listen to my advice and read （or rather listened） to this book。 For the life of me I can’t see why anyone gave this 5 stars。 The writing is juvenile， the characters not developed， and the plot somewhat tiresome unless you like play by play basketball commentary。 I can see that it might appeal to young adults but personally I need an author who can write good literature。

Amanda Birkeland-sanchez ，

Such a great read！ So different than all other Grisham books！ The ending though。。。ugh。

Mike Schneider ，

New York Times bestselling author John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel。 Samuel "Sooley" Sooleymon is a raw， young talent with big hoop dreams。。。and even bigger challenges off the court。 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel。 Samuel "Sooley" Sooleymon is a raw， young talent with big hoop dreams。。。and even bigger challenges off the court。 。。。more

PottWab Regional Library ，

E

Babetta ，

I really wanted to like this book， but I didn't。 The ending is what clenched that feeling for me。 It had great potential， but I was ultimately disappointed and didn't quite understand what the point of this book was。 I really wanted to like this book， but I didn't。 The ending is what clenched that feeling for me。 It had great potential， but I was ultimately disappointed and didn't quite understand what the point of this book was。 。。。more

Lee Springmeyer ，

I have read all of Grisham’s books and have to say “Sooley” is one of his best。 Although it’s not a legal thriller， the book is a wonderful read offering a great message。

David West ，

Amazing story Grisham takes you on a very emotional ride about a young man with a raw skillset who rose to incredible heights。 With the backdrop of the plight of his family back in Sudan and the tragedy of that country。 Grisham at his best storytelling。

Jimmy Allen ，

Fantastical and predictable are two words I would use to describe "Sooley。" John Grisham has written many good books， but this is not one of them。 I have followed NCAA basketball since the 1960s。 Perhaps this is why I didn't enjoy this book。 It's a YA novel at best。 I really couldn't get into the characters。 Samuel Sooleymon is a character that everyone in real-life dreams about， but， of course， this is real-life and too much of a stretch for me to suspend belief even for a moment。 I kept waitin Fantastical and predictable are two words I would use to describe "Sooley。" John Grisham has written many good books， but this is not one of them。 I have followed NCAA basketball since the 1960s。 Perhaps this is why I didn't enjoy this book。 It's a YA novel at best。 I really couldn't get into the characters。 Samuel Sooleymon is a character that everyone in real-life dreams about， but， of course， this is real-life and too much of a stretch for me to suspend belief even for a moment。 I kept waiting for some surprise。 It did not happen。 John Grisham owes his readers for this one。 He writes some interesting books， and I wish that this had been one of them。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Sooley

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Sooley&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Sooley&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0