The Broker on amazon.com
Reader Rating: 9/10
Salaams. Well, when you’re reading a book like
The Broker makes one want to take a vacation in Italy, learn Italian, drink lots of good, strong coffee in streetside cafes, and eat at lots of Italian restaurants—trying all the food! Oh, and to spend some time looking around at the various historcial sites in several Italian cities. Man, I think it’s time for a vacation that would take me to Italy!
I liked the book—it had all the good elements of a Grisham thriller. The protagonist is someone you don’t think you’ll like at first (but you do as you get to know him better), there are slower parts where some of the main characters are developed, and there are also some hair-raising, fast-paced parts which involve the inevitably good Grisham chase, in this case a very international one. There are some great language learning parts of the book—classic methods of good immersion language learning methods. Makes one want to learn Italian in an Italian setting—drinking good coffee and eating good food, while also picking up some of the local culture and history all along the way!
The Broker (Paperback)
by John Grisham "IN THE WANING HOURS OF A PRESIDENCY THAT WAS DESTINED TO arouse less interest from historians than any since perhaps that of William Henry Harrison..." (more)
99 used & new available from $2.54
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Before he was sent to federal prison for treason (among other things), Joel Backman was an extremely powerful man. Known as "the broker," Backman was a high roller--a lawyer making $10 million a year who could "open any door in Washington." That is, until he tried to broker a deal selling access to the world's most powerful satellite surveillance system to the highest bidder. When caught, Backman accepted prison as the one option that would keep him safe and alive, since the interested parties (the Israelis, the Saudis, the Russians, and the Chinese) were all itching to get their hands on his secrets at any cost. Little does he know that his own government has designs on accessing that information--or at least letting it die with him. Now, six years after his incarceration, the director of the CIA convinces a lame duck president to pardon Backman, and the broker becomes a free man--and an open target.
The Broker marries the best of John Grisham's many talents--his ability to immerse himself in the culture of small town life (in this case, Bologna, Italy), and his uncanny mastery of the chase. The first half of the book focuses on Backman's transformation from infamous power broker to helpless victim in his own game. Upon his release from prison, Backman is taken into "protective custody" and whisked off to Italy where he is assigned a new identity, and a tutor to help him blend in. Sure he is on the run, but some readers may feel that Backman's time spent in Bologna is a bit too leisurely--readers join him on an almost cinematic tour through the Italian town, complete with language and history lessons. Impatient readers will be happy to know that the final half of the novel is classic Grisham--a fast-paced, thrilling cat and mouse chase pitting Backman against the numerous agencies that want him dead--as the broker makes a move to take back his life. --Daphne Durham
Product Details
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Dell (November 22, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0440241588
Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.7 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces. (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: based on 411 reviews. (Write a review.)
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #184 in Books (See Top Sellers in Books)
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