The theme of the story is about reaching out. Reaching out to anybody especially the poor and the less privileged. Giving up something for the passion of helping one another .. For Rachel, she gave up the inheritance as she will never need it or perhaps she will need a portion of it just to buy stuff needed at the place she loves. We are all children of this Earth, so we should reach out to those who need us. ( )

Troy Phelan is one of the richest men in the world, until he jumps out a twentieth-floor window, moments after signing a holographic will that leaves his various ex-wives and children in an uproar. Nate O'Riley, a member of the firm representing Phelan's interests, is plucked from rehab to find a potential heir, currently a missionary in the Brazilian jungle. A rich and meaty story, with plenty of legal wrangling and a surprisingly satisfying spiritual bent, The Testament kept me up at night reading until the very end. I don't think I'd read any Grisham before, so I don't know if this is typical of his novels, but I was impressed by its reach. ( )

I acquired my first two John Grisham novels at the same time and, unfortunately, read _The Partner_ first. But I figured I owed Grisham one more chance before giving up on him completely. Luckily for us both, _The Testament_ is a much better book. I enjoyed the depictions of Brazil and the journies through the Pantanal, and the author managed to confound my expectations about Nate's encounter with Rachel.

If I have one nit to pick, it's that Grisham again introduces an event that makes no narrative sense, that seems to exist only as a contrivance to add a bit of mystery to the proceedings. Since he did something similar in _The Partner_, I'm wondering if this is a common problem in his books. What am I talking about? See below.

********* SPOILER WARNING! **************

When Rachel goes to Corumba and visits Nate in the hospital, he's not sure if he actually saw her or was just dreaming. He and Jevy search everywhere, but find no trace of her; Jevy, with his contacts and local knowledge, is finally convinced that Rachel has not entered the town.

But we learn that Rachel *was* in Corumba! And so we're forced to conclude that she snuck into town, carefully avoiding contact with any of the locals who could identify her. Why? There's no reason for such behavior in the story – it only exists as a plot device for the author to keep Nate – and his readers – guessing until the end. ( )

Loved it! The only bad part was that the story eventually ended. ( )

Nate has spent his career as a lawyer trying to find himself in a bottle. When he has to find a long long and unknown heir to a fortune, he finds more than the heiress, but himself sans that pesky bottle. ( )

This book is like eating a huge ice cream sundae: You're happy you ate it, but your stomach hurts afterwards. It was a good book, but I hated how (**Spoiler**) Nate only met Rachael once. I wish they could have had more interaction. But the heirs of Troy Phelan keep you laughing. Not my favorite ending, but it fit. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this Grisham tale. I spend many hours a week working on estate planning issues and more than once thought while reading The Testament that much of the story is plausible. A good read even though a billion dollars isn't what it once was . . . ( )

My favorite John Grisham book is the Testament. Propped over my grocery cart, I saw it. Juggling a new round of depression meds, I was death barely functioning. I doubted I could hoist a paperback to my eyes, yet once I did, I found myself alive within the maudlin text of the first paragraph. I grinned at the eccentricities of Troy Phelan. Together, Nate and I stepped out of rehab, traveled to exotic places, and met many spirited faces. I cheated my own darkness by the sunrise over the Pantanal. It was the best vaction of my life. ( )

lawyer in rehab goes to remote Brazil as "executor" for billionaire

4.99 ( )

Solid, page-turner Grisham. Satisfying quick read. ( )

Bought this one by mistake in FRA (didn't have LibraryThing access) not realising that I'd already read it once. It still sucked me in, and I completed it in just over 24 hours. An excellent story with a strong Christian theme. Perhaps his best--certainly not in the same mold as most of his other books.

My favorite Grisham book. I love Nate and how God so quietly and simply changes his life. ( )

Excellent story line which was very well written and easy to read. Got to know the main characters and in particular empaphised with Nate. Inevitably drawn to happy ending but not the case and overall I thought the last chapters were realistic and well thought out. ( )

billionaire screws his heirs—not up to Grisham’s usual standard

I hope I've entered this properly. Hardcover missing dust jacket. There are several ISBN numbers listed inside. I picked the (Hardcover) number option.

3280. The Testament, by John Grisham (read Dec 21, 1999) I have read all Grisham's books, so I thought I might as well read this one as well. Like all Grisham books, this book is short on admirable lawyers who enjoy the practice of law--and I assure you there are lots of such lawyers. Many of the lawyers in this book are despicable, and the judge is unethical, but since it is a Grisham book one knows this will be in the book. I found much of the book rather boring and the legal aspects are not central to it in a way. Grisham is not a great writer, period. ( )

Another great Grisham novel. I really enjoyed this one, and couldn't wait to find out how it ended. An interesting contrast of the good and bad of life. ( )

Fast paced, intriguing and crude. Man, I'd hate to have relatives like those in this book; but I guess when you die and you have money, things like these sadly happen. Good read. ( )

John Grisham has done it again. I had read this book originally a year after release. And I just finished my second read. And though it all started to come back to me as I read it...It was still an exciting page-turner as it was the first time. That says a lot about this book.

A self-made billionaire, the tenth richest man in America, has all his heirs come in to prove he is sane and competent before signing his last Will and Testament. Which he does, right before he commits suicide in front of those still present. And of course as he leaves out each and every known heir from his will. And as you learn how greedy and selfish they are, you are pleased he did.

He does pay off all his children's debt and leaves the remainder of his holdings to his illegitimate daughter no one knew he had. Nor does anyone know where she is. His law firm sends a drug/alcohol addict just out of rehab for the fourth time to find her. He finds her an M.D. who has dedicated her life to God and is working deep in the jungles of Brazil.

I found the book a very fast read that has some plot twist and is well written. Well worth the read. ( )

heard this on cd. unbelievable. you have to listen to this. the narrator is unbelievable. (frank muller?)

light reading / listening in the car (audio read by author cannot recall) 'entrete' ( )

http://community.livejournal.com/50bo... ( )

My favorite Grisham book, so far. I like the issues of redemption and struggling for the right actions, not just the ones which are logical. ( )

I admit I do enjoy a good Grisham novel every once in a while, and this is a pretty good one. ( )

Legal mystery thriller, fast paced, kept reader very interested about what was going to happen to the main character, one of his best ( )