How many books has John Grisham sold worldwide?
According to the American Academy of Achievement, Grisham's books have sold 300 million copies worldwide, and he has written 37 consecutive number-one fiction bestsellers.
Questions about John Grisham
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was John Grisham's first novel, and how was it published?
His first novel was A Time to Kill. After being rejected by 28 publishers, it was finally accepted by Wynwood Press, a small and little-known publisher, which printed 5,000 copies. It was published in June 1988.
Did John Grisham have a career before writing?
Yes. Grisham practiced criminal law for about a decade and served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1983 to 1990, representing the 7th District, which covered DeSoto County.
What inspired Grisham to write A Time to Kill?
In 1984, Grisham was present in a courtroom when a 12-year-old girl testified before a jury about having been raped and beaten. Though the case was not his, hearing her story and watching jury members cry gave him the idea that became A Time to Kill.
What is Ford County in Grisham's novels?
Ford County is a fictional county in northwest Mississippi that Grisham invented for his fiction. Its seat is the fictional town of Clanton, which appears across many of his books including A Time to Kill, The Last Juror, The Chamber, Sycamore Row, and the short story collection Ford County.
What is the Innocence Project, and what is Grisham's role?
The Innocence Project campaigns to free and exonerate people wrongfully convicted, arguing that such convictions arise from systemic defects rather than rare accidents. Grisham sits on its board of directors and has testified before Congress on its behalf.