John Grisham is one of my favorite contemporary mainstream (straight) authors. To my knowledge, his novels aren't necessarily all-inclusive but they are emphatically not homophobic nor are they racially exclusive. His characters and plots are interesting and varied. They incorporate a diversity of scenarios and situations.
The following is from the book's 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 and his younger sister is missing. His mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp in nearby Uganda.
Samuel desperately wants to go home but it is 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 collegiate 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 is dominating everyone in practice. With the North Carolina 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? Will success allow him to save his family? How will he resolve the issues between the NCAA and the NBA?"
"Sooley" is a first for John Grisham. He deals with the aftermath of the Darfur/Sudanese/South Sudanese controversy, collegiate education, NCAA/NBA issues and of course, humanity. This novel is fascinating and difficult to put down. Grisham captures your attention no matter if you enjoy basketball or not.
Peace!
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