Finished the Book

I finished reading John Grisham's "The Testament" yesterday.

I started reading it on the plane from Hawaii. There are a few fiction authors that I read every year. I started reading Grisham novels a few years ago. I also read John Jakes, and Michener. Pure entertainment.

I picked up the habit of reading fiction from my wife. I usually read non-fiction religion, politics,social science, journals and what she calls "heavy" stuff. When we met in 1973 she ordered romance novels from a book club by the box and read whole boxes in two weeks; then ordered more. I'd listened as she described the places, scenery and other details of her mental visits to the scenes of the novels.

So, I went half way. The authors I read tell a good story but pack it full of what I'm interested in: history, religion, politics, social science, etc. That way I kill two birds with one stone. So, occasionally she listens as I describe the scenes of the places I have visited in my latest read. In 31 years, we have traveled the world.

The testament is about a billionaire who leaves 11 billion dollars to an illegitimate daughter who is a missionary for Christ in the jungles of Brazil. The thrust of the novel is the quest to find her and convince her to accept the money.

When they find her they learn that she is totally committed to Christ, and is uninterested in the money at all. The unsaved lawyer who finds her is impressed by her sincerity and devotion. Ultimately, he finds peace with God himself. The daugher contracts malaria, but in a dying act, accepts the 11 billion dollars, puts it in a trust for Christian causes and places the converted lawyer over it to dispose of as the Lord leads him.

In the process I learned a lot about lawyers, wills, courtroom battles and a tremendous amount of history about the Panatal in Brazil, malaria, floods, Anacondas, and the Indian tribes of the region.

It was a good read. I enjoyed reading about Brazil. I wouldn't want to visit; not even a day.