Review: The Tumor by John Grisham

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this book especially after Grisham declared that it’s the most important story that he has ever written. If that wasn’t enough, the book was being given out for FREE! I love Grisham’s books and I absolutely like free stuff so obviously this was a must read for me.

If you have read Grisham books, you know that there is always a lawyer somewhere and some thrilling courtroom drama. However, this is a different kind of book.
The Tumor is about Paul, a 35 year old living a pretty normal life. Paul has a lovely wife and three kids. However, one day Paul’s life is shattered when he suddenly falls in the bathroom, he had a tumor. Although Paul is the main protagonist, the book is really about focused ultrasound treatment, a specialized non-invasive treatment for cancer.
This is what Grisham says about the book, “I write escapist popular fiction that entertains. It’s entertainment. It doesn’t pretend to be literature or anything else. But ‘The Tumor’ has the potential to one day save or prolong millions of lives.”
There have been mixed reactions about this book. One thing for sure is that it is not the kind of book that you pick if you are looking for entertainment. However, it is an informative book. Grisham educates readers about the treatment in a manner that is interesting and he really doesn’t used medical jargon or some complex prose, the book has an easy narrative and graphics to explain the treatment.It is a n easy read. He is still Grisham. The easy flow of his style of storytelling is still evident in this book. Despite the ‘medical ‘ theme, I read it all the way to the last page. Oh, it is quite small by the way, 67 pages actually.

 

“Six years after her Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, Kimberly suffered from involuntary shaking and could no longer ride her bike or enjoy other forms of exercise. She was successfully treated in a focused ultrasound clinical trial at the University of Maryland. She is now back on her bike and says the clock has been turned back on her life.”
― John Grisham, The Tumor: A Non-Legal Thriller

You can get a free copy of the book here. The Tumor is a really informative book, wont take up much of your time and it is free so why not get it?