Outside Reading

Grisham , John. The Brethren. Broadway: Dell Publishing, 2001.


The book I am reading is called The Brethren, by John Grisham. I have become interested in this author from the first book I read by him, called The Firm. The Brethren has two stories in one, which are mixed later in the book. It starts with a story about three judges, named Beech, Yarber, and Spicer, who have been put in jail for cheating on taxes, manslaughter, and skimming profits. They have formed a group called The Brethren, in which they help other criminals form appeals for reduced sentences and stuff, in return for money and other things. The second story is about an Arizona Senator named Aaron Lake, who was approached by the FBI. They approached him regarding a nuclear arms exchange in Russia, between a Russian revolutionist and the Iranian government. The FBI had learned that the Russian man, who's name is Natli Chenkov, is planning to overthrow the shaky democracy in Russia and start an expansion of the Russian borders westward. The FBI agrees to get Aaron Lake into the office of presidency if Lake will agree to double military spending.
The three judges in jail are what seemed to me related to the story siddhartha, particalarly one of the parts of The Eightfold Path, Right Livelyhood. The judges are participating in a scam. In this scam, they have written a fake add in a homosexual magazine, where they pretend to be a young man named Rickey living in a drug rehab facility. They say that they need help, because their rich uncle won't pay for their rehab. They get money out of other men. The worst part of their scam is that they try to get close to the pen pal, and learn if he has a wife or something that doenst know the man is a homosexual. Then they blackmail the man for thousands of dollars. One of the men they trap is named curtis, and they read his letter in the jail library. It says,
"Rickey, I can't wait to see you in April. I've already told my wife tgat there is an international diamond show in orlando that month, and she has no interest in going with me.'
'April?' asked Beech.
'Yep. Rickey is certain he will be released in April.'
'Aint that sweet,' Yarber said with a smile.' And Curtis has a wife and kids?' (36)"

This shows the depth of their scam. They are cheating these guys and stealing their money. This is definately not Right Livelyhood, becuase they are hurting many people jsut to make money. Another man they have is named Quince. They have a good background on him, so they decide to send him a letter. They discuss it in the library, saying:

"'Let's bust him,' Beech said. The others quickley agreed.
'How much?' asked Yarber.
'At least a hundred thousand,' said Spicer. 'His family has owned a bank for two generations. We know his father is still active in the buisness, you you have to figure the old man will got nuts if his boy gets outed. Quince can't afford to get booted from the graby train, so he'll pay whatever we demand.' (39)"

Their buisiness is hurting others, making it against the Eightfold Path. These three judges won't be achieving enlightenment any time soon!