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by John Grisham
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop dreams—and even bigger challenges off the court. “Hard to put down ... the pages turn quickly ... building to a climax that won’t leave readers doubting whether this is a John Grisham novel.” —Associated Press 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, his sister is missing, and his mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp. Samuel desperately wants to go home, but it’s just 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 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’s dominating everyone in practice. With the 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? And will success allow him to save his family? Gripping and moving, Sooley showcases John Grisham’s unparalleled storytelling powers in a whole new light. This is Grisham at the top of his game.
10 recommendations similar to Sooley
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by Sam Smith
Fans of Sooley's basketball-centric narrative will appreciate this deep dive into the intensity of elite competition. It captures the same high-stakes atmosphere and the pressures of being a rising star in the basketball world.
by John Grisham
As another sports-themed novel by Grisham, this book shares the same accessible prose and focus on how sports can serve as a catalyst for personal and social change. It mirrors Sooley's blend of athletic ambition and human drama.
by Chad Harbach
This novel explores the weight of expectations and the sudden shifts in fortune that athletes face, much like Samuel Sooleymon's journey. It balances the technical aspects of the game with a poignant, character-driven story.
by Imbolo Mbue
Like Sooley, this book focuses on the immigrant experience and the pursuit of the American Dream amidst personal and global turmoil. It captures the 'fish out of water' sentiment and the heavy burden of supporting family back home.
by Pat Conroy
This classic explores the intense pressure of athletic excellence and the complicated relationship between sports and family identity. It matches the emotional weight and the 'rise and fall' trajectory found in Grisham's basketball odyssey.
This non-fiction masterpiece shares Sooley's focus on how a sport can become a community's heartbeat and a young man's only way out. It provides a realistic, often gritty look at the burdens placed on young athletes.
While more of a literary thriller, it resonates with Sooley through its exploration of cultural alienation and the struggle to forge a new identity in America. It captures the internal 'outsider' perspective that Samuel feels throughout the novel.
by Pat Conroy
This book features a protagonist navigating a high-pressure, institutional environment where he is an outsider, similar to Samuel's experience in the American collegiate system. It shares a similar sense of intensity and moral testing.
by Phil Knight
This memoir of the creator of Nike will appeal to readers who enjoyed the 'rags to riches' and business-of-sports aspects of Sooley. It captures the same relentless drive and the high-stakes risks involved in the world of global athletics.
This novel offers a profound look at the African immigrant experience in the West, mirroring Samuel’s displacement and his observations of American culture. It provides the same depth of social commentary and emotional resonance.
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