ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Books

Publisher pulls Roth bio John Grisham pens a basketball thriller By Rob Merrill ooley,’ by John Grisham (Doubleday) ‘S When you’ve written 35 novels and are work- ing on a streak of 43 consecutive No. 1 New York Times bestsellers, you can write about whatever you want. That’s probably the simplest way to explain why John Grisham’s latest is a basketball story and doesn’t feature a single courtroom scene. It’s not the fi rst sports book for Grisham, of course, but it’s the fi rst set in the big-time world of college hoops. Samuel Sooleymon, nicknamed Sooley, is a 17-year-old playing on dirt courts in his native South Sudan when we fi rst meet him. Growing like a weed and with an infectious passion for the game, soon he’s in Orlando playing on a team of traveling Sudanese all-stars, showcasing his skills for col- lege coaches. The joy of a Grisham novel is turning the pages as the plot propels you forward, so I’ll avoid revealing too much. Suf- fi ce it to say “Sooley” follows the familiar Grisham playbook - short chapters, plenty of fore- shadowing, and a rapid-fi re Grisham prose that’s easy to read and hard to put down. Grisham seems to enjoy moonlighting as a sportswriter. There are entire paragraphs that read like AP game recaps: “Central ripped off a 14-0 run and led by 15 at the half... Sooley grabbed 11 rebounds, members, from left, Mike McCready, , , and appear at a news conference in Mexico City, on July for his fi rst double-double... Sooley, still coming 17, 2003. Pearl Jam should be on the road celebrating 30 years of ‘Ten’ with a tour. Pearl Jam’s postponed European tour was rescheduled for June and July 2022. off the bench but playing 29 minutes, scored 31 and The delay not only put any plans to celebrate ‘Ten’ on hold, Pearl Jam has still yet to tour in support of last year’s release, ‘.’ (AP) blocked four shots.” He relishes putting words in the mouth of Sooley’s fi ctional coach, who tells his team before their fi rst-ever NCAA tournament game: “Men, we don’t deserve respect. Yet. Respect is out there on the fl oor, just waiting for us to go get it.” If they can get the casting right, it’ll make an action- Music packed sports movie. Harder to recreate in a fi lm adaptation will be the secondary plot of the novel, which focuses on the fam- ily Sooley leaves behind in Sudan. When a rebel group Pearl Jam revisits fi rst studio album burns their village, they join millions of fellow refu- gees fl eeing the country, eventually fi nding food and shelter in a Ugandan camp. They’re never far from Sooley’s mind as his basketball career takes fl ight in McCready proud of 30 years of ‘Ten’ America and the juxtaposition of his fame and celeb- rity with his family’s plight back home is the heart of LOS ANGELES, April 28, (AP): The that we got.” saw each other in person for the fi rst the story. Pearl Jam songs that would end up as Pearl Jam fans loved the take — and time in more than a year. And Pearl tracks on the “Ten” album were played the album, and most everything else Jam spent its downtime working on Fiction live at clubs along the West Coast for the has produced over three dec- its voting campaign, releasing streams When Sooley’s college team, North Carolina Cen- months leading into the band’s fi rst ades. They hoped to celebrate 30 years of classic performances, and plug- tral, qualifi es for March Madness, Grisham has a lit- recording session. The potential was of “Ten” with a tour. ging up-and-coming bands that need tle fun with his fi ction and history, writing, “Never in there for Pearl Jam to serve as more support (McCready named the Black the tournament’s storied history had a No. 16 beaten than an opening act for bigger bands Surprise Tones) more than a veteran, fi nancial- a No. 1.” The novel is set in 2016, two years prior to at the time — like — McCready played on Pearl Jam’s big- ly-set band like themselves. Grisham’s favorite team, No. 1-ranked Virginia, los- and it needed an album to support the gest hits with a Stratocaster he splurged The 55-year-old McCready credited ing to No. 16-ranked University of Maryland, Balti- songs that defi ned the scene. on as his fi rst vintage guitar purchase. He 18 years of sobriety to keeping him en- more County, in the 2018 tournament. This cover image released by Dou- “Ten” would soon be born. recently teamed with Fender and master ergized about Pearl Jam and whatever It’s not spoiling too much to say that Sooley’s team bleday shows ‘Sooley’ by John Gris- “This my fi rst real recording session builder Vincent Van Trigt to recreate the lies ahead. makes history in Grisham’s world and their dream ham. (AP) with a budget of a record company, 1960 Stratocaster for sale to collectors “I don’t why I’m still here, I’m just season continues. The pages turn even more quickly and the pressures, all that stuff,” gui- down to the last scratch. McCready was happy I am,” he said. “We still need after that, building to a climax that won’t leave readers tarist Mike McCready said. “I didn’t startled to learn during the process that to work on our communication. But doubting whether this is a John Grisham novel. really know about it. I was just stoked his beloved Strat was from 1960 — not we’re aware of all that, so I think we ❑ ❑ ❑ to be doing this. I thought our band 1959. McCready owned the Stratocaster try to do that to the best of our abil- was great.” since 1991 and it was part of his collec- ity. We’ve been through a lot of dif- The publisher of a highly anticipated and widely Pearl Jam started recording sessions tion of vintage 1959 guitars. He loved ferent highs and lows. But we’ve been discussed biography of Philip Roth is pulling the in late March 1991 and the album that the era of guitars so much, that he even through it together.” book and cutting ties with author Blake Bailey, who launched the band’s meteoric rise was has a “59” tattoo on his left wrist. faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment and as- released fi ve months later. For Mc- Not so fast. Also: sault. W.W. Norton and Company previously released Cready, 30 years of “Ten,” has gone “It was a psychological rug being CLEVELAND: Grammy Award nomi- Bailey’s memoir “The Splendid Things We Planned.” by as quick as a lightning bolt. pulled out from under my feet,” Mc- nated rock & soul duo Black Pumas “Norton is permanently putting out of print our “That was the fi rst time I went, all Cready said on a Zoom with The As- and Cleveland’s own Machine Gun editions of ‘Philip Roth: The Biography’ and ‘The of us were all fi ring on all cylinders sociated Press. “I still love the guitar. Kelly will perform at this week’s NFL Splendid Things We Planned,’ Blake Bailey’s 2014 Carlile Vuillard here,” he said. “These are cool songs, It doesn’t matter. But it was a crazy draft. memoir,” the publisher announced Tuesday. “Mr. we have a great singer. I feel confi - surprise.” The league announced its musical Bailey will be free to seek publication elsewhere if dent in playing with these guys that McCready played his Strat on al- acts for the second and third days of he chooses. In addition, Norton will make a dona- we could go out and do really well. I most 800 shows and just about every the draft, which is back on the road af- tion in the amount of the book advance for ‘Philip Variety didn’t know what that meant. We were record — including Temple of the ter being all virtual last year because of Roth: The Biography’ to organizations that fight just starting. I’m seeing old pictures of Dog’s hit “Hunger Strike” — and said the COVID-19 pandemic. against sexual assault or harassment and work to us from when we fi rst started around he accidentally picked up the replica A massive stage has been construct- protect survivors.” NEW YORK: The Grammy Museum will that time. We looked very disjointed three times to play before he realized ed near FirstEnergy Stadium and the The stunning decision follows reports last week reopen next month after being closed for on stage. What are we doing? We it wasn’t the real deal. He’s getting Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to host the from , The New Orleans more than a year due to the coronavirus hadn’t coalesced yet. But I knew the Fender to make him a 1959 model. three-day event from April 29 to May Times-Picayune and The Associated Press among pandemic. energy was there.” He might even get to play it live 1. others that Bailey, who in the taught eighth The museum in downtown Los next year. Black Pumas will perform after Angeles announced recently that it will McCready, Jeff Ament, gui- grade English in New Orleans, had behaved inap- be open to the public on May 21. The tarist Stone Gossard, and singer Eddie On a break because of the pandemic, the third round is completed on April propriately with students and later sought sexual museum will launch with three new ex- Vedder (and drummer Dave Krusen in Pearl Jam’s postponed European tour 30. Their self-titled debut album was relationships. Two former students and a publish- hibits — “Motown: The Sound of Young his lone Pearl Jam album) spent two was rescheduled for June and July nominated as Album of the Year at the ing executive have alleged that he assaulted them. America,” “: Inside months recording the album that sold 2022. The delay not only put any plans 2021 . Bailey was quickly dropped by his literary agency, and Out” and “Y Para Siempre… Marco more than 13 million copies in the to celebrate “Ten” on hold, Pearl Jam Machine Gun Kelly, who graduated the Story Factory, and Norton announced last week Antonio Solís.” alone. has still yet to tour in support of last from Shaker Heights High School on it would pause publication and publicity as it re- The museum will open at limited “I remember we recorded ‘Even year’s release, “Gigaton.” Cleveland’s east side, will close the viewed allegations. capacity to maintain social distancing, Flow’ like 50 times, or 40, something “We’ll get out there again. We’ll festivities the following day. Norton has acknowledged being contacted, anon- following guidelines provided by LA crazy like that,” McCready said. “We play,” McCready said. “I want to see Rockers will help ymously, by a woman in 2018 who alleged that Bai- County. Attendees will be required to could never get the groove right. It what songs work on the ‘Gigaton’ re- kick off the draft on April 29 before ley had assaulted her three years earlier. The pub- wear face masks and have their tempera- was driving everybody crazy. Jeff ran cord. That’s the thing about playing Commissioner Roger Goodell tells lisher never responded directly to the email, sent tures checked. The museum will also out and got mad and shot baskets. We live. We were just rehearsing, all of it, the Jacksonville Jaguars they are by Bloomsbury sales and marketing vice president provide social distancing marks, hand fi nally ended up getting the take. I’m four days before we canceled the tour.” on the clock with the No. 1 overall Valentina Rice, and instead forwarded it to Bailey. sanitizing stations and a touchless visitor not sure if Stone even loves the take McCready and Ament only recently pick. Rice first went public with her allegations last week experience. in The New York Times and confirmed her account Free admission will be granted to fi rst with the AP. responders, health care workers and es- sential workers through June. language that is translated into English Several internationally renowned winning book’s author and its translator. Assault The Grammy Museum is a nonprofi t and published in the UK or Ireland. writers who were on the 13-book longlist British author Lucy Hughes-Hallett, organization through The Recording The contenders often include writers failed to make the cut, including Chinese who is chairing the panel of judges, said The alleged assault took place at the home of Times Academy, which annually produces are widely read in their own lan- writer Can Xue and Kenyan author the list showed that some of the most book critic Dwight Garner, who was informed by Grammy Awards. The museum will cel- guages but less known in English. Four Ngugi wa Thiong’o. exciting new writing is going on “in the Rice soon after it happened and, at Rice’s request, did ebrate its reopening with a members-only of this year’s six shortlisted authors have The winner will be announced June 2, borderlands” between fi ction and other not until recently tell anyone at the paper. The Times virtual event featuring Grammy-winning never been published in English before. with the prize money split between the genres, such as history and memoir. (AP) had covered Bailey’s book extensively, including a singer-songwriter on ❑ ❑ ❑ long profi le of Bailey that ran in its Sunday magazine. May 13. (AP) Garner did not review the Roth biography. ❑ ❑ ❑ RENO, Nev.: Burning Man organizers “Our critic acted appropriately and ethically by announced Tuesday they are canceling honoring the wishes of his friend, Ms. Rice, who con- LONDON: Books from Europe and this summer’s annual counter-culture fes- Latin America that blur the boundaries tival in the Nevada desert for the second fi ded in him in 2015 and asked him not to share the year in a row because of the COVID-19 allegation,” a Times spokesperson told the AP. “And of fi ction, history and memoir are the fi nal six contenders for the 50,000-pound pandemic. it was at Ms. Rice’s request that Dwight spoke with ($69,000) International Booker Prize. The San Francisco-based group The Times.” The shortlist for the literary award, posted a video on its website that said Bailey, whose Roth book came out in early April, announced Thursday, includes “The there are too many uncertainties to has denied any wrongdoing. His attorney, Billy Gib- War of the Poor,” a story of religion resolve in time to hold the event as bens, condemned Norton, while noting that “Philip and revolution by France’s Eric Vuil- scheduled Aug 26 to Sept 3 in the Black Roth” is still being sold overseas. lard, Jewish-Russian family history “In Rock Desert 100 miles (160 kilometers) “Norton made the drastic, unilateral decision to take Memory of Memory” by Russian writer north of Reno. Mr. Bailey’s books out of print, based on the false Maria Stepanova and imaginative short- Burning Man CEO Marian Goodell and unsubstantiated allegations against him, without story collection “The Dangers of Smok- said the “diffi cult decision” is “based on undertaking any investigation or offering Mr. Bailey ing in Bed” by Argentina’s Mariana the best information available to us.” the opportunity to refute the allegations,” he said in a Enriquez. “We know the need for community statement emailed to The Associated Press. “Mr. Bai- The other fi nalists are war story “At has never been stronger. And building ley’s European publishers wisely have not taken such Night All Blood is Black,” by France’s community is what Burners do best. We a rash course of action, and Norton’s knee-jerk reac- David Diop, science-themed story also recognize the pandemic is not over,” tion is troubling and unwarranted.” collection “When We Cease to Under- she said. “We have decided to focus our The Roth biography may also remain available in stand the World” by Chile’s Benjamín energy on building Black Rock City Labatut and futuristic workplace novel 2022.” the US as an audiobook, which was released by a sep- “The Employees” by Danish writer Olga The Reno Gazette Journal fi rst re- arate company, Recorded Books Inc. The audio pub- Ravn. In this March 27, 2021 file photo, people react ahead of a music concert in Bar- ported the news Tuesday on its website. lisher did not immediately respond to a request from The award, run alongside the Booker celona, Spain. A rock concert in Barcelona attended by 4,500 music fans who The decision was based on a combi- the AP about the book’s status. (AP) Prize for English-language fi ction, is had passed a COVID-19 screening produced no significant transmission of the nation of factors, not a single issue, the given annually to a work of fi ction in any coronavirus, event organizers said April 27. (AP) — Details on Page 12 group said. (AP)