conspiracy...

I'm reading what I believe is the newest of John Grisham's many novels. It's called The Broker and I'm a little over halfway through with it at this point. It's pretty good. I think it mostly is the same idea as most of his other legal thrillers. I really don't feel like it stretched his abilities as a writer, which is understandable. Writing a new book and making money is probably as important, or more important, than challenging one's creativity and skills. Not that he shouldn't try to be better, but if it was a case of starving/going without the BMW or being an inwardly honest artist I think most of the people on the market have decided to go with the cash. Money speaks, you know? I think that most of those who are honest with themselves and their art aren't making much money at it. Too bad, but a reality nonetheless.

My goal for this post was to use the word 'nonetheless' in a sentence and I've done it. Everything beyond this point is just to fill space.

And also, if you want to read what I consider to be Grisham's best novels I would highly recommend A Painted House or A Time to Kill. They are both really great, and A Painted House is a lot different from the others. It's good.

If you've read any of his legal books you know that they are generally filled with some sort of conspiracy or cover-up. People and politicians are bought and sold. In The Broker the main character (Joel Backman) gets a presidential pardon and is released quietly from prison. Three million dollars is found in offshore banks heading directly to the president, and the FBI knows nothing about it. The CIA is using Backman as bait to find out something about some secret spy satellite program. Whoever kills him in the end is the one that the CIA can go after. The former vice president starts snooping around too much and the CIA quietly kills him by drugging him up and running over him in a street in London. Designed to look like a terrible accident.

All of this goes on so that the top CIA guys can find the person they're looking for. They consider the risks and the human lives to be a small price to pay for the information that can be gained. They are also thinking about the potential for a significant professional accomplishment. Hoping to keep their careers on track.

I saw this story on cnn.com and immediately all kinds of possibilities came to mind. I imagine something like this:

John Walton sits on the board of directors of Wal-Mart. Because of all the news stories and documentaries coming out about the negative effects of Wal-Mart on the american economy he thinks that they need to change their approach a little bit. He is very vocal and powerful and believes that Wal-Mart should begin purchasing more and more american products and goods and less from the Chinese. He believes that if this doesn't happen then Wal-Mart is doomed to die, killed by the consumers who are slowly learning that they should be supporting their own economy here at home.

This plan will cut significantly into paychecks and profits. Powerful people with a lot on the line think that John Walton is a threat to their comfortable lifestyles. The Chinese also don't want to see his plan implemented because they would lose all of the business that Wal-Mart provides.

They know of his love for flying, and make a small modification on his ultra-light aircraft. Just enough to bring him down from a dangerous altitude. The story appears one day on CNN and is promptly forgotten about. No sense digging deeper or following up on anything, in spite of the fact that deaths like his are relatively rare.

I only dwelt on this idea (which would normally be mentally shoved aside as preposterous) because of the book I'm reading. I think I'm easily swayed by the media that surrounds me. Funny how we're basically just sponges and we are so easily saturated by whatever we choose to watch or listen to. But maybe it's true. I'd never know if it were.