Sooley: When sport leads the spirit

Vikrant Parmar

Juxtaposing strife and sport is tricky, but in the hands of a master storyteller like John Grisham, it becomes a cinch. In his latest novel ‘Sooley’, he delves deep into the heart of war-ravaged South Sudan to cull out an exceptional character — Samuel Sooleymon. A promising hoopster at 17, Sooley is selected for a showcase basketball tournament in the United States, along with a team of aspiring youngsters.

Sooley’s passion for basketball germinates in an arena of warlords, strongmen, bandits, corrupt politicians; a chaotic world where ‘many obvious questions were left unanswered’. During a bus ride, Sooley even witnesses the nonchalance with which Sudanese soldiers kill a bunch of rogues.

Growing up in penury and then finding wings, his innocence is well-captured as he boards a plane for the first time — when ‘his stomach floated a bit’. He knows his future was ‘nothing but basketball’; however, even before he makes a mark in the United States, Sooley gets the shocking news of his father’s slaughtering in ethnic violence. His sister goes missing and two brothers, along with his mother, fight for their lives as they try to flee the perpetrators.

Sooley wants to return, but is convinced that his future lies on the basketball courts in America, where he could earn enough to afford his family a bright future. Although he fails to impress with his skills initially, a benevolent coach offers him a chance to play with his club, a scholarship at college and also a job. Sooley grabs it with both hands, works harder than before and sharpens his focus; his dreams begin to flower.

In parallel movement of the story, quite flawlessly managed by Grisham, Sooley’s family manages to reach a refugee camp in Uganda after days of hunger, thirst and gut-wrenching fear. The place offers life, yet squalor and suffering are rife. There are unending lines for food, snatching is the order of the day and tribal rivalries refuse to die. Disease spreads often, death goes unnoticed.

As Sooley starts making a mark with his enviable ‘vertical leap’ on the court, his name and fame spread. With each match, he takes his club to heights it has never seen before. Sooley’s coaches, roommate and others stand firm as pillars beside him, even though ‘often, he allowed himself a good cry’. Sooley even manages to contact his mother — who later watches him play on the big screens set up at the refugee camp to highlight a star from their ilk — and promises her a safe future.

With growing affluence, Sooley in part loses his way, but his deep desire to get his family to safety never leaves his thought. And then, like often, destiny has a twist to offer.

On a different ‘court’ in this novel, Grisham does not miss a trick with the basketball jargon. His love for the game stands out in each sentence, as he describes the tense matches. Action merges with emotion seamlessly; realities of two different worlds stare naked in the eye, as the author skillfully stitches the story.

Like with most of his novels, Grisham shines in this one too. Despite the sprawling length, his narration is quite remarkable. Holds attention, deserves applause.