John Ray Grisham Jr. (born Feb 8, 1955) is an American novelist, attorney, politician, and activist, best known for his popular legal thrillers. His books have been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide. Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University and received a J.D. degree from the University Of Mississippi School Of Law in 1981. He practiced criminal law for about a decade and served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1984 to 1990. A Time to kill, his first novel, published in June 1989, four years after he began writing it. According to Academy of Achievement, his books have sold 300 million copies and have written 28 consecutive number one bestsellers. A Galaxy British Book Awards winner, Grisham is one of only three authors to sell two million copies on a first printing. The Firm sold more than seven million copies. The book was adapted into a 1993 feature film of the same name. Eight of his other novels have also been adapted into films: The Chamber, The Client, A Painted House, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, Skipping Christmas, and A Time to Kill. Less