Online Book Club: Calico Joe by John Grisham


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Calico Joe

Welcome to the online book club for Calico Joe by John Grisham.

As the son of a Major League Baseball pitcher, Paul Tracey not only longs to follow in his father’s footsteps, but loves everything about baseball. One season, a phenom is brought up from the minors and manages to hit almost every time he is up at bat – shattering records left and right. Calico Joe is everyone’s favorite baseball player and that doesn’t set well for Warren Tracey. Paul tries to keep his idolization of Calico Joe to himself, but when his father finds out, the consequences are dire.

I saw Calico Joe by John Grisham for sale at the local library’s semiannual book sale. I knew I had to buy it to read since it combined two good things – Grisham and baseball. I also knew my baseball-loving husband would want to read it, too. I chose it for the April Online Book Club book since that is the start of baseball season around the country.


  1. What did you think of the book? Did you like it or not? Why?
  2. Why do you think Paul wanted to pursue his father asking Joe for forgiveness?
  3. Does Paul share any blame in Joe’s downfall?
  4. Do you have any sympathy at all for Warren or is he a complete villain?
  5. Paul never sought for his father to ask for forgiveness from him, his sister or his mother? Why do you think he never did that?
  6. What was your favorite part of the book?
  7. What was your least favorite part of the book?
  8. Do you wish anything had been changed in the ending?
  9. What role does Paul’s mother play in the incident?
  10. Any questions you would like to discuss that I didn’t ask?

Thank you for reading with us and stopping by to discuss Calico Joe by John Grisham!

 Join us on May 30 to discuss Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson!


About Sarah Anne Carter

Sarah Anne Carter is a writer and reader. She grew up all over the world as a military brat and is now putting down roots with her family in Ohio. Family life keeps her busy, but any spare moment is spent reading, writing or thinking about plots for novels.