In my continuing quest to shine a light on the accomplishments of lawyer-novelists, I bring you: Richard Dooling.
Dooling graduated from St. Louis University School of Law in 1987 (just a few years ahead of me, though I didn’t know him), then practiced for five years at Bryan Cave. He’s the author of four novels: Critical Care (1992); White Man's Grave (1995); Brain Storm (1998); and Bet Your Life (2002).
In 1994, White Man's Grave was a National Book Award Finalist. Although Dooling writes from time to time about lawyers (most memorably in White Man's Grave), his style is more literary in theme and technique than Grishamesque legal thrillers. Often, Dooling writes in a comic style reminiscent of Evelyn Waugh, Kingsley Amis or Joseph Heller--literary, but great fun.
Dooling also wrote Blue Streak: Swearing, Free Speech, and Sexual Harassment, a collection of essays on the first amendment and the politics of swearing. His website includes information about his novels, links to the first chapters of each, and a few other extras. According to the dust jacket of his last novel, Dooling's now back in the law business: "He lives with his wife and children in Omaha and commutes online to Bryan Cave, L.L.P., in St. Louis, where he specializes in developing web-based legal products."
Comments