Anonymous Lawyer
by Jeremy Blachman
Published by Picado
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Reviewed by Dara O’ Sullivan
Anonymous Lawyer by Jeremy Blachman is a truly 21st century book that is stylistically unique. The hiring partner in a prestigious law firm sets up his own weblog, or blog—a form of Internet diary—to vent his workplace frustrations. The book is written in the form of the blog itself. It is interspersed with emails between Anonymous Lawyer and his niece, a law school student, and also between Anonymous Lawyer and various readers of the blog.
Under cover of anonymity, and using nicknames for his workmates (The Jerk, The Harvard Guy, The Suck-Up and so on), as well as disguising place names and minor details, he gives a blow-by-blow account of the intrigues, infighting, cynical manipulation, and power struggles within the firm. As time passes the website becomes ever more popular. Emails pour in from lawyers and associates who identify with Anonymous Lawyers accounts, and from those who think that they know who he is and which firm he is writing about.
Anonymous Lawyer becomes increasingly nervous about being identified, and confides his fears in emails to Anonymous Niece. Simultaneously he is becoming more deeply involved in a bitter power struggle with the new chairman of the firm. Finally his anonymity is penetrated by one of his colleagues, who also offers to help him in his political manueverings—at a price. The situation eventually explodes.
This is a book that is extraordinarily clever in its execution. It is a real page-turner, with both suspense and hilarious humor. It captures in a powerful way some of the unique social aspects of the information age, such as the ‘globalisation’ of private life and personal trivia through Internet weblogs. The all-pervasiveness of email is wonderfully captured in particular. For example: the boss having a heart attack ‘live’ on email, or the ridiculous ‘there’ll be an email, but I’m calling around to tell you first, as a courtesy.’
Anonymous Lawyer is a refreshing read.
Armchair Interviews says: A genuinely funny and unique book.
Author’s blog: http://AnonymousLawyer.blogspot.com