132,902
edits
Changes
Anonymous Lawyer by Jeremy Blachman (view source)
Revision as of 12:03, 14 May 2018
, 12:03, 14 May 2018no edit summary
{{infoboxinfobox1
|title=Anonymous Lawyer
|author=Jeremy Blachman
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|pages=288
|publisher=Vintage
|date=1 Feb February 2007
|isbn=978-0099507154
|amazonukcover=Blachman_Anonymous|aznuk=<amazonuk>0099507153</amazonuk>|amazonusaznus=<amazonus>0805079815</amazonus>
}}
Anonymous Lawyer is a hiring partner at a large US law firm. His goal is simple. He must become chairman of his firm at all costs. He'll do whatever is necessary to achieve his dream and be damned anyone who steps into his path. But there's The Jerk, his rival, who will do whatever it takes to beat him to the job. And then there's Anonymous Wife who spends his money, Anonymous Son who benefits from a bit of father/son bonding, Anonymous Daughter who could do with a bit of liposuction (or maybe her developing an eating disorder might just solve the issue) and Anonymous Niece who must be convinced at all costs that the natural progression from law at Yale is a career in a large US corporate law firm. Oh yes, and then there's the small matter of the web-log that Anonymous Lawyer created to "write about life" as there's "no one I can talk openly to". Maybe not such a smart move if he ever gets found out... .
The writing is excellent. It flows with an ease that is rather uncommon in blogs - one expects some lesser offerings but you don't really get them here. Conversational style is real and what there is of a story develops without requiring much effort on the reader's part. In many respects it is deeper than your average blog with an unspoken undercurrent which causes us to question our need to win at all costs.
If you liked [[The Devil Wears Prada]] and The Office and are currently enjoying US Hit Ugly Betty, chances are you'll like this. Its style is more Cambridge Footlights or Edinburgh Fringe than grown up, intelligent comedy but it packs a punch. In some respects it is not dissimilar to Jeremy Clarkson's [[''The World According to Clarkson]] '' for its bluntness on matters normally brushed under the carpet. You don't have to be a lawyer to appreciate the humour, in fact, being a lawyer may make you wince a little more as you appreciate the farcical nature of some of the things we creatures take for granted. It's an easy read and a book that you can delve into in fits and starts if you so require although if you're like me you'll find yourself "just reading the next entry" and before you know it you'll be at the end. If you prefer a more challenging look at the corporate world you might prefer the likes of Michael Ridpath's [[''Free to Trade]]'' which, although set in the financial world was borne out of a similar real-life-to-exaggerated-fiction situation but you'll be missing out.
As for me, this book was personal. Commenting on pregnant associates Anonymous Lawyer states:
{{amazontext|amazon=0099507153}}
{{amazonUStext|amazon=0805079815}}
{{commenthead}}