Paul Goldstein on Winning the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction

Paul Goldstein

My last post was a review of Havana Requiem by Paul Goldstein. The author was presented the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction last month at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. hosted by the Library of Congress. In reading about his reaction to winning the prize and watching video of his acceptance speech it was striking how Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, influenced Goldstein and how much respect he has for the book.

In an interview with the ABA Journal earlier in the year after winning the award Goldstein said:

“Apart from its many other virtues, To Kill A Mockingbird was the first novel to show me that it is possible to write about law and lawyers in a profoundly human, as well as literate, way,” Goldstein said. “More than 50 years later, it is impossible to study any of the better lawyer-heroes of today's novels without finding Atticus Finch looking back at you.”

“I like to think that Michael Seeley, the hero of Havana Requiem, embodies not only Atticus's integrity, but also his unvarnished nobility, and the Harper Lee Prize is not only a great honor for me, but evidence that perhaps I got it right.”

During his acceptance speech, as quoted in the ABA Journal he said:

“My personal celebration after learning that ‘Havana Requiem’ had won the Harper Lee Prize was to reread ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’’’ he said. “It had been some years since I had read it last. … It was just absolutely a joy and nostalgic, to be sure, to be captivated once again by the magic of those pages. It is absolutely an enduring, very special magic.”

He further said that most authors aspire to cast a spell like Harper Lee but that the magic of To Kill a Mockingbird is not easy to reverse engineer. He said he was not sure if the magic came from the translucent language, the special sense of place, the uncanny voice of Scout or the uncanny integrity of Atticus.

Having read To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time this year I agree with Goldstein that it is a special book that sweeps you into rural Alabama of the 1930’s.

It was poignant to read of the reaction of Goldstein’s mother to hearing from him that he had won the award. Though her mind and health were failing at 100 (she died shortly after):

“She instantly engaged and said, ‘Harper Lee! “To Kill a Mockingbird”! Why that’s wonderful, Paul.’”

It was interesting that Goldstein focused on the word “integrity” in speaking of Atticus Finch. It applies equally to his character, Michael Seeley.

 

When I was a part of the committee to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Law Society of Saskatchewan we looked to choose a word that exemplified what Saskatchewan lawyers aspire to in their practice. We chose “integrity”.  While there is public criticism of the legal profession I find people consider their personal lawyer to be a person of integrity who can be trusted.

Havana Requiem by Paul Goldstein

Havana Requiem by Paul Goldstein – Michael Seeley has returned to Boone, Bancroft, the large New York City law firm that dismissed him because of his descent into a gin bottle. Sober for a year, he is rebuilding his intellectual law litigation practice principally in the worlds of entertainment and publishing. Seeley has long been known for representing the interests of artists, famous or unknown, with regard to the legal rights related to their work.

Hector Reynoso, an aged Cuban musician, arrives in Seeley’s Manhattan office seeking to have Seeley represent him in re-gaining the rights to his music that he surrendered decades earlier. A chance to help a composer musician becomes the opportunity to aid a culture when Reynoso advises he is there on behalf of the Cuban composers of his generation – the men who made and played music before the Cuban Revolution of 1957.

There is but a narrow window for them to pursue the return of their music. Under American law they can serve terminations of the original contracts but there is a finite time from the creation of the music and that limitation period is about to expire for these men.

Earlier in his career Seeley had flourished generating large fees for the firm from wealthy clients and personal satisfaction from pro bono cases on behalf of struggling artists.

Reynoso explains the music of himself and his friends is not the music of the Buena Vista Social Club. It is the music of black Cubans inspired by their African past. It is the music of men who were banned from the best clubs in Cuba because of their dark skin. Goldstein sets out the racism deep in Cuban society.

Their songs were the pop music of their era and are still appreciated by lovers of Latin music and used extensively in advertising. Millions of dollars in royalties are being paid each year but not to the composer musicians.

Seeley’s adrenaline surges as he realizes the case is a return to the excitement of his law student days when he helped Professor Felix Silver successfully challenge the U.S.S.R. which, having seized ownership of the writings of four Russian authors, went to court in America seeking to use copyright law to prevent the publication of the writings. Now he has an opportunity to aid artists of another totalitarian regime take ownership of their music.

His partners have mixed emotions about his quest. Hobie Harriman, recently of the U.S. State Department, leads the opposition. He argues these poor old men are not the clients a rising big firm wants to represent and the firm should pursue the representation of big business. After a close vote Seeley is allowed to proceed.

What looks straight forward becomes mysterious and complex when Reynoso disappears from New York City.

Seeley travels to Cuba to get the necessary documents signed by the Cubans. With Americans officially barred from direct travel to Cuba he flies to Canada so he can get to Cuba.

He finds in Cuba a faltering socialist state. Corruption is rising and most of the people are very poor. Goldstein provides a vivid portrayal of a country in decay.

Complications arise immediately on his arrival. Powerful shadowy forces are opposed to the return of the music. The strongly principled Seeley persists.

Who knew copyright law could be the subject of a thriller? Goldstein has created an exciting story about the ownership of music. It is a book that melds music, race, international politics and money with copyright law.

Seeley is a talented lawyer but his private demon, alcohol, still taunts him in times of stress.

I can easily understand why Havana Requiem won the 2013 Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction. It is a much better book than The Wrong Man by David Ellis which was the other book on the shortlist I have read.

I appreciate a regular commenter to this blog, kathy d., who encouraged me to read the book.

There are two earlier Michael Seeley books. I am going to have to go find them.

Reflections on Posts in the 2013 Crime Fiction Alphabet Meme

 For the 2013 Crime Fiction Alphabet meme hosted by Kerrie Smith at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise, I decided the post for each letter of the alphabet would have a personal connection for me. The theme proved as interesting as I had hoped.

Among the early letters "B" allowed me to highlight that the three leading writers of mysteries in Saskatchewan all have surnames beginning with the letter "B". Anthony Bidulka, Gail Bowen and Nelson Brunanski all write fine mysteries set in Saskatchewan. Next week I am going to have a review of The Gifted, Gail's newest book in the Joanne Kilbourn Shreeve series.

"C" was the most unique post. It was a review of Showdown at Border Town by Caroline Woodward. It is the third book in the Leaders & Legacies series featuring the adventures of young Canadian Prime Ministers. This book featured a youthful Paul Martin in the vicinity of Windsor, Ontario. What made the book unique is that the author, writing for the YA market, is a teenager from Ottawa who won a contest to write the book.

"F" set me to thinking about Female Fictional Lawyers. It was my most popular post of the Alphabet it had 436 page views. We live in an era where a majority of law school graduates are women. We shall see if become the majority in legal mystery fiction.

When thinking of an "I" post I looked to one of my bookcases where I had a copy of The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton. The simple appearing Father is actually a brilliant investigator drawing on the information shared with him by criminal parishioners. It is hard to see how a rather dumpy cleric solving mysteries with his brains would be published today. He is the opposite of flashy.

At "L" I was able to draw upon my experience as a lawyer to describe Real Legal Fiction. Where readers are accustomed to legal fiction being stories involving lawyers there are real life legal fictions. Examples include corporations, deemed to be individuals so they can own property and carry on business, and child adoption, where children are deemed to be the children of adopting parents.

For "P" I discussed Canadian author Louise Penny becoming one of the movie producers for the adaptation of Still Life, the first book in her Inspector Armand Gamache series. I subsequently wrote a review of the movie which was telecast last month. While I enjoyed the movie I think she should continue to make being an author her career. I am currently reading How the Light Gets In, the just published 9th book in the series.

The book I wished could have been the best in the alphabet was The Third Riel Conspiracy by Stephen Legault. The entry for "T" featured a mystery set at Batoche, about 125 km from where I live, set at the time of the Riel Rebellion in 1885. A book involving the history and geography of my area excited me. The book was alright but I had hoped for more. For a reader wanting to learn of pioneer life in Western Canada and its history the book is worth reading.

The visual images from Red Mandarin Dress by Qiu Xiaolong will stay with me for a long time. The beautiful red Mandarin dresses in which the murder victims were clothed were at the heart of the mystery.

My favourite book came at "Y" with The Shaman's Knife by Scott Young. Matteesie Kitologitak was a larger than life Inuit sleuth I would like to have known better but Young only wrote two mysteries with Matteesie. Life in Arctic Canada comes alive in the books and Matteesie is a lively character.

It has been another interesting 6 month journey through the alphabet. I encourage readers to go to Mysteries in Paradise to read of the posts of other bloggers of the meme.

Links to My Posts in the 2013 Alphabet in Crime Fiction Meme

The 2013 Alphabet in Crime Fiction meme hosted by Kerrie Smith at Mysteries in Paradise ended this week. For each letter of the alphabet I had a personal connection with the post. My posts follow. Please click on the title of the post to be taken to the post:

"A" is for The Red Mass by Rosemary Aubert

"B" is for the Saskatchewan B's

"C" is for Showdown at Border Town by Caroline Woodward

"D" is for Murder One by Robert Dugoni

"E" is for Pierced by Thomas Enger

"F" is for Female Fictional Lawyers

"G" is for Guilty?

"H" is for High Chicago by Howard Shrier

"I" is for The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton

"J" is for As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson

"K" is for In the Shadow of the Law by Kermit Roosevelt

"L" is for Real Legal Fiction

"M" is for Murder at the Mendel by Gail Bowen

"N" is for Alamo, North Dakota by Phil Rustad

"O" is for Over Tumbled Graves by Jess Walter

"P" is for Louise Penny - Movie Producer

"Q" is for In Plain Sight by Tara Taylor Quinn

"R" is for Stranglehold by Robert Rotenberg

"S" is for The Taking of Libbie, SD by David Housewright

"T" is for The Third Riel Conspiracy by Stephen Legault

"U" is for Death of a Swagman (1945) by Arthur Upfield

"V" is for Vodka Doesn't Freeze by Leah Giarratano

"W" is for Guilty Addictions by Garrett Wilson 

"X" is for Red Mandarin Dress by Qiu Xiaolong

"Y" is for The Shaman's Knife by Scott Young

"Z" is for Outburst by R.D. Zimmerman

My next post will discuss some of my favourite letters of the alphabet this year.

Thank you to Kerrie for a meme which has inspired me to reflect and read with regard to crime fiction that I would not have done without participating in the Crime Fiction Alphabet.

New To Me Authors for July to September of 2013

During the 3^rd quarter of 2013 I read the following New to Me Authors in crime fiction:
 

1.) Alamo, North Dakota by Phil Rustad;

2.) The Wrong Man by David Ellis;

3.) In Plain Sight by Tara Taylor Quinn;

4.) Havana Requiem by Paul Goldstein; and,

5.) Vodka Doesn’t Freeze by Leah Giarratano.

In a rare departure from crime fiction I read one new author in general fiction

1.) The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

In non-fiction I read three new authors:

1.) Diefenbaker for the Defence by Garrett Wilson and Kevin Wilson;

2.) The Apprentice – My Life in the Kitchen by Jacques Pepin; and,

3.) Assassins of the Turqouise Palace by Roya Hakakian

With 9 new authors this quarter I have matched the 1^st quarter. The second quarter had 7 new authors.

During the quarter my favourite crime fiction was the legal thriller, Havana Requiem.

From the non-fiction list it was Diefenbaker for the Defence though each of the non-fiction books was excellent. How could I not pick for non-fiction a book about a Saskatchewan lawyer who spent much time in rural courthouses such as Melfort.

My overall favourite was The Silver Linings Playbook. It is a great book.

For more posts on New to Me Authors please go to Kerrie Smith's Blog, Mysteries in Paradise.

“Z” is for Outburst by R.D. Zimmerman

“Z” is for Outburst by R.D. Zimmerman (1998) – Todd Mills is famous in Minneapolis. Not only is he a very successful investigative journalist for WLAK television Todd is one of the city’s best known gay men.

Mysteriously called to the old Stone Arch bridge one night he searches for the anonymous caller who promised him the lead to a blackmail story. As a powerful mid-American thunderstorm crashes down Todd encounters another man who was also summoned to the bridge. Before they can talk another figure appears and shoots the handsome young man Todd has just met on the bridge. As Todd tries to make sense of the scene he dodges a shot and then is knocked unconscious by a falling sign. As he comes to his lover, police detective Steve Rawlins, charges to his side.

At the same time Kris Kenney, formerly known as Christopher Kenney, is coping with thoughts of her future. As a teenager she had lost her testicles in an accident. Later she makes the decision to change genders and is in the midst of the process. Only partly transgendered she finds herself neither a member of the gay nor straight world. She desperately wants to find love.

With Todd on the scene of a murder and even being shot at the producers at the station are in paroxysms of joy. They have an eye catching story that forces other news sources to reference WLAK.

When it turns out the murder victim was also gay the producers are even more excited. Todd is the lead story newscast after newscast.

There are tensions between Rawlins investigating the murder and Todd investigating the story of the murder. While they love each other they are equally passionate about their work.

Rawlins has another level of stress in his life as he is HIV positive. It is an era when he could be out on the force but not open about his HIV status.

Zimmerman does a good job of plausibly connecting Kris / Chris to the investigation.

The investigation requires Todd, Rawlins and Kris / Chris to all consider their sexual orientations and how they fit into current society. The investigation takes everyone into the world of the transgendered.

It is a good book and I am glad I read it. Were it not for needing a “Z” post to finish the Crime Fiction Alphabet meme hosted by Kerrie Smith at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise, I doubt I would have read the book.

I found myself forced to think about presumptions and assumptions in the murder of a gay man. (Oct. 1/13)

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My connection to the book is the city of Minneapolis. I have traveled there numerous times over my adult years. Most recently, Sharon and I were there last January. It is quite easy to get a good deal on hotel rooms in Minneapolis in January.

What Jumps My TBR Line (Queue outside North America)

Looking at my TBR pile, more accurately piles, this evening left me reflecting on my reading plans. I usually have planned out ahead 3-4 books to be read. Yet the plan is not rigid. There are books that jump the line.

As my blog features mysteries from Saskatchewan a new mystery by a Saskatchewan author is put atop the TBR piles.

However, if I am involved in one of the community memes sponsored by Kerrie Smith at her excellent blog, Mysteries in Paradise, reading for the meme will take priority over all else. I am currently taking part in the Crime Fiction Alphabet meme. I wish I could say I stayed several letters ahead in the alphabet in my reading but I am not so disciplined.

In the spring I desperately wanted to read Anthony Bidulka’s new mystery, When the Saints Go Marching In, with his new character, Adam Saint, but I waited a few weeks to keep up with the alphabet.

Right now as “Z” is looming on Sunday I am just keeping up with the letter of the week. It has meant Gail Bowen’s new book, The Gifted, has been waiting since the beginning of the month. I will be reading it next week.

I also jump the line for the Canadian Book Challenge, my only reading challenge. As Canada Day approaches on July 1 usually need 1 or 2 or 3 books to finish the annual commitment of 13.

For individual authors Michael Connelly never waits to be read.

A new John Grisham book will not languish in the pile.

Louise Penny never sinks into the pile though I had reservations about the The Beautiful Mystery.

When I realize I have not read non-fiction for awhile I will forgo the waiting crime fiction for non-fiction. My sons often give me some non-fiction at Christmas. After being asked why I have not read their gifts promptly they now move up the pile. Last Christmas they gave me a copy of Defender of the Realm by William Manchester and Paul Reid. It is the third volume in Manchester’s superb biography of Winston Churchill. I completed the book but have not completed my review. The review will come shortly after the end of the Crime Fiction Alphabet meme.

What does not jump the pile are books on the shortlists for all the crime fiction prizes. After a year in which I have hardly read any of the short lists of major awards for crime fiction I have decided not to press to read those books shortlisted.

As always in my life there is an exception. I have made a personal commitment to read at least 2 of the 3 books on the shortlist for the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction.

After further reflection, with all the line or queue (I do not know why we use line instead of queue in North America) jumpers I realize I really do not really have a line of TBR books. The exceptions outnumber the planned books!

Flying on the Edge of the World in Crime Fiction

A year ago after reading Murder in a Cold Climate by Scott Young, the first book featuring Canadian Arctic sleuth, Matteesie Kitologitak, I put up a post titled Traditional Outdoor Journeys in Crime Fiction. It discussed journeys by dogsled and on foot in vast barely inhabited regions of the world.

My last post was a review of the second book, The Shaman’s Knife, in which Matteesie solved an Arctic crime. In reading that book I was reminded how air travel is the current means of travel on the perimeter of the world.

In the far North it is possible to travel by snowmobile or, for a few, by dogsled but those methods of travel are limited in their range. To travel the great distances across the North an airplane is needed.

To illustrate those distances Matteesie opens the book by flying from Labrador to Ottawa (2,000 km) to Edmonton (3,400 km) to Yellowknife (1,500 km) to Cambridge Bay (850 km) to Sanirarsipaaq (about 250 km to the fictional village) on Victoria Island in the Arctic Ocean. He has covered 8,000 km (5,000 miles). Had he not stopped to visit his injured mother in hospital in Yellowknife he could have made the journey in 3-4 days.

On the flight to Cambridge Bay Matteesie travels with the Court. On the flight are the judge, court staff, Crown prosecutor and defence counsel. I once made a flight into northern Saskatchewan on such a flight. It was a unique experience to have everyone in the justice system travelling together.

Later in the book there is a burial service in Holman. The mourners, including the body, fly in for the burial. Between Cambridge Bay and Holman, both on Victoria Island is a trip of 550 km.

There are no road options. Once past Yellowknife there are effectively no roads beyond winter ice roads. Arctic residents are far more accustomed to flying than their southern Canadian counterparts.

It is the same for the residents of Chukchi (the fictional version of the real life community of Kotzebue) on Alaska’s Northwest coast in the mystery series by Stan Jones with Alaskan State trooper, Nathan Active as the sleuth.

It is a 1,600 km flight between Kotzebue and Anchorage, Alaska. Once again there are no roads on which to make the journey.

In Frozen Sun, when Active flies from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor during the investigation he flies a further 1,600 km. Within the state of Alaska he can travel 3,200 km.

Many of the flights are on smaller planes which are far more impacted by weather than big commercial jets. Matteesie describes a landing in Sanirarsipaaq:

Suddenly the flight got bumpier. O’Kennedy’s voice came on the intercom: “Seat belts! This might get worse. We’re in descent, coming in to land.” For minutes we pitched and yawed around, losing altitude. The mourners gripped their seat arms and hung on. I could see nothing. It was like flying through gray soup. Then suddenly the clouds got wispy and I saw the landing strip feet away, much too close. The engines roared us back up out of there. On the second try we came through the cloud the same way, saw the landing strip about twenty feet away, bumped down, braked like hell, and I realized that I hadn’t been breathing a lot, if at all, in the last few seconds.

Nathan Active, in Shaman Pass, jumps out of a plane onto the snow covered ground from a plane barely moving as it flies into a fierce wind.

Are you ready to go flying in the Great White North?