Brain Storm: A Novel: Dooling, Richard: 9780312203993: Amazon.com: Books

Joe Watson is an associate in a prestigious St. Louis law firm when a notorious district court judge assigns him a politically explosive pro bono case--he must defend a bigoted white man accused of killing a deaf black man. Watson's decision to represent his irreputable client in court, rather than wriggle out of the case, outrages his partners and imperils his marriage. Lacking any prior trial experience, Watson depends on Rachel Palmquist, a sexy neuroscientist, and Myrna Schweich, a brash criminal defense attorney, to uncover the truth about the murder.

Print length

416 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Picador
Publication date

March 15, 1999
Dimensions

5.52 x 1.1 x 8.26 inches
ISBN-10

0312203993
ISBN-13

978-0312203993
See all details

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Brain Storm: A Novel
Richard Dooling

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37 global ratings

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Navy46

Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2017

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You'll laugh your you know what off, but there are some profound concepts to ponder here. A very enjoyable book.

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John

Rolick & Frolic - A very satisfying ride

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2022

Fast paced. Well written
Which means it kept my attention...and his wordsmithing funny, frugal..and often enthralling. It's a great Neuroscience primer. And clear behind the scenes look at "Hate Crime", differences between Trials and Appeals
And the real reasons behind legal mumbo jumbo. Thanks Mr Dowling for a great ride

One person found this helpful

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Ian A. MacDonald

stormy weather, no (b)rain

Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 1999

This is a book of ideas more than plot or character--or at least, I get the distinct impression that Richard Dooling is much more interested in ideas than the usual novelistic ideals. The protagonist is a computer savy young lawyer whose life takes a turn when he gets assigned to a hate crime trial. Dooling clearly knows law and presents a lot of clever legal and social thinking diguised as witty dialog. It's interesting that he sets his court scene in the appellate court--this puts his case in a very different light from a jury trial. There's a truely memorable kinky sex scene early on and enough red herrings to feed a seal, but the book didn't gell for me.
And in a real way, the politics of the book are offensive. None of its characters were particularly sympathetic and many were downright repugnant. There's a tendency for some authors to use the N word as a device for setting a gritty, real-world tone. Dooling definitly over-uses this two-edged sword. Moreover, he sets up all this racist sensibility, but never really provides any counter argument. It's like he's saying, "Look at all these racist pigs. Ain't they kooky, but you know, they might just have a point." Whoa! Ya gotta do better than that, Dick.
Despite all my misgivings, I found myself enjoying the pace of the book, the original humor, and some of the turns of plot. Read it with a grain of salt. When it rains, it pours.

6 people found this helpful

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Doubting Thomas

Hilarious, thoughtful, first rate

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 1998

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Here is a book with everything. A fast-moving legal thriller. A biting satire on the legal system that had me laughing so loudly my wife wondered what was going on. And a thoughtful look at two serious issues: what are hate crimes anyway, and are hate and violent behavior just a little problem with some grey cells out of place. Don't know why this book isn't on the best seller list; it is fresh, original and readable.

3 people found this helpful

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Brian O'Kelley

Hard to stomach

Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2001

Dooling makes a decent attempt at a philosophical take on the way that modern science perceives the self and the soul in the guise of a legal thriller. It seems that his extensive research into brain scanning technologies left him little time to clean up the rest of the book.
There are a number of irritating inaccuracies throughout the book, and it is hard to fathom why it is necessary to give a character the "600 mhz Pentium VI" instead of a computer that actually exists. Descriptions of search engines and web surfing technology have similar flaws.
Worse than these details, the plot seems to be pulled from a manual on deus ex machina. The lawyers and judges are pulled from prototypes, and those looking for the subtle word play that makes legal fiction so fun will be sadly disappointed. The underlying crime is so far-fetched, and the odds so against the protagonist, that every extreme must be reached for the book to achieve a happy ending. After about three implausible plot turns - and I have nothing against an exciting plot twist, when somewhat feasible through human nature, or even good luck - it was hard to take the book seriously at all.

2 people found this helpful

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Stephen A. Haines

Neuronal advocate

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2003

...Dooling has made a serious attempt to show how poorly the law reflects the workings of the human mind. Changes must be made and the changes must be based on firmer understanding.
A story of a struggling lawyer isn't unusual, although this one is tempered by a grasping wife and her Big Money father, a lush suburban house and a position with the city's leading law firm. The case itself seems simple. A vocal racist is accused of murdering a "African American" [the "scare quotes" are an essential facet of this book] - who happens to be deaf. There are heavy implications in this event, not the least of which is conviction for a provable "hate crime" invokes the death sentence. How is a young lawyer, with neither criminal law nor trial experience to cope with the enormity of this situation?
The legal issues are more than words in the statute books. Dooling's knowledge of science and technology introduces some fresh twists. The circumstances, convoluted enough, become even more intricate as Joe Watson becomes mired in trying to understand the new "hate" legislation permeating American law. How is "hate" defined? As he researches the case, he meets neuroscientist Rachel Palmquist [whose name becomes an essential factor in their relationship]. Palmquist tries to educate Watson on the latest findings in human cognition as part of her efforts to seduce him. Watson is better at cognition than seduction, as you will likely be as you follow her lectures on why we lack free will and what happens when electrodes are used to stir emotions. All this cognitive studies material is, of course, the basis for the book's title.
The issue in this story isn't attorney Watson's struggles with morality nor the respective merits of corporate or criminal law. What's really at stake is how the law defines and treats "hate" crimes and other politically correct issues. Dooling's point is what laws are now on the books and the prospects for future legislation. He wants proposed laws to consider the recent advances in behaviour studies. Can the cure be implemented before the symptoms come to light? Dooling, through his projection Watson, examines the science, the implications and the possible outcomes. We are shown how some of the studies are done, not always a pleasant vista, but with human and legal implications. Reading this book, it's easy to dismiss Watson as an over-focused simpleton. When you realize he's speaking for lawyer Dooling, however, who likely went through much of the introspection Watson relates, this book gains in importance as a social statement. Dooling uses several good sources for material for this book, although you have to go to his web site to discover who they are.
Dooling has given us an entertaining view of law and science brought in conjunction. How good a job he's done depends on your tastes. This is certainly not escapist crime fiction. His concentration on legal and neuroscience issues far outweighs the specific crime involved. His characters try fervently to express the many concepts this book deals with, but fall short of the mark. The one success is Federal Judge Stang, whose seniority and astute understanding of law and lawyers make him the star of the book. If you want "mysteries", go elsewhere. ...Dooling's ideas and discussions of practical issues, however, are an excellent start in either direction. Read it, but don't stop here.

6 people found this helpful

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C. DIXON

My favorite novel of recent years.

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2009

This was my first encounter with Richard Dooling and was not my last. I've read each of his books and look forward to more. This is atill my favorite and I have read it several times over the years.
He tackles difficult subjects here and does it with wit and courage. Far more than a legal thriller, this novel explores the a schism in the American psyche as relates to hate crimes and the unintended consequences of legislating morality.

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