Life
b. 1867, Chicago; The Dooley Books, 1901-10, being 8 novels; Created
a simple sage. Poss. infl. on Joyce’s ‘Dooleysprudence’.
Dict. of American Biography gives author’s dates 1867-1936; orig.
in Times-Herald, where he worked 1892-97. IF ODQ OCIL
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Works
Mr. Dooley in Peace and in War (Boston: Small, Maynard 1898), xviii,
260pp., and Do. [7th edn.] (London: 1906); Mr. Dooley in the
Hearts of his Countrymen (Boston: Small, Maynard 1899), xi, 285pp.,
and Do. (London: Heinemann 1909); Mr. Dooley’s Philosophy
(NY: R. H. Russell 1900), 263pp., ill. by William Nicholson, E.W. Kemble,
F. Opper; and Do. (London; Heinemann 1901); Dissertations by
Mr. Dooley (NY: Harper & Bros. 1906), 312pp.; Mr. Dooley on Making
a Will and other Necessary Evils (NY: Scribner's, 1920), vi, 221pp.;
Robert Hutchinson, sel. & intro., Mr. Dooley on Ivrything and Ivrybody (NY: Dover Publications 1963); Mr Dooley at his Best (NY: C.
Scribner's Sons 1938), xxvi, 291pp. Also, Mr. Dooley and the Chicago
Irish: The Autobiography of a Nineteenth-century Ethnic Group (Washington
CUA: 1987), rep. [as Do.] (Ann Arbor: UMI Books on Demand 1996).
Other edns. incl. Mr Dooley’s Opinions [1901] (London: Heinemann 1902; 1905); Mr Dooley in the Hearts of His Countrymen (1909); Observations by Mr Dooley (London: Heinemann [q.d.]); Dissertations by Mr Dooley (London; Harper [n.d.]); Mr Dooley Says (London: Heinemann 1910). Also ‘Mr Dooley’ at His Best (1939).
Microfiche: Wright American Fiction [microfiche], Vol. 3 (1876-1900), Reel D-42, No.1679: Mr. Dooley in peace and in war (1898) [Wright, no.1679]; Mr. Dooley in the Hearts of his Countrymen (1899) [D-42, No. 1680]; Mr. Dooley's Philosophy (1900) [D-43, No. 1681].
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Criticism
Charles Fanning, Finley Peter Dunne & Mr. Dooley: The Chicago Years
(Kentucky UP [1978]), x, 286pp., ills. & maps. See also study of Dunne
by Francis Hackett in New Republic (q.d.)
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References
Oxford Dict. Quot: bio-dates 1867-1936, gives ‘They
love th’eagle,’ he says, ‘on th’ back iv a dollar.’,
from Mr Dooley in Peace and War, Oratoory [sic] on Politics.
Stephen Brown, ed., Ireland in Fiction (Dublin: Maunsel 1919), lists seven Dooley titles a gen. summary of the series as ‘The Dooley Books’, Mr Dooley in Peace and War [7th edn.] (Routledge 1906); Mr Dooley’s Philosophy (Heinemann 1901); Mr Dooley’s Opinions (Heinemann 1905); Mr Dooley in the Hearts of His Countrymen ([n.pub.] 1909); Observations by Mr Dooley (Heinemann [n.d.]); Dissertations by Mr Dooley (Harper [n.d.]); Mr Dooley Says (Heinemann 1910); all characterised as a series of fictitious conversations purporting to take place over the counter of his bar at Archey Rd., in seedy Irish quarter of Chicago between Dooley and Hennessy; Dooley is ‘traveller, historian, social observer, saloon-keeper, economist, and philsopher’ who has not been out of the ward ‘but twixt’ for 25 years; broad brogue; no ridicule on Irish character; view of politics wholly at variance with that coming from English Press [Brown, citing Dunne]. IF2 adds ‘Mr Dooley’ at His Best (1939).
Whelan Books (Cat. 32) lists Mr Dooley’s Opinions (Heinemann 1902).
Belfast Central Library holds Mr. Dooley in Peace and War (1899); Mr. Dooley’s Opinions (1901).
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Quotations
‘On Heroes and History’: ‘The further ye get fr’m
any period the better ye can write about it. Ye are not subject to interruptions
by people that were there.’ (Cited in C. C. O’Brien, The
Great Melody, 1992, p.lii; no source.)
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Notes
Lady Gregory’s Journal (Oct 1920), records that the
British national anthem, ‘God Save the King’, reminds her of
‘the Afghan in Mr Dooley’s “Journals of the Olympic Games”
saying as he hears it, “I don’t know the name of that chune
but it’s mighty like the one they were playing the time they chased
me grandfather through the streets of Cabul!’ (See Lucy McDiarmid
reviewing Laurence and Grene, Shaw, Lady Gregory and the Abbey,
1993, in Irish Lit. Suppl., Spring 1994, pp.4-6.)
James Joyce, giving expression to his abstention from wartime passions, wrote a ballad to the title “Dooleysprudence” (see Richard Ellmann, James Joyce, 1959).
Peter Finley Dunne, Jnr., presumably a son and namesake, is an author on international religion and spirituality.
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