Finley Peter Dunne

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).
  • Mr Dooley’s Opinions [1901] (London: Heinemann 1902; 1905);
  • Dissertations by Mr. Dooley (NY: Harper & Bros. 1906), 312pp.
  • Mr Dooley in the Hearts of His Countrymen (1909).
  • Mr Dooley Says (London: Heinemann 1910).
  • Mr. Dooley on Making a Will and other Necessary Evils (NY: Scribner's, 1920), vi, 221pp.
  • Mr Dooley at his Best (NY: C. Scribner's Sons 1938), xxvi, 291pp. [also listed as ‘Mr Dooley’ at His Best (1939)].
Reprints
  • Robert Hutchinson, sel. & intro., Mr. Dooley on Ivrything and Ivrybody (NY: Dover Publications 1963)
Microfiche
  • 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.)

See 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).

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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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