The Last Word

David Baldacci ’86 recently visited the Law School to talk about his career path from lawyer to international bestselling author and his new novel, “A Calamity of Souls.”

Baldacci, whose writing career took off with “Absolute Power” in 1996, is also writing a new chapter for some students. Through a $1.5 million donation, he is endowing a scholarship, public service summer fellowship and public service loan forgiveness fund in his name.

What inspired your latest book? 

Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, during the Civil Rights Era made a huge impact on me. I started writing “A Calamity of Souls” on Christmas Day in 2012. I did the first 150 pages by hand in a journal that my wife gave me as a present. Then I set it aside for nearly a decade, continually going back to it and wondering if I had the capacity to finish it. Finally, seeing how the country was going at many levels, I felt the story still had relevance. So I spent the last two years finishing it. It’s autobiographical in many ways, and that is a humbling endeavor for any writer, particularly one used to producing fiction.

How did you have time to write as a young lawyer starting out? Did your legal training help?

I’d been writing since I was a child. When I was at UVA Law School, I remember being back in my apartment trying to write short stories while my classmates were sensibly trying out for law review and moot court. It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do with my life. Being a lawyer certainly helped that cause. The only arrows in my quiver as an attorney were words. And as a lawyer, I was a storyteller. I had the same trial record as the other side, but I had to fashion creative arguments and polemics that would convince a judge or jury to consider my version the most plausible. Plus, the business background that I gained from practicing has served me well in doing my own publishing and film deals.

We heard you called on the UVA Law Library and others for help with your latest book. What did they assist with? 

The UVA Law Library staff were able to find a rules of evidence publication as well as a litigator’s courtroom and investigation procedural reference work from around the time period the book was set, which was enormously helpful. In addition, Emeriti Professors Richard Bonnie and Mildred Robinson read an early draft and provided valuable and insightful feedback.

What’s a fond memory of your time from law school?

When I studied the UCC [the Uniform Commercial Code], I did an old-fashioned version of a spreadsheet. Namely, I taped 20 or so pages of copy paper together and worked out how each UCC article worked with and flowed into the next. When I went to the library, I would unroll it across the floor and my study mate and I would use it to prepare for class and exams.

My first day of school, my car wouldn’t start, so I had to walk hauling all of my books. I went through neighborhoods to get there, since Route 29 was not pedestrian-friendly. I got hopelessly lost, got directions from multiple people I passed and ran the last half-mile or so, spurred on by my having been told that if you didn’t show they would give your seat to someone on the waitlist. [He made it to class with 10 minutes to spare.]

Which of your books would you recommend for the UVA Law audience, and why?

“A Calamity of Souls” and “The Simple Truth.” Both are law-dominated and have lawyers as main characters.

Why did you want to give to UVA Law? What do you hope your gift will do?

I give to UVA Law because a law degree can be used for so many different endeavors that can positively impact society. People joke that we already have too many lawyers. That may be the case in some ways, but in other ways I feel we don’t have enough lawyers using their degrees to push for actions, precedents and laws that can help millions realize better lives and thereby uplift society as a whole. A high bar indeed, but why not shoot for the stars? I hope my gifts funding scholarships, and stipends and debt forgiveness for those going into public-sector careers, will help to push such an agenda forward. My family is a constant, gentle reminder of what truly matters.