In this Living to 100 Club podcast episode, we sit down with Norman Shabel. Norman is an accomplished attorney and author, to delve into his fascinating life story and career. Norman, who is 87 years old, shares his journey from Brownsville, Brooklyn, to Florida, touching on his roles as a prosecutor in New York, an attorney in New Jersey, and a passionate writer. The conversation explores themes of resilience, justice, and the importance of living a fulfilling life.
Topics Discussed
- Norman’s Life Journey: From Brooklyn to Florida, with notable stops in New York and New Jersey.
- Career Highlights: Prosecutor, attorney, and author with a focus on fighting injustice.
- Writing Career: Themes of pursuing a good life and navigating societal institutions.
- Influences and Values: The impact of Norman’s mother on his moral compass and commitment to justice.
- Successful Aging: Norman’s positive attitude, physical exercise, and resilience.
- Challenges and Self-Confidence: Overcoming personal struggles and maintaining self-confidence.
- Living a Fulfilling Life: Embracing positivity and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
Mini Bio
Brooklyn-born, successful New Jersey class-action attorney turned author Norman Shabel has been driven to write ever since he can remember. By the time he was in his twenties he had written several novels. But these ended up stuffed in drawers as he launched his legal career, married and had a family. To date Norman has written 7 plays and 8 novels. Some are written in long-hand, hunched over his desk while waiting for a jury verdict to come in. They all deal with either crime, relatable family dynamics or both.
“Courts are inherently dramatic places, and I guess I saw that connection between law and theater before I even realized it,” Norman has said. His earnest belief is that lawyers need to be good storytellers to engage juries in the “plot” of a case. “You need to hold the interest of a jury if you’re going to win them over, much like the arc of a play or the plot of a novel. If you don’t capture them in the first 20 minutes you may as well go home – and I never like to lose a case or an audience. ”
To date, three of Norman’s plays have been produced off Broadway in NYC, Philadelphia and multiple theaters in South Florida, where he now resides for part of the year. The productions have received wonderful reviews. And there are plans underway for the remainder of the plays to be produced within the next two years. Manuscripts of the plays are available by request.
About His Writings
Norman’s novels are mostly “terrific, fast-paced reads about justice, the dark side of law enforcement, and the judiciary” according to Judge Andrew P. Napolitano. He writes, as only an experienced trial lawyer can. The works are about the ups and downs of the legal system, maintaining the drama of the story without sacrificing the realities of the of the structure. All of his books can be purchased on Amazon and other digital booksellers.
According to Norman, “I’m doing two things that both give my life meaning, I’m a very fortunate man.”
For Our Listeners
Norman’s website: NormanShabel.net