Tony Dunbar grew up just outside Atlanta and attended public schools. He bounced in and out of college, spending time registering voters in rural Georgia and Mississippi, and organizing in Appalachia. Eventually, he earned his law degree from Tulane and built a 30-year career in New Orleans, representing banks as an attorney.
On the side, Tony wrote a ten-book mystery series featuring a fictional New Orleans lawyer, Tubby Dubonnet. Tony’s books picked up Edgar and Anthony award nominations along the way.
As Tony says, “Nancy and I moved to Englewood in 2018 and settled on Gottfried Creek, where we got flooded in 2024 and only just moved back home. Between us, we have three kids and, so far, two grandkids.”
He’s also written three “Florida Fables” about Gawain McFarlane, an old-time Sarasota County lawman. In 2024, Tony made a bid for State Representative, which he “luckily lost,” as he puts it, “since I don’t want to live in Tallahassee.”
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A perfect day for me is working outdoors in the woods. I volunteer at two area parks.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is that people will forget how to get along. This is a wonderful country when people listen to each other and quit calling each other names.
What is your greatest extravagance?
My greatest extravagance is a good bottle of wine and dinner at a great restaurant – and we have several in this neighborhood.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
I’d say the most overrated virtue is “prudence.” Acting a little crazy sometimes can be good for your health.
Which living person do you most despise?
“Despise” is a hard word, but Vladimir Putin is right up there.
Which living person do you most admire?
The people I most admire are in heaven, but I’d have to give pretty high marks to Nancy and the kids, all of whom have made great lives and impressive careers for themselves.
Every edition, Englewood REVIEW spotlights someone who stands out in the community. We ask each person to tackle The Proust Questionnaire; a classic set of questions created by Marcel Proust, the French writer.
