Author John Wood’s New Book, "From Shiftless to Shifty: My Forty-Six Years as a Public Defender," Explores the Author’s Career Working as a Criminal Defense Lawyer

St Petersburg, FL, January 27, 2026 --(PR.com)-- John Wood, a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School who practiced criminal defense law in the District and Superior Courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts before retiring, has completed his new book, “From Shiftless to Shifty: My Forty-Six Years as a Public Defender”: a captivating memoir that follows the author through nearly fifty years of work as a criminal defense attorney, and the lasting life lessons that remained with him along the way.

In “From Shiftless to Shifty,” author John Wood describes his time of practicing law in the criminal courts for forty-six years. Beginning with his training and background from his traditional law school education, Wood’s story is told with humor and compassion for the clients he represented. During the course of his career, the author learned how to successfully navigate the criminal courts, and he describes how the legal community responded to his evolving and sometimes unorthodox manner of dealing with his cases.

“When I first started this project, I wanted to write something serious—something deep,” writes Wood. “I wanted it to be about punishment, about justice, about being merciful. Maybe character studies of a few of the many individuals I represented over so many years as a public defender. As I wrote down these ponderous thoughts, I found that what bubbled up instead was a sense of a certain loopiness in the whole thing, which forced itself into my thoughts, and that is what I imagine is reflected in these pages.”

Published by Newman Springs Publishing, John Wood’s engaging story follows the author as he takes on the shibboleths of the legal world in his own unique way, and provides a fascinating account of law practice from his slightly irreverent viewpoint. In addition to stories about his practice, he has included several chapters in which he walks the reader through the many stages of representing a client in a criminal matter, making this a must-read for anyone interested in pursuing a career in law or exploring behind the scenes of the courtroom.

Readers who wish to experience this enlightening work can purchase “From Shiftless to Shifty: My Forty-Six Years as a Public Defender” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Newman Springs Publishing at 732-243-8512.

About Newman Springs Publishing:

Newman Springs Publishing is a full-service publishing house for serious authors. Each title produced by Newman Springs Publishing undergoes every step of the professional publishing process, including editing, layout, cover design, circulation, distribution, and publicity. All titles are made available in both eBook and print formats. Newman Springs Publishing distributes to tens of thousands of retail outlets throughout North America and internationally. All manuscripts in any genre are welcome to be submitted for review; If the manuscript meets the necessary criteria and is accepted for publication, Newman Springs Publishing will work closely with the author to bring the book to the retail market for a relatively inexpensive initial investment.