Book Description

Biography of Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Interesting but no more
If you are interested in his work and thoughts and not very interested in his personal characteristics and when he did what this book is probably not for you. Thoroughly researched though.

The best Ingersoll Biography
The best (albeit the ONLY) biography I've ever read on Ingersoll. Anyone with more than just a pssing interest in RGI should read this. Not too long, but long enough to introduce this great man to those of us who will never have the pleasure of meeting him in the flesh.

The infidels' "man for all seasons"
This biography is well researched and well written.It covers Robert Ingersoll's life and the progression of his beliefs from his Christian upbringing, through his role as America's preeminent freethinker / atheist.The book shows Ingersoll's brillance in causing others to think for themselves in matters of religion, and explaining his reasons for challenging the Bible and Judaic-Christian orthodoxy. Ingersoll is also shown to have been an outstanding lawyer,political strategist, husband, father, friend, patriot,benefactor, and citizen. He lived his beliefs.

The book shows how the theologians of the time attacked him personally, when they could not combat his ideas on the merits. He was a pioneer of atheistic apologetics, and he paved the way for subsequent like minded people to be able to exercise their rights of free speech on topics which, prior to his efforts, would have exposed them to imprisonment for blasphemy. This biography covers the nation's presidential politics from Lincoln through McKinley. I enjoyed the book and will read it again.

Extraodinary patriot.
Robert Ingersoll stood up to the religious fanatasizm of the 19th century and turned his clear thinking eloquence into a sword. No one in this century has equaled his stand against the ignorance and intolerance of religious conservatism. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A Powerful Reminder of Christian Faith and Community
Born Again is a somewhat trite title, but the contents of the book are not so. There are so many biographies out there that are lists of events and facts that surround a person; this is not one of them. Colson explains to you what is happening in his mind and heart. It is not merely a book about his conversion, it is the story of the changing of his heart.

Throughout the story, you see the power of God working, not only in Colson, but in the lives of the people around him. I sometimes wonder if Colson painted too bright a picture of the Christians he met like Doug Coe and Tom Phillips, but even if he did, those lights are surely what Colson saw in the midst of his darkness. The changing power of God was evident in them in this work, as was the power in him. Also evident was the power of Christian community that is often lacking in the church. Hughes' offering that the bonds of Christianity overrided their political separation and that he would be willing to give Chuck anything and trust him with it was a powerful statement.

I read this book years ago and found it good. Having grown and come back to reread it, I found it better. It is very much worth reading.

Could anything good come of Watergate?
It's been 30 years since the events of Watergate started making history. A whole generation has grown up largely unaware, I suspect, of the significance of those events. I've followed Chuck Colson's work and writing almost since the beginning of Prison Fellowship and have developed a tremendous respect for the man. But only recently have I bothered to go back and read this book which tells how it all got started. I should not have waited so long.

This is the very inspiring and honest story of Colson's early career as chief counsel, confidant and friend to President Richard Nixon. As an insider, he gives his own account of the Watergate scandal and an honest confession of his own wrongdoings. This is also the story about how God can change the life of a man caught up in the corrupting influence of political power and bring great good out of evil. Since he was not directly involved in the Watergate doings, Colson probably could have easily avoided being convicted and sent to prison. But his encounter with Jesus Christ and conversion to Christianity strengthened his conscience and led him to plead guilty to an unrelated crime that he did commit. He went to prison and saw a different side of the "law and order" society that the Nixon Administration sought to promote. Even through the fear and despair of those times, the power of God became even more evident to Chuck Colson while in prison.

This is an amazing account of how a life submitted to Jesus Christ can reconcile enemies, create strong bonds of friendship, and heal terrible wounds in the hearts of both the rich and powerful and the poor and helpless. It's wonderful to read. If this book has an impact on you, then you will also want to read its sequel, "Life Sentence".

What First Amendment?
These people are frightening!

Politics, government, law and spiritual discovery
This book is timeless. What transpired in the Nixon era is no different than what surely happens with every administration: legal issues, political adversaries, government policy and more. When you finish it, the odds are great that you'll want to pass it on to a friend!

Refreshing, encouraging, and uplifting
If ever a gust of fresh air wafted out of the smog of Watergate, the story of Christ coming into the life of Chuck Colson has to be part of it. I loved this book. It is a simple, quick, and uplifting read. Colson rejected a full scholarship to Harvard on a matter of principle, and his grittiness, perseverance, and humbling transformation shine as examples of God's artistic handiwork. As other readers have mentioned, Colson is extremely forthright and honest, both in recounting his pre-Christian mentality and his post-conversion weaknesses. He does so to the point of making himself vulnerable and willingly so. I so much appreciate that decision, as I am sure do many others. He details the "obvious" at the risk of seeming simplistic, if only because those simple observations stuck with him and impacted him. One clear example can be found upon his entry to the prison at Maxwell Air Base: "Not only were all uniforms the same drab brown; so were the expressions on the faces. Something strange here. Then it struck me--no one was smiling." This is a fine book and worth reading. One final excerpt to encourage you: "My new friend then handed me a copy of the Phillips version of the New Testament, inscribed: To Charles--It is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail--God bless you! Doug. Matthew 6:33. How those words were to haunt and lead me in the days to come!" ... Read more

Book Description

By turns hilarious and horrifying, Double Billing is a clever and sobering expose of the legal profession. Writing with wit and wisdom, Cameron Stracher describes the grueling rite of passage of an associate at a major New York law firm. As Stracher describes, Harvard Law School may have taught him to think like a lawyer, but it was his experience as an associate that taught him to behave--or misbehave--like one. Double Billing is a biting glimpse into the world of corporate law from the perspective of the low man on the totem pole.

As the author vividly describes, law school may teach you how to think like a lawyer, but it's being an associate that teaches you how to behave like one. Or misbehave. Stracher doesn't mince words about the duplicitous behavior and flagrant practices of many lawyers in his firm, which is one of the premier partnerships in America.

In a stylish and witty manner that has earned him comparison to an early Philip Roth, Stracher does for the legal profession what Michael Lewis's Liars' Poker did for the financial industry. The result is a tell-all glimpse into the cutthroat world of corporate law from the perspective of the low man on the totem pole.

In Double Billing, Cameron Stracher reveals a shocking nonfiction account of the ordeal of a young associate at a major Wall Street law firm. Fresh out of Harvard Law School, Stracher landed a coveted position at a high-powered corporate law firm and thus began his grueling years as an associate, a dreaded rite of passage for every young attorney. Only about five percent survive long enough to achieve the Holy Grail of partnership in the firm.

As the author vividly describes, law school may teach you how to think like a lawyer, but it's being an associate that teaches you how to behave like one. Or misbehave. Stracher doesn't mince words about the duplicitous behavior and flagrant practices of many lawyers in his firm, which is one of the premier partnerships in America.

In a stylish and witty manner that has earned him comparison to an early Philip Roth, Stracher does for the legal profession what Michael Lewis's Liars' Poker did for the financial industry. The result is a tell-all glimpse into the cutthroat world of corporate law from the perspective of the low man on the totem pole.

... Read more

Reviews (39)

An absolute MUST READ for all law students and young lawyers
OK, so we all didn't go to Harvard and few of us went straight from school into a blue chip NYC law firms - but it is exhilarating to read this very intimate memoir of some one who did AND lived to tell about it. The book starts with the splash of cold water culture shock the author feels in his first days at his new firm (C & C) and how the crush of the work is in such contrast to his experience when he had "summered" there working during law school where he did little work and was taken out to lunch each day. You get the sense of how lost Stracher felt as assignments came from all angles, or worse some time, none at all, sending off the dreaded feeling of not making his hours. The author is candid about the feelings of competitiveness that dominate a new associate's thoughts, and he watches his peers carefully to make sure he is on the right pace. Some of his frustrations will make you smile: his inability to get a new chair when his old one breaks, his dilemna over wanting to leave work to see his girlfriend at night but staying late just to keep up with the Joneses, and the time he spends an entire weekend prepping a case file only to learn, come Monday, that the case settled Friday and no one told him. And as his enthusiasm for the work fades, the great money keeps him going, until some point after a year and half, he prepares to call it quits. The message of how anonymous Stracher felt at the big firm, his work unnoticed by the partners, comes to a head when he wins a 5K race against competitors from other firms, which is reported in the local papers, and elevates him to celebrity status at the firm, earning the praise of senior partners who previously had not known of his existence. As a young lawyer at a large firm, I find that Stracher outlines the essentials very well: the firm setup, the hierarchy between the clericals, the paralegals, the associats, and the Oz-like partners, and the difficulties in really enjoying your work when your work means so little. The author teases us with hints of some illicit romance within the firm, but never dabbles in the temptations himself. My only complaint is that the book ends as though the author just ran out of time, and without ruining the ending, I'll just say that it was a satisfying and scathing expose of big firm life for young associates.

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
After 20 years in the legal profession, I can assure you that this is, without a doubt, the most accurate book about the way things really are in law firms. I got into law because the guys on TV were always in the courtroom. Little did I know that the first year of practice means 20 hours a day in the library, 7 days a week. The second year means graduating to reviewing 100,000 documents which "may" have something to do with the case, but probably don't. Even the partners who do a lot of courtroom work (based on the research, writing, and busywork of the lower echelon) are not in the courtroom as often as Perry Mason.

If you are looking for a classic courtroom thriller of the John Grisham/Steve Martini variety, this isn't it. What it is, is the perfect gift for that person who wants to go to law school. Once they read the unvarnished truth, instead of the drama, they will probably change their career goals. Real-life civil litigation isn't Ally McBeal, it isn't L.A. Law ... it's boring and stressful. Stracher is the first attorney to tell the truth about it.

A must-read for all future and current law students.

Interesting Read for those Interested in "Big Law"
Overall this is a good book. It gives an inside look at the inner workings of a large law firm and the demands such a firm puts on new associates. For non-lawyers the book will probably seem a little dry because a lot of the text is used to detail certain research activities that just are not all the exciting. All in all I think it's worth buying.

Don't be disillusioned
Maybe I'm one out of a million, but I work in a reasonably big firm and although no job is perfect, most of the picture this book paints is foreign to me. Sure, there is pressure to bill. However, I was awarded important cases, with supervision, as soon as I proved my ability. Then, in due time, I had much less supervision. I receive respect and confidence from the partners in my firm - which I credit to them more than to myself. I am a woman being paid more than the male associates (after establishing a winning record), have a beautiful home, and I now work about 40 to 45 hours a week with generous time off. There are months with much more pressure, depending on deadlines, but overall, I smile everyday to pull into our parking garage. There are no cliques in our firm and I feel fulfilled. I did work temporarily for a firm that was more similar to the firm described by this book and its reviewers, but for new lawyers or lawyers stuck in firms from hell, don't lose hope. My job is less time consuming (albeit more stressful) than my jobs were prior to law school and I'm making roughly 800% more. Don't let this book shape your goals. After reading the reviews, I think I'll make this review anonymous so my firm won't realize how good I have it!!!

Still Want to be a Big-Firm-Big-City Attorney?
Prior to law school I read this book, and I must say I was convinced from the getgo that becoming a big-firm-lawyer was not my style. On the other hand, the kid who recommended this book not only loved it, but became a big firm lawyer himself. Make no mistake, this is only one guy's assessment of one law particular firm. The book is very well-written, very candid, and very fun and enjoyable. If you are a law student considering a big firm, this book is fantastic. If you are non-lawyer looking to learn about big-firm lawyer, note that this book does not represent all big firms. If all you know about the law is from watching "The Practice," skip this book and enjoy your show. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (17)

This book is a must read for anyone US legal history!
John Marshall defined American law, politics and power. This book paints a vivid picture of who Marshall was, and why he is still important today. The author does an excellent job stating the facts and letting the reader decide for her/himself whether or not Marshall did the right or wrong in the very important decisions he made. This book is enlightening and well written. Marshall's life is wonderfully told through the authors use of clear and concise writing. This book is excellent. It clarifies many misconceptions of this great man who came out of a generation that claims many great men. Marshall may be the least understood of them all, but he certainly is no less important than any of his contemporaries in forming and defining the United States of America.

Mike
This is a good read about a fascinating individual. John Marshall is clearly one of the most underrated shapers of our country and this book goes a long way in providing the texture and context of his life. The author does a good job of balancing history with legal scholarship and I believe that this is worthwhile for both the "lay-man" and the "law-man". I did believe that the author abridged the content a bit too much at times(for example, he did not cover Marshall's point of view on the Declaration of Independence or Articles of Confederation, and he covered the last 12 years of Marshall's life as Chief Justice in less than 50 pages), but overall, it was a solid investment of my time.

Complete picture of Marshall the man, not just the jurist
This is one of the best biographies I have read in recent years. While Marshall is best remembered today as the great Chief Justice and the originator of the notion of judicial review, Smith very much shows that there was more to the man, both public & private, than the few nuggets we all got in our Intro to American History classes.

In fact, the bulk of the book deals not with Marshall's 35 years on the bench, but with his other activities as a soldier, politician, diplomat and Secretary of State. One is left with profound admiration for Marshall's political skills while in Congress and in the Cabinet. As a moderate Federalist from Virginia, Marshall was in a tight spot, to say the least. His state was increasingly dominated with Jeffersonian Republicans who had little trust for the man, but on the other hand, the High Federalists from New England were more than a little suspicious of any Virginian, even one of their own party. Smith portrays a skillful politician & deal-maker who is able to walk deftly between the two camps and actually managed to get a few things done. One cannot help but wonder if the Federalist Party might have survived if Marshall had been at its helm or had been a Federalist candidate for president.

Marshall's time as a diplomat, spent in France during the years of the Directorate, also reveal him to be a canny negotiator who was more than equal to the task of dealing Talleyrand, the ultimate conniver of his time. Despite his somewhat rustic origins, Marshall was quite capable of adapting to the surroundings of the most cosmopolitan city in Europe, but without yielding to the corruption expected by the French bureaucracy.

All of this work by Smith shows that Marshall did not enter the Chief Justice's chair as a blank slate --- in fact, he already had a lifetime's experience in a myriad of different professions, and this no doubt contributed in large part to his great influence on the Court's development. I would suspect that his background is more impressive and varied than any of the Chief Justices that have succeeded him.

Unlike a lot of judicial histories, Smith does not get bogged down in the minutiae of the court decisions. In fact, relatively little time is spent discussing the decisions themselves, except for those that truly could be considered definitive. 35 years of court decisions could easily have made this an unworkable biography for Smith, who spends more time examining how Marshall, using his experience as a diplomat & legislator, was able to lead the court effectively and get it to render, for the most part, unanimous decisions.

Although Marshall & Thomas Jefferson were well-known as cousins who had a very strong mutual dislike of each other, Smith does not beat the reader over the head with this fact. Nor does Smith, despite his obvious partiality for Marshall, engage in excessive Jefferson-bashing. If anything, he gives Jefferson the benefit of the doubt, particularly in regards to the 1805 impeachment of Justice Chase. Smith regards the affair as being largely the making of rogue Congressional Republicans such as John Randolph of Roanoke (another cousin), although many historians believe that Jefferson had a much greater hand in instigating the affair.

The most Smith will criticize Jefferson on is his capacity for self-delusion, particularly where it concerned the Supreme Court. Jefferson came to regard the Marshall Court as an instrument of the Federalists, despite the fact that 5 of the 7 justices were Republican appointees. I find this to be an amusing parallel to modern-day criticism of the Court by some pundits, who view it as dominated by liberals --- despite the fact that 7 of the 9 justices have been appointed by Republican presidents. Evidently, some things never change.

This would also be a useful book for those critics of the court who feel that justices are too politically involved these days. A study of Court's history shows that rarely have the justices been political eunuchs, and certainly Marshall was no exception. Many of his decisions on the court, although he was careful not to run amok with judicial authority, were calculated as parries to the thrusts to various political extremists such as Spencer Roane (who, like most of the states'-rights crowd, comes off quite badly in this book, as Smith portrays him as being hopelessly out of step with the nations' evolution). Marshall as much as anyone was responsible for defining the notion that the federal government ultimately has authority over the respective states in national matters, a notion that would be put to the test a quarter century after Marshall's death.

Not only is this an informative book, but it is also very well-written and engaging. Do not let the 700+ pages daunt you, as the narrative flows quite briskly and will not bog the reader down. For most of us who know only know Marshall in connection with Marbury vs Madison, there is a lot more to the man than that --- this book will more than fill in the blank spaces.

History at its best
I have read a critique of this book that stated the author was obviously biased towards the person of John Marshall. In a day when few politicians stand for what they believe in, it is easy for one to be cynical. Maybe, just maybe, John Marshall was a man who lived his life in a consistent manner. Jean Edward Smith has written one of the best biographies of this period of US history. It is amazing what impact John Marshall has had on our lives even today.

Where is his bill?
'Definer of a Nation" is by far the most accurate and succinct description of John Marshall. He is best known for creating the idea of judicial review which finished the circle of checks and balances in American government. He is also, without a doubt, one of the most capable and visionary legal and political thinkers to walk the earth.

This much is established without the assistance of Smith's book. What is done is a flushing of the character of Marshall. It is carried out brilliantly throughout, melding commentary with firsthand sources seamlessly. You get an idea of the person Marshall was from his hand, with Smith filling in what would be understood by the audience of intended by the Justice.

Not only is this a supurb documentary of the life of one of the most important figures in American history, but is also extremely entertaining. If you read it, you will never again have to think about how to answer the question 'if you could have a conversation with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?" ... Read more

Book Description

Jim Rogan was born to a single mother -- a cocktail waitress who was later convicted of welfare fraud; his bartender-father abandoned them both before he was born. After a rough-and-tumble childhood in San Francisco's hardscrabble Mission District -- where he was raised by his colorful extended family -- he became a political junkie at the age of nine, and once received help with his homework from Harry Truman. But Rogan traveled with a tough circle of friends; after years of borderline delinquency he was expelled from high school, became a porn theater bouncer, and then a bartender at a strip joint and a Hell's Angels bar. Along the way, a young Arkansas politician advised him to study law and become a member of a different kind of bar.

In time Rogan scrapped his way through college and law school. He was appointed a Los Angeles County DA, prosecuting members of the notorious Crips and Bloods gangs; then became a judge, a state legislator, and finally a congressman from Southern California. And in 1998, as a Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee, he found himself prosecuting the impeachment of the President of the United States -- Bill Clinton, the same Arkansas politician who advised him to go into law and politics two decades earlier.

Rough Edges is a rarity among Washington tales: full of outrageous stories, wild humor, pull-no-punches candor, and downright fun. Replete with character and characters, and told in Rogan's engaging and unswervingly frank voice, Rogan's story is certainly the most freewheeling -- and perhaps the most honest -- political memoir ever written.

Reviews (4)

Like Saul of Tarsus
Mr. Rogan like Saul of Tarsus, undergoes an remarkable and intriguing transformation into a great American and moral patriot.

This story is a must read and remarkable as a contrast to many of the milquetoast characters in current American politics.

Democrats should read this book (but, sadly, probably won't)
There was probably a time in America where the level of political discourse and thought was fair-minded enough that a person like James Rogan would have been respected by both sides of the political spectrum. Sadly, if those days ever existed, they're long gone (e.g., Farenheit 911 on the Left, Rush Limbaugh on the Right), so I doubt that Mr. Rogan's book will be read by those who don't share his political views (with the notable exception of Willie Brown).

That's a shame, because Mr. Rogan's rags-to-riches / 'Horatio Alger' story is a refreshing counter-example to two prep school / Ivy Leaguers battling over who supposedly has the best interest of ordinary Americans in mind and the recent celebration of hyper-privileged spoiled rich brats (e.g., Paris Hilton, et al.) that has polluted popular culture. James Rogan had a hardscrabble upbringing - single mother who was what many of his Republican colleagues would have called a 'welfare queen,' bounced around various relatives, growing up in what was then a rough neighborhood, and hanging out with a motley crew of characters that wouldn't be welcomed in the thousands of dollars a plate or seat fundraising event for either party. Inspired to go to school and pull himself up by the bootstraps by none other than Bill Clinton (yes, the ex-President), he went to a state school with the highest representation of working class/poor students among major universities, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).

Ironically -- or appropriately (depending on what political movement you believe best represents the interests and aspirations of those who hover around the lower middle class) -- James Rogan became a conservative Republican congressman who went on to help prosecute Bill Clinton during the impeachment proceedings. The road to that role as a prosecutor was paved with his work in the Los Angeles D.A.'s office prosecuting notorious street gangs like the Bloods and the Crips.

The impeachment of Clinton proved to be a phyrric victory for Rogan. His 'success' made him the target of the vast left wing conspiracy (if Bill and Hillary can make paranoid claims without much challenge, I suppose the James Rogans of the world are entitled to as well) and he was voted out of office. [By the way, Rogan's congressional district includes Glendale, CA. I did NOT vote for him (I was living in the East Coast during most of his tenure, and moved here after Rogan was voted out of office.)]

I'm NOT a Republican. I did not think that impeaching Clinton was a great idea. But having said all of that, Rogan's story is so interesting, thought-provoking, and (yes this description will be repeated for the umpteenth time) inspirational that people should put down their particular political/policy prejudices and just enjoy this uniquely American biography. I wish people like James Rogan -- of either political party -- were running for President and offering Americans a REAL choice instead of having to choose a President that will be a rich White Bonesman from Yale -- who will never know what it's like to scrap for everything you got like the James Rogans of the world have to do -- no matter who winds up winning.

Inspiring
This book is just plain inspiring. I hope this is only the beginning for Mr. Rogan.

Very Inspirational
This book offers romance, an inside scoop of large political figures, and most of all -- inspiration. Its a very exciting and interesting read. A living example of "if you think you can, you can." He writes just like he is - simple, humorous and determined. ... Read more

Book Description

This first complete biography of the longtime member and chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals and Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States during the turbulent years of the New Deal is a monumental achievement by a distinguished interpreter of constitutional law. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Extraordinary insights into an American judicial hero
Andrew Kaufman has written an engrossing account of the life of Benjamin Cardozo, a judicial hero of the first third of the century. This book should prove especially useful for first-year law students, who read many of Cardozo's most important decisions in their contracts and torts classes. But even non-lawyers with an interest in the legal system will find it highly readable and informative.

An honest and insightful biography of a pivotal figure
Professor Kaufman presents his subject, first, as a man, establishing the personal background that shaped Cardozo's work as a judge. Kaufman then offers an insightful examination of the judicial work of Judge and Justice Cardozo, analyzing the development and maturation of Cardozo's thinking regarding the many legal principles which have become mainstays of American jurisprudence. The biography is well suited to lawyer and non-lawyer, and provides an extraordinary social history of the shaping of the American common law that governs our lives and liability today. This biography is a must-read primer for all soon-to-be law students, who will find in it an invaluable guide to the principles they are preparing to study. Professor Kaufman's honest analysis of the talents and faults of his subject is much to be commended.

The only comprehensive biography of Justice Cardozo
This is a book for laypeople and lawyers, rare in judicial biography. It is written in a clear and lucid prose, eschewing much of the current academic jargon. The author's years of work include many interviews with people now dead (and thus unavailable!), providing invaluable insights and perspectives into Cardozo's life and judicial influence. This work will be interesting to social historians, as well, for its treatment of the Nathan and Cardozo families' experiences in an evolving America. ... Read more

Book Description

This New York Times Notable Book of the Year, 1998, is now in trade paper.

From the bestselling author of Eyes on the Prize, here is the definitive biography of the great lawyer and Supreme Court justice. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Gave Me Appreciation of "Other" Part of Civil Rights History
I (like many people, I bet) usually think of the civil rights struggle mostly in terms of Martin Luther King and bus boycots. This book tells the story of the legal battles that were mainly lead by Thurgood Marshall leading up to and including Brown vs Board of Ed that ended "separate but equal" and the cases after. The book follows Marshall's life to his appointment to a judgeship, the Solicitor General in LBJ's administration to his time on the Supreme Court. However, I found the time period from post WWII to the 60's as the most interesting. The importance of these legal battles is often forgotten. I guess it took MLK to really turn the nation's hearts, but Thurgood was the one who changed the laws. Williams does not deify Marshall and discusses his shortcomings - he was a heavy drinker, cheated on his wives and he his behaviour would be considered sexual harassment today. I am very glad that I expanded my knowledge of the history of the civil rights struggle by reading this book

An incredible account of an amazing life
This is one of the most wonderful books I ever read. Thurgood Marshall is one of the most dynamic figures of the Civil Rights Movement. Williams not only gives an excellent and engaging account of Marshall's life, he represents the time in a manner that easily imagined. I was not alive during this period of time, but reading Williams' book made me feel as though I had experienced it. So often, when an author truly likes and admires his subject, the work that results is biased and not well-rounded. You can tell when you are reading something that is one-sided and too tributory to be accurate. Williams' admiration for this great man shines through in his book; however, it is by no means a song to Marshall. Williams' is fair in his dedication to not only Marshall's courage and brilliance, but also his fallibility and humanity. This is what brings the history to life. When you finish reading this book, you will feel as though you know Thurgood Marshall.

Very tedious, superficial
Maybe its unfair that I read this book after reading the spectacular autobiography of John Lewis, Walking in the Wind. However, I found that this book was too detached from the man. I did not come away from this book with a better understanding of this man than I did before hand. Thurgood Marshall is one of the most important people of 20th century America but you don't see why in this book.

The major problem with this book is its writing style which makes reading this book tedious. I found myself bored by page 200. Also, I believe the Brown decision is given 20 pages and his solcitor general appointment is given more.

If you want to learn more about this guy, study the cases of the era. Sweatt v. painter, Brown of course, etc. Marshall's personal life really is irrelevant towards understanding this man's accomplishments. I would not recommend this book.

A facinating look at a man who helped set things right...
Juan's engaging and highly readable book may not be a "comprehensive" Marshall reference, belabored with extensive footnotes & references, but persons interested in Civil Rights, or American history will find the man Turgood Marshall compelling & complex, and the book enjoyable and very informative.

A Complex Personality who changed the direction of history
Williams certainly understands the value of Marshall's great contributions to the long overdue advancement of African-Americans. Often over shadowed by King and Malcom X, Marshall accomplished much with his work in the courts to pave the way for the end of segregation. The sections leading up to Brown were compelling and helped bring the reader back to time that is very different than today, but not too long ago. People unfamilar with the reality of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s will find this book invaluable. However, the strength of this book is that it paints Marshall not only as a great man, but a man with flaws. His dealings with other leaders, especially his conflicts with other great African-American leaders, his late night drinking, his womanizing all make him more human and more compelling. Not only was Marshall a significant fiqure in the Civil Rights movement, but he was also human, a man that readers can relate to and understand. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Tolerance, peace, and wit
It's not every day that you read a book containing the full text of a consent agreement between parties to a health statute dispute and still find it very enjoyable. It's just as uncommon for a federal appeals court judge to write a book about the time he oversaw the peaceful assembly of thousands of middle-aged hippies in the woods of North Carolina. But that's what Judge Dave and the Rainbow People is about.

The Rainbow People are not an organization as such. They're just whoever shows up around Independence Day each year at a place on federal land decided the year before. The people who show up are mostly baby boomer ex-hippies trying to relive the Summer of Love. They come by the thousands, get naked, and live in the woods for weeks. Invariably, the Forrest Service comes after them.

In 1987 the Rainbow People converged on Nantahala Forrest in Western North Carolina. It wasn't long before the State tried to evict them under a sanitation law that was arguably unconstitutional. The case ended up before Judge Dave, who was a circuit court judge at the time.

The result is an endearing account of how a conservative judge faced 15,000 decadent hippies (and at least one elephant), the ACLU, snarky law clerks, a ticking clock, and his own Senate confirmation to the D.C. Circuit in the background, and still managed to avoid catastrophe by avoiding a ruling on the law. Judge Dave is sincere and admits up front that this was one case where the results, and not the letter of the law, drove his decision. The alternative was a possible showdown between thousands of until-then peaceful gatherers and state troopers. I guess he made use of judicial discretion.

Judge Dave got to visit the Rainbow camp a couple of times while he assessed the problem and later monitored the implementation of the agreement he brokered between the two sides. These visits account for much of the book and Judge Dave recounts them with a wonderful understated dry wit. "That weekend, July 4th occurred on Saturday as scheduled," he recalls in one part.

You learn how tolerant Judge Dave is. Not in the modern meaning of the word, which holds that everyone's wonderful, but as originally defined: "to allow without prohibiting" even if one strongly disagrees. You also learn how truly peaceful the Rainbow People are and how this allowed tolerance to work. Finally, you learn that Judge Dave found himself staring at the naked ladies quite a bit!

I would recommend this book, especially to lawyers, law students, and hippies (quite the niche). The only real critique I have is that at the end of the book, one of the Rainbow leaders shares his memories in 20 pages. I bet this was done to provide some sort of "equal time", but it doesn't add much and is actually a bit distracting. After finishing Judge Dave's hilarious and fair account of the gathering it's odd to go through a flat mini-review of what you just read. But hey, judge for yourself. Happy trails! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1991, Anita Hill, a law professor, dropped a bombshell into the middle of Senate Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas: Thomas had, Hill alleged, harassed and embarrassed her with repeated requests for dates and discussions about pornography while supervising her at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Hill's allegations introduced a volatile mix of sex, race, and scandal into the proceedings, deeply dividing both the Senate and the entire country. The aftermath of the Thomas hearings saw plenty of books about Anita Hill--some supporting her, others attacking--but Hill remained silent... until now. In Speaking Truth to Power, Anita Hill finally sets the record straight.

Though much of the book details her side of the story and her professional relationship with Clarence Thomas, Speaking Truth to Power also provides interesting glimpses into Anita Hill, the person. From her early life as the youngest of 13 children on a farm in Oklahoma to her current position as a law professor, Hill offers details about her personal life and her motivations. Hill writes with forthright conviction; in this case of he said/she said, Speaking Truth to Power tilts the scales a little more heavily in Anita Hill's favor. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Courageous and SO, SO TRUTHFUL
Anita Hill proves that she was telling the truth with this book and I always knew that she was.

It's so sad that so many were able to demonize and scandalize this woman and her intentions, but in the end, the TRUTH always wins.

This powerful autobiography is a MUST READ, a book that you won't be able to put down or to forget.I'm so glad I read it.

The Greatest Book Ever Written
This is the greatest book ever written.True, it is powerful, and the power lies in the truth, but truth contains no lies, and that is the very essence of power, which is rooted in truth, and the the truth is very powerful, indeed, just as powerful as it is true, and as true as it is powerful.

She Continues to Deeply Touch My Life
When this book first came out, I was drawn to the cover, because I knew that there were many messages for me in this book.Yet, I hesitated to read this, because I had not voiced what I felt about those hearings.

I actually looked over my shoulders, when I glanced through this book, before buying it, because I had decided that so many people around me demanded my opinion of this tragedy.

When I watched the hearing, while I sat next to others, for whatever reason I waited to say whether or not I believed Dr. Hill.I wanted to process it all, in the privacy of my own space.

Watching her, on many levels I related to her.Yet, I had some unanswered questions that reading this book, along with other books that reference this tragedy helped me to make my own decisions about what happened.

Dr. Hill put a voice to many of the challenges that I had, as professional African-American woman, who wanted to speak about many issues that too high a number of African-Americans refused to communicate.Before reading this book, I wanted to be free to speak against some socialized rules that I grew up with, that are common in African-American families.But, I wanted to communicate that I am proud of being African-American.

And as a result of reading this book, I gained tremendous courage to fully live my life's mission, which is to guide women and girls to earn trust in themselves.

To this day, as a journalist, if an editor argues against Anita Hill, I refuse to write for that paper.

Thank you, Dr. Hill.

a dignified and intelligent lady
I am so glad I read this book - it gave me insight into what a wonderful woman Anita Hill is in explaining the ordeal she went through in testifying at "the hearings." I must admit that at the time, I didn't believe Hill's testaments; she appeared nervous and uncertain whereas Thomas appeared very sure of himself, was outraged, and even went so far as to cry before the Senate Committee and television cameras. Of course, I now realize that was just an act.

Anyhow, I thought that after the hearings were over, Anita Hill went back home to Oklahoma and went on with her life, the ordeal forgotten. After reading this book, I had no idea that Hill endured further harassment from students at the university where she taught, faculty, the media, and people who never knew her nor she them. It was downright outrageous and disgusting.

Hill writes eloquently about her roots, her upbringing in Oklahoma, her years at Yale Univ. Law School, and her job at the EEOC where she worked under Clarence Thomas and the harassment she endured from him, her subsequent career change all the way up until the hearings. It's all interesting and worth reading.

Anita Hill is the catalyst for which the laws of sexual harassment have changed and claims for which are now taken very seriously. It is very unfortunate that she had to take such torment and emotional brutality as a result of it, as if harassment from Thomas wasn't enough in and of itself.

That Thomas is now sitting on the highest court in the land for life, knowing the content of his character and demeanor, is indeed disturbing. But I hope that deep inside he is sorry and feels the utmost remorse and guilt for his mistreatment of Anita Hill and all his other victims.

The truth always come out - maybe not today or tomorrow - but eventually it does. Thomas knows what he did, and the world knows what he did despite his "categorical" denials.

It is my hope that Anita Hill finds the peace and happiness she deserves. Her life will never be the same, as she herself admits, but unfortunately almost all movers and shakers's lives were and are forever changed.

An insightful and honest book, I recommend it highly.

The Power of Truth
In this powerfully truthful book, Dr. Hill speaks the truth powerfully. It is not always easy to speak truth to power, because those in power sometimes do not wish to hear the truth. It is, therefore, necessary to speak powerfully, so that the truth may be heard. Armed with the truth, however, one can become powerful, since the greatest power is that of truth, and the power of truth will prevail. This is one of the greatest books ever written; it is truly powerful, and powerfully true. ... Read more

Book Description

During the past fifteen years, changes in the technologies used to make and store audio and video recordings, combined with the communication revolution associated with the Internet, have generated an extraordinary array of new ways in which music and movies can be produced and distributed. Both the creators and the consumers of entertainment products stand to benefit enormously from the new systems.

Sadly, we have failed thus far to avail ourselves of these opportunities. Instead, much energy has been devoted to interpreting or changing legal rules in hopes of defending older business models against the threats posed by the new technologies. These efforts to plug the multiplying holes in the legal dikes are failing and the entertainment industry has fallen into crisis.

This provocative book chronicles how we got into this mess and presents three alternative proposals—each involving a combination of legal reforms and new business models—for how we could get out of it. ... Read more

Book Description

White goes beyond the labels to give readers a rounded portrait of this remarkable jurist. Covering Holmes' early life and time at Harvard, his ambivalent relationship with his father, and Civil War service, White also examines Holmes' childless marriage and his reputation as a preeminent legal figure. 14 halftones. Map. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A wonderful book. Very detailed but also lucid.
Two apsects strike me in reading about Holmes. First is his life. What a great subject. Holmes is almost as exciting to read about as Lincoln. The second is his jurisprudence. White does a fine job covering both. I like White's style. Somewhat loose but never inaccurate, his biography is very readable.

Two chapters: The Supreme Court of Massachusetts and the "Progressive Judge" are so wonderfully written that they deserve to be read twice.

I read the book over a period of four months which is something I rarely do. This is because the subject and content are so important that the philosophy of Holmes takes some time to perculate. White's description of Holmes influenced my perspective greatly.

I would recommend the book to any person interested in law or simply about America. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On April 1, 1984, Donna Sabia went into labor expecting twins. But one of the babies arrived stillborn, while the other--Anthony Jr.--was barely alive, with an Apgar score (rating newborn vitality on a scale of 0 to 10) of 1. In the following years, he suffered from spastic quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, and cortical blindness, and would require lifelong medical attention costing millions of dollars just to survive. The Sabias' lawyers faulted Donna's maternity clinic and the delivering physician for her son's condition, initiating a 7-year lawsuit on the claim that a simple $40 ultrasound could have eliminated incalculable suffering and catastrophic expense.

Damages is a careful analysis of how the fields of law and medicine intersect in the realm of medical malpractice, where lawyers sue not only to redress suffering but to make sure that doctors and hospitals are more vigilant in the future, if only to avoid being sued again. Werth leads readers carefully through the litigation, from the deposing of expert witnesses, through the preparation for trial, to the posturing of settlement negotiations. Always firmly aware that lawyers sue doctors on behalf of human beings, however, he reveals the emotional and psychological consequences of a civil justice system that is often neither civil nor just. Werth explains esoteric legal and medical procedures in understandable terms that laypeople will not find condescending, while describing the human side of the Sabias' case without patronizing attorneys and physicians. Ultimately, Damages is the chronicle of a devoted family braving a medical malpractice industry in which the decision-making process on both sides is governed by a cost-benefit analysis that leads, perhaps inevitably, to the commodification of human life. "Even after a big verdict," Werth quotes one malpractice lawyer, "I'm suffering because all I could get my clients, who've been brutalized by the most appalling malpractice, was money." --Tim Hogan ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I am recomending this to my associates. And my mom
I spend a great deal of time as a defense lawyer explaining how the system works-- to the associates in my office, to clients, to lawyers from outside the US. "Damages" is going to find its way into a lot of these discussions, and everyone who works for me is going to read it. I am also going to send a copy to my mom.

Barry Wirth's book is impressive for the way it gets the law stuff (and the medicine too, I think) mostly dead on, but beyond that, this is also a great read, with interesting, well drawn characters that one ends up caring about.

In many ways, "Damages" is a better book than "A Civil Action", which it resembles. The legal tactics are explained, rather than merely used to illustrate the flamboyance of the attorneys. More importantly, the case itself, a so-called "bad baby" case concerning the catastrophic injuries sustained as a result of claimed medical malpractice, is something anyone who reads a daily newsp! aper will be able to relate to. The book gives the best picture I have ever seen of how patients become clients, how prospective clients are screened by law firms, how discovery strategies are developed, how cases are evaluated (by both sides) and how settlements are negotiated. I could teach a course around this, and, in fact, I just might.

I recommend this book to anyone who has ever wondered how the damage awards they read about in news reports were arrived at, or thought about what the human consequences of a serious injury might be.

Brilliant !
"Damages" by Barry Werth is a compelling and incisive study of the anatomy of a medical malpractice case, as seen from all sides. A real page turner. Most impressive is the exhaustive and comprehensive work done by the plaintiff's legal firm, and the in depth and understandable explanations by the author of the medical facts, the legal strategies, the context of the times, the world of medical experts, the role of insurance companies, and the lives of those injured. Beautifully written. "An education" is the only phrase that keeps coming to my mind after completing this gem of a book. Read it ! You'll learn a lot and it will help you.

Instructive page turner...
Well written, a gripping story and balanced. I am teaching a course on medical malpractice at the local law school. This book is the text. It provides a frame work to discuss numerous issues and the potential impact - or more accurately non-impact - of many tort reform proposals.

Buy this book!
This is a wonderful book for anyone involved in the litigation process or anyone involved in the health care field.

I am a structured settlement consultant who works with personal injury attorneys and some insurance companies. This is the best book I have ever seen about the process.

I have purchased over 200 copies of the book to give to trial attorneys, claims professionals and other structured settlement professionals. All love the book. It reads like a novel.

Don McNay...

Chilling real life account of the justice system
I'm a medical doctor embroiled in a battle to expose a corrupt insurance company engaged in racketeering. I think (and have been told) that this is a story that needs telling. There are lots of twists and turns, corporate and government cover-ups, some drama, many sympathetic characters in the form of other victims of the abuses of this company, and lots of anguish. Thousands are suffering and some committing suicide because of the actions of this company. It will take me years to get to court, if that is even possible. Except for the Internet contacts I've made and a few friends, I am working practically alone. The legal profession has all but abandoned the public and their actions in covering these crimes up with confidentiality agreements, for those who can even afford lawyers, is allowing it to continue and worsen and spread, like a cancer. ... Read more

Book Description

John Marshall (1755-1835) was arguably the most important judicial figure in American history. As the fourth chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from 1801 to 1835, he helped move the court from the fringes of power to the epicenter of constitutional government. His great opinions in cases like Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v. Maryland are still part of the working discourse of constitutional law in America. Drawing on a new and definitive edition of Marshall's papers, R. Kent Newmyer combines engaging narrative with new historiographical insights in a fresh interpretation of John Marshall's life in the law.

Newmyer vividly unfolds Marshall's early Virginia years- his Americanization in Fauquier County before the Revolution, his decision to fight for independence as "a principled soldier," and his emergence as a constitutional nationalist in the 1780s. Marshall's experience as a Federalist politician and a leading Virginia lawyer during the 1790s, Newmyer argues, defined his ideas about judicial review and the role of the Supreme Court as a curb on party-based, states'-rights radicalism.

Perhaps best known for consolidating the authority of the Supreme Court, Marshall is revealed here to have been equally skilled at crafting law that supported the emerging American market economy. He waged a lifelong struggle against champions of states'-rights constitutional theory, a struggle embodied in his personal and ideological rivalry with Thomas Jefferson.

More than the summation of Marshall's legal and institutional accomplishments, Newmyer's impressive study captures the nuanced texture of the justice's reasoning, the complexity of his mature jurisprudence, and the affinities and tensions between his system of law and the transformative age in which he lived. It substantiates Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.'s view of Marshall as the most representative figure in American law. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

John Marshall and the Heroic Age of the Supreme Court
John Marshall and the Heroic Age of the Supreme Court written by R. Kent Newmyer is a biography about the fourth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Marshall. This is not just an ordinary biography, but a biography with feeling, deep understanding andcomprehensive knowledge of Marshall.

This book is, by far, the most extraordinary biography, and paints a portrait of Chief Justice Marshall, the man, with perception and details , at the same time the author does an exhaustive biography of the jurisprudence of the Marshall Court.

John Marshall, (1801-1835) was appointed to the Supreme Court by John Adams as he was leaving office. A last minute appointment and second cousin to Thomas Jefferson, Marshall served in some of the most formative years that the has ever seen. Marshall wanted to bring the court into the central picture of the government and reigned in the court from the fringes of government, Consolidating the authority of the court making the Supreme Court the final arbitor when it came to constitutional.

John Marshall was a man equal to Jefferson when it came to the challenges of office and was equally skilled at the crafting law that supported the emerging American market economy. It was Jefferson and Marshall, however who symbolized and personalized the competing constitutional persuasions of the age and brought them into explosive focus. Each had taken a stand on the great foreign and domestic issues of the 1790's; each had conflated those issues into a dispute over the meaning of the Constitution. When fate and ambition made Jefferson president and Marshall chief justice, the institutional stage was set for what is one of the most creative confrontations in American constitutional history. At stake was not just the position of the Supreme Court in American government but the place of law in republican culture.

Can you imagine being there when Marshall was giving the oath of office to Jefferson... when the new chief justice administered the oath of office to the new president on March 4, 1801. With his hand on the Bible held by Marshall, Jefferson swore to uphold the Constitution, Marshall was sure sure he was about to destroy.

This book has an engaging narrative and you seem to read the information quickly and with ease, the author's prose is extremely well-written. As for the historical information it is spot-on even the court cases are found on a listing in the back of the book. Marshall was more than a chief justice, he was priciple in the forming a United States. Marshall's institutional accomplishments are found in this impressive study. For a one volume book... this is the most comprehensive... Marshall was the most representative figure in American law. This book is well worth the money ans should be in the library of all who study American History.

Chief Justice Marshall's Conservative Nationalism
John Marshall, our nation's fourth Chief Justice, served from 1801 until 1835. He was appointed by President John Adams in one of the last and most significant acts of his administration.

Professor Kent Newmyer has written a comprehensive account of the great Chief Justice's career. The account is admirably researched and documented, drawing extensively on a new edition of Marshall's papers. It includes careful analyses of Marshall's leading opinions. Most importantly, Professor Newmyer gives a thoughtful discussion of Justice Marshall's place on the Court and on the importance of his vision of the United States for our history.

The book includes a good discussion of Marshall's role in the Revolutionary War, as a successful lawyer in Virginia, and as a landowner and extensive land speculator. But most of the book consists of a discussion of Marshall's career on the Court, his opinions, and the manner in which he shaped the Court as an institution.

While Newmyer admires his subject greatly, I found this a very balanced account. He allows that Justice Marshall did not always meet his own stated goals of separating law from politics and notes how Marshall's activities as a land speculator seemed to play a critical role in several of his leading opinions.

The discussion begins with Marbury v Madison and its role in the doctrine of judicial review. It continues with a thorough discussion of Marshall's role in the treason trial of Aaron Burr, through a discussion of the great opinions construing the Commerce Clause and Contracts Clause of the Constitution, through the Cherokee Nation opinions that Marshall wrote near the end of his tenure which established the foundation of American Indian Law. (Professor Newmyer considers these decisions Justice Marshall's proudest moment.)

The book considers Marshall's attitudes towards and opinions dealing with slavery. There is also a discussion of a series of polemical articles Justice Marshall exchanged with critics following the decision in McCollough v Maryland. Marshall's critics feared that he was giving too expansive a power to the National Government as opposed to the States. In fact, at the end of his career, Justice Marshall feared his life work had been overtaken by events with the rise of the democracy, a strong state rights movement, and the Presidency of Andrew Jackson.

Professor Newmyer sees Justice Marshall as a Burkean conservative in a new world. Marshall interpreted the Constitution broadly, yet flexibility to allow the development of individual, and national commerce and enterprise. Yet he was devoted to institutions and strongly inclined to accept the world as he found it rather than make it over in accordance with abstract principles (as he accused the supporters of the French Revolution of doing.) Newmyer writes:

Marshall spoke as a Burkean conservative, or as much of one as American circumstances allowed. He was repelled by reductionist abstractions as well as abstract idealims, even when it was couched, as was much of southern constitutionalism in terms of a mythical past. He worked from the 'given', accepted the world as it was, relished 'the disorder of experience" to borrow a phrase from Charles Rosen." (p.351)

Justice Marshall was not an original thinker, but he took the text of the Constitution, together with the Federalist, and molded it and the Court's interpretive role in a way that is with us today. He remains America's great Chief Justice. There is much for the interested reader to learn and to think through in Professor Newmyer's fine study of Justice Marshall. ... Read more

Book Description

The acclaimed #1 New York Times bestseller, written by a brilliant legal mind, on what it means to be a Jew in America today. Dershowitz discusses the changes they've witnessed, changes they've created, and the changes that must still take place. He examines anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, assimilation, Zionism, civil rights, changes in eastern Europe, and turmoil in the Middle East. 8-page photo insert. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Engaging and Biased
The essential question is... Are his people persecuted because they are obnoxious or are they obnoxious because they are persecuted?

Too much venting, too little substance
Overall, I am a huge fan of Dershowitz's books. I thoroughly enjoyed the Best Defense, From Genesis to Justice, and even his novel, A Just Revenge. I felt, though, that Dershowitz went a little overboard with his views of Jews in America. In many ways, I am almost embarassed to be viewed in the same light as him (As a Jew) because of his extreme views. He made it seem as if the world was out to get Jews, even in America. He does make many good points about Jewish identity in America, but to me he comes across as whining more than discussing.

He does use some great arguments and has a pretty clear account of Jewish history in America. His description of his family and neighborhood is nice to read to understand where he grew up and what his background is. I especially liked his description of his own family as I was reminded in many ways of my own.

I gave the book 2 stars but that is compared with his other books. It is not a bad book or a bad read. In many ways, I found it very informative but I would choose one of his other books rather than this one.

Readable, Clear, and full of Chutzpah
Dershowitz's succinct analysis and flowing prose make for a powerful read. The author recounts his Brooklyn youth, law school, and his career at Harvard University. He also examines anti-Semitism, separation of church-and-state, assimilation, and other facets pertaining to Jewish and non-Jewish life in America. Dershowitz emphasizes that American Jews must stop maintaining low profiles or feeling anxious about our success (and non-success), as doing so is the essence of second-class citizenship. His point is well taken, but perhaps newly arrived immigrants from Russia and other anti-Semitic lands will doubt his premise. I didn't always agree with the man's pro-Israeli views, but on balance this is a very thoughtful and informative book.

POWERFUL WRITING AT THE SERVICE OF A MAXIMALIST STANCE
The well-known liberal attorney and Israel advocate Alan Dershowitz maintains in this book that Jews should be more self-assertive. They shouldn't feel "shenda fur de goyim" (Yiddish for "shame before the Gentiles") as they did in the past. They should be proud of their achievements, instead of begging to be forgiven for them. They should abandon their "sha'a shtil" ("remain quiet") attitude and loudly denounce the faintest hint of anti-Semitism they might detect either in their personal experience or in society at large. And, most important of all, they should have no mixed feelings about supporting the state of Israel, regardless of this country's human rights record.

Dershowitz' writing is powerful, expressive - and flawed...

When it comes to discussing Israel's policies, Dershowitz adopts a maximalist stance. Israel is almost always right-and when it isn't, it doesn't matter. This civil rights advocate fails to find much wrong in a country where atheists do not enjoy the right to get married. He fails to clearly denounce the administrative detention (i.e., imprisonment without a charge) of Palestinians, on the grounds that all detainees are known to be terrorists or terrorist contacts; in other words, since they are anyway guilty, it doesn't matter so much whether they enjoy legal guarantees or not. He believes torture may in some cases be necessary to extract critical information, as of terrorist attacks, and therefore condones some instances of the government-approved use of torture in Israel, against international law which forbids any kind of torture...

The bottom line of [this] book is that because Jews were formerly persecuted, they should be allowed to practise some bigotry without being criticized. Fortunately, Jews around the world do not share this view...

This book will be enjoyed by... [those] who see Israel's legal and practical discrimination of Arabs as a first step towards ethnic cleansing, and who will be delighted to learn that a liberal Jew finds such discrimination tolerable. It will be far less welcome, however, by those Jews who, like the author of this review, don't like to be told what they should think about Israel in order to be good Jews.

Outspoken, wonderful, full of chutzpah
I love this book. Not only is it the story of Dershowitz, it is very insightful to Judaism in America. Even if you're not Jewish, you should read this, because it can be enjoyable, witty, frustrating, and a real wakeup call. ... Read more

Book Description

For thirty-three-year-old Mohammed al-Rehaief, this decision -- whether to risk his life and everything he held dear to save Private First Class Jessica Lynch, an American soldier he did not know -- was more than the everyday reckoning with death that permeates wartime. It was the culmination of a life spent at odds with the repressive regime that held his country.

Mohammed's story is the tale of what it was like to come of age in a society where violence and betrayal were everyday events, where one in five adult males worked for the state's security apparatus, where a president-for-life demanded absolute loyalty and adulation. Despite his affluent upbringing and a well-connected uncle, Mohammed was hardly sheltered from the surreal cruelties of Iraq. He was arrested and beaten for owning a satellite dish. His young daughter lost a lung to misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgery. An idolized cousin was hanged for joining an Islamic political group. A favorite teacher was carted away for making subversive statements and was never seen again.

Yet even as he navigates a culture tarnished by brutality and corruption,