AUTHOR: Jeffrey Toobin
PUBLISHER: Doubleday
PUBLISHED DATE: September 18, 2007
ISBN: 978-0385516402
PAGES: 384
I really enjoyed this book. It was absolutely fascinating.
This really is such a timely time to be reading this book, as we are still down one supreme court justice, and Obama's term is rapidly coming to an end. The election is in 9 days, and most likely, whoever is elected our next president will choose the next supreme court justice. This book describes the members of the court at the time this book was published in 2007. Since that time, Justice Scalia has passed away, and early in Obama's first term, he confirmed Sonia Sotomayor - who was not yet a member of the Supreme Court, and thus not mentioned.
Toobin's research is extensive. He details how each member came to be appointed for the highest judicial positions in the US, their selection process, and hearing proceedings. As the judges preside over some of the most pressing and controversial issues of our time, this book is also about the history of our nation, and the nine people who ultimately make the decisions that effect our daily lives. Toobin's knowledge of the justices are intimate....he knows their hobbies, he knows about their spouses, he even knows about their porn addictions. The justices, usually seen regally in their robes as stuffy fixtures of court, come alive between the pages. I was absolutely mesmerized. If you've been living under a rock and remain undecided about who you are voting for on November 8...I would impress upon you to GET INFORMED! Then, go vote.
Recommendation: Required! You need to read books like this that smartly blend legal process and real world application. Every citizen should be informed about people who make the decisions that we all have to live by.
Audience: Millennials and Beyond
*I borrowed this book on my library Overdrive account.