The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin
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"The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme
Court" by Jeffrey Toobin (Doubleday, ISBN 0385516401, $27.95) Jeffrey Toobin, a commentator for CNN and columnist for the New Yorker, shows himself a capable translator of the law for general readers. Toobin’s latest book is "The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court." By describing a number of pivotal cases, Toobin displays the character of each Justice and the presidents responsible for their appointments. A member of the Court’s Press Corps, Toobin was there for the Bush vs. Gore Decision, for the funeral of long-time Chief Justice William Rehnquist, for the bizarre Clarence Thomas appointment hearings, and for many more occurrences that allowed him direct access to the Justices and others working in the courts. Beginning with a welcoming description of the front steps leading up to the court, the book closes with a description of the closing of that entrance; now those steps are for exit only; all visitors and justices must enter through a secure passage. In Toobin’s hands, this pedestrian change becomes one more telling and provocative detail of a living institution. Review by Sarah Bagby, September 27 2007 |
