"Although it almost certainly won′t get much credit for it, this is a near-perfect example of that rara avis , the impartial report on a white-hot public issue. Each chapter is full of meanigful quotation and value-neutral elucidation, and each is written in a rainwater-clear prose that makes the book nonpareil for learning what, in terms of law and public policy, abortion in the U.S. is all about."– ALA Booklist
Few public events evoke as much political interest and personal emotion as the 1992 Supreme Court case on abortion rights and the 1991 Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Clarence Thomas's nomination. The 1992 presidential election was pivotal, as the new president was expected to replace at least one, and possibly three, Supreme Court justices in 1993. This shift transformed public focus from the presidency and Congress to the Supreme Court, which has become increasingly politicized, with its decisions significantly impacting American society. In this updated version of his award-winning book, constitutional law scholar David M. O'Brien brings the Supreme Court into clearer view. Readers meet the current justices and their predecessors, uncovering the intriguing stories behind their appointments and the presidential strategies to influence the Court. Drawing from extensive interviews with justices and meticulous research into their private papers, the book reveals the negotiations and compromises behind landmark decisions on abortion, school desegregation, legislative apportionment, free speech, and the rights of the accused. Amid the ongoing debate about the Supreme Court, we witness how this "least dangerous branch" of government intertwines personality, politics, law, and justice, shaping and often transforming society.