Five Chiefs

October 17, 2011
In this engaging memoir and history of the U.S. Supreme Court, Stevensâwho at his retirement in June 2010 became the third-longest serving justice in American historyâoffers a window into the practical workings of the constitutional system and its division of powers. His portrayals of Chief Justices Fred Vinson, Earl Warren, Warren Burger, William Rehnquist, and John Roberts provide a framework for his discussion of key issues taken up by the court since Nixon's resignation: the powers of the presidency, integration, civil rights, the meaning of the word "liberty" in the 14th Amendment, gun control, and the death penalty. Stevens shows that each new addition to the court transforms it by impacting the way in which the body as a whole works. Part of the pleasure of Stevens's writing is the way in which he relates the broader dialogue of the development of law to the individuals whose deliberations and discussions have shaped it. He explains how the court's deliberative process gives content to the notion of justice, which is never defined in the constitution, but is a kind of permanent work in progress.

October 1, 2011
An informative and intermittently engaging account of Justice Stevens' tenure on the Supreme Court. Stevens, who joined the Court in 1975 and retired in 2010, at the age of 90, was the third-longest-serving justice in the Court's history and its oldest member at the time of his retirement. He served under five Chief Justices, beginning with Fred Vinson and ending with John Roberts Jr.; the book is divided into sections that detail his recollections of the Court under each Chief. For the most part neatly structured and concise, the book's clarity is occasionally compromised by gratuitous legalese. It's not always clear how or why he has chosen to share a certain memory or observation or describe the ruling in a particular case. At times he veers into meandering personal anecdote, waxing rhapsodic about the warm handshakes he shared with his fellow justices, their morning coffee breaks, lavish holiday parties and "Nino" Scalia's "wonderfully spontaneous sense of humor." It is touchingly clear that Stevens loved his time as a member of the Court, but only the most dedicated Supreme Court aficionado is likely to care about the metal spittoons next to each justice's chair or the toggle switch they use to turn on their microphones. Stevens' memory is sharp, his tone is affable and his storytelling has charming folksy quality, but as a whole this memoir is reminiscent of an exceptionally long-winded speech given by the guest of honor at a retirement party. Though well-documented and richly detailed, this book is unlikely to captivate readers who do not have a special interest in the Supreme Court.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 1, 2011

Stevens (former associate justice, U.S. Supreme Court) provides an insider's view of the role of the chief justice in shaping the Court's daily operations and philosophical direction. He relates his personal interactions with the five chief justices with whom he served, from his days as a law clerk to Fred Vinson in the 1940s to the present. In particular, he discusses William Rehnquist's role in changing the Court's direction by stressing vitality of sovereign immunity for states whose citizens allege violations of their federal rights, fervently supporting the death penalty, and opposing abortion and gun control. Stevens underscores the professionalism, respect, and decorum that underlie the justices' daily routines and personal interactions, in spite of frequent legal disagreements. He well represents the give-and-take between the chief justice and his associates, their personal lives, their families, their pastimes, and their individual backgrounds and personalities. VERDICT Appealing to an academic audience and well documented, the book is replete with analysis of the legal, political, and social issues involved and will be of interest to students, scholars, and readers who follow the Supreme Court.--Philip Y. Blue, New York State Supreme Court Civil Branch Law Lib., First Judicial Dist., New York

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Stevens' law professor, Nathaniel Nathanson, who served as law clerk to Justice Louis Brandeis, whose seat Stevens later inherited, instilled in him a curiosity about the mystery of the law, the unresolved issues constantly coming before the U.S. Supreme Court. In fond memory of the professor, Stevens aims to convey the kinds of insights routine in Nathanson's class. He succeeds without the ponderousness of legal studies. Stevens briefly reviews the first 12 chief justices and the pressing judicial and political issues of their times before focusing on the 5 with whom he had personal contact, Fred Vinson (as his clerk), Earl Warren (as a practicing lawyer), Warren Burger (as a junior justice), William Rehnquist (as a colleague), and John Roberts (as the senior associate justice). Stevens' personal contact with those 5 adds texture and insights to the biographical sketches through anecdotes and fascinating behind-the-scenes details. He ends with his own perspective as the third-longest-serving justice in U.S. history and the senior associate justice, second among equals on the high-court bench. Photographs enhance this engaging look at the Supreme Court. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: When he resigned last June, Justice John Paul Stevens was the third longest-serving justice in American history; this behind-the-scenes look at the Court is sure to get plenty of media attention.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)