Taking the Stand

Alan Dershowitz is one of the great lawyers of our time--and one of the most controversial. (He defended Mike Tyson and Patty Hearst, among others.) In this audiobook, Dershowitz neither avoids nor candy-coats his views on his career and the cases he has handled, including his representation of some of society's least popular people and causes. It's unlikely that listeners will change their views after hearing Dershowitz's perspective, which he offers in convincing fashion. However, listeners will be surprised, and disappointed, by the decision to have the author read only the introduction; Ella Dershowitz, his daughter, is the narrator of the main text. The production itself has a distinct echo, making the choice of a female narrator, with a somewhat hollow voice, even less engaging. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine