Amazon.com
The Greatest Manhunt in American History
For 12 days after his brazen assassination of Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth was at large, and in Manhunt, historian James L. Swanson tells the vivid, fully documented tale of his escape and the wild, massive pursuit. Get a taste of the daily drama from this timeline of the desperate search.
| April 14, 1865 |
Around noon, Booth learns that Lincoln is coming to Ford's Theatre that night. He has eight hours to prepare his plan.
10:15 pm: Booth shoots the president, leaps to the stage, and escapes on a waiting horse.
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton orders the manhunt to begin. |
| April 15 |
About 4:00 am: Booth seeks treatment for a broken leg at Dr. Samuel Mudd's farm near Beantown, Maryland. Cavalry patrol heads south toward Mudd farm.
Confederate operative Thomas Jones hides Booth in a remote pine thicket for five days, frustrating the manhunters. |
| April 19 |
Tens of thousands watch the procession to the U.S. Capitol, where President Lincoln lies in state. Wild rumors and stories of false sightings of Booth spread. | |
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| April 20 |
Stanton offers a $100,000 reward for the assassins, and threatens death to any citizen who helps them.
After hiding Booth in Maryland, Jones puts him in a rowboat on the Potomac River, bound for Virginia. More than a thousand manhunters are still searching in Maryland. In the dark, Booth rows the wrong way and first ends up back in Maryland. |
| April 20-24 |
Booth lands in the northern neck of Virginia, and Confederate agents and sympathizers guide him to Port Conway, Virginia. |
| April 24 |
Booth befriends three Confederate soldiers who help him cross the Rappahannock River to Port Royal and then guide him further southwest to the Garrett farm.
Union troops in Washington receive a report of a Booth sighting. They board a U.S. Navy tug and steam south, right past Booth's hideout at the Garrett farm. |
| April 25 |
The 16th New York Calvary, realizing their error, turns around and surrounds the Garrett farm after midnight that night. | |
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| April 26 |
When Booth refuses to surrender, troops set the barn on fire, and Boston Corbett shoots the assassin. Booth dies a few hours later, at sunrise. |
| April 26-27 |
Booth's body is brought back to Washington, where it is autopsied, photographed, and buried in a secret grave. | |
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Book Description
The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history. From April 14 to April 26, 1865, the assassin, John Wilkes Booth, led Union cavalry and detectives on a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia, while the nation, still reeling from the just-ended Civil War, watched in horror and sadness.
James L. Swanson's Manhunt is a fascinating tale of murder, intrigue, and betrayal. A gripping hour-by-hour account told through the eyes of the hunted and the hunters, this is history as you've never read it before.
Customer Reviews:
a great read... i was there!!.......2007-09-29
I have not read many books lately and have just started to get back to it. Manhunt was the latest book I read and it was AMAZING!! The vivid descriptions put you everywhere John W Booth and his cohorts are and makes for a fascinating depiction of history.
Brings history to life..........2007-09-14
I enjoy nonfiction books that read like novels, and James L. Swanson's Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer provides a dose of history in an enjoyable format.
Manhunt didn't include much information about the assassination that I didn't already know. But I did learn quite a bit about the 12-day pursuit of John Wilkes Booth and the hunt for his conspirators, as well as some other assassination trivia. It was especially interesting in that my husband and I often travel this same path through Maryland and Virginia when driving south. We pass right by the historic marker near the Garrett house barn (where Booth was captured and killed), although we've never stopped to see the actual location.
Swanson does a commendable job of bringing the complex Booth to life. The author describes him as "impossibly vain, preening, emotionally flamboyant, possessed of raw talent and splendid elan." Yet, this handsome and charismatic actor was willing to sacrifice everything for "his cause." After the assassination, he was stunned and enraged to discover that his acts not only met with outrage, but also, made Lincoln a martyr. I was surprised to learn that on April 16, 1865, CSA Lt. General R. S. Ewell sent Secretary of War Stanton a letter that was cosigned by 16 other Confederate generals. In the letter, Ewell wrote of their "unqualified abhorrence and indignation" at Lincoln's killing. He claimed that they were shocked by this appalling crime and that Southern men "are not assassins" nor their "allies."
Manhunt has a good number of pictures, drawings, maps and photographs related to the assassination. He also includes an excellent Epilogue where he tells the "story after the story." Swanson also provides a poignant description of the events of that time. When Lincoln died at the Peterson house, a "crude, improvised coffin" was brought to transport his body back to the White House. The people in the street were upset. "The box looked like a shipping crate, not a proper coffin for a head of state. Lincoln would not have minded. He was always a man of simple tastes. This was the plain, roughly hewn coffin of a rail-splitter."
After reading Manhunt, I intend on reading an earlier work that Swanson co-wrote called Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trail and Execution.
What a book..........2007-09-04
I bought this book for a teachers gift, he loves Lincoln and that whole period of our country's life. He said the book is one of the best he's ever read on the subject.
Well written, a quick read........2007-09-03
As a person who's read quite a bit on Lincoln and his assination, I figured I should finally get around to this text. I've been telling people for years that Dr. Samuel Mudd's family lobbied for years to get Mudd's name cleared--that he was simply a physician treating a patient with a broken leg. A colleague of mine suggested that this book denies that. It does, indeed.
I read a lot but am a slower reader than I'd like. So I like a book (1) that doesn't have microscopic print and (2) keeps me interested. This qualified on both counts. I don't mean it was large print, like a children's book. But it didn't have so much detail that I could maybe win a trivia contest but be none the wiser.
In fact, one item that I liked most was that Thomas Jones apparently kept Booth and his accomplice, Davey Herold, in a pine thicket for something like four days and five nights. Jones was freed of any responsibility for harboring perhaps the most wanted man in the US for those 12 days, but told the truth some years later. (When he was selling a book admitting to that, he was apparently attacked by some Union veterans!)
Among the things I liked too about the book was the admission by the author that Lincoln was not particularly popular at the time of his assination. Indeed, Booth was discouraged after the assasination that he'd created a martyr there there might not have been one.
Another thing I liked about the structure of the book is that the author ended with a kind of "where are they now," or what happened to the actors in the "drama." That's where I learned of the Jones story, for example.
What I didn't like about the book was the speculation the author did on what was going on in Booth's mind while he was in the Garret barn where he was eventually shot. I'm conscious of that ever since a good friend and former boss and I talked about a book years ago in which he accused I think it was Halberstram of doing that. "How could he know was was going on in [so-and-so]'s mind?" he asked. Of course he can guess, but then such speculation needed to be stated as such.
I must confess too that I almost downgraded the review by one star too because of what I saw in the book's acknowledgements. You see, Swanson thanked is friends "at the Heritage Foundation." What's the matter with that? Well, Heritage is extremely ideological. (I know, for, among other reasons, I have a distant cousin who works there.) How would one have felt after reading such a book if the author had said, "Many thanks to all my buddies at the Communist Party." It might make you want to find another more credible book because that party tends to be ideological. Heritage may be the other side of the political spectrum but is no less ideological, so it made me wonder about the author's motives and objectivity. But, despite Heritage, I found the book worth reading and, yes, difficult to put down. So, over and above the Booth speculation, I recommend it.
Engrossing....Engaging...........2007-08-12
A thrilling page-turner! Even though the ending is known to all you'll find this book keeps you more than a little interested and at the edge of your seat. I found myself having to put the book down to grieve for Lincoln's death, but at the same time unable to put the book down because it's was so captivating, all the while savoring each page!
Book Description
Hear and feel this dynamic California in the words of established writers like John Steinbeck, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Joan Didion, as well as compelling new voices that reveal California in all its complexity.
California Uncovered is a central component of the California Stories Uncovered campaign—a statewide program sponsored by the California Council for the Humanities designed to inspire people to tell and listen to stories that get at the reality beneath the headlines, statistics, and stereotypes about the state and its people.
Customer Reviews:
Made me think.......2006-10-17
A collection of short stories, excepts from novels, and a few poems sounded like a nice selection. I thought it would be something I could easily pick up and put down. Each story is about someone living in California - almost all told from the point of view of immigrants and from different time periods. I thought the idea was good, but I found that I missed the feel of short stories. Only one of the excerpts from a novel left me feeling satisfied.
I did find a couple of quotes -
"At some point in your story grief presents itself. Now, for the first time, your room is empty, not merely unoccupied."
- D.J. Waldie, from Holy Land
"There bodies don't work, their minds have wandered off to meet old friends and new horizons, and their own families treat them like they are idiots."
- Laila Halaby, The American Dream
"Money, though, is an illusion with green faces. I think this is so money has a personality - like the way our dieties end up with traits like the rest of us. People create money then they let money create them."
- Luis J. Rodriguez , "My Ride, My Revolution" from The Republic of East L.A.
If nothing else, I think I found a couple new authors. I am curious to read the rest of the story. I look forward to discussing it at book club.
short stories are good for our times.............2005-09-28
Someone loaned me this book on a backpacking trip and was I surprised to find such rich reading fare. The stories all focus on some aspect of life in California. The authors - a mix of old and new- are well chosen. This book made me remember how entertaining the short story genre can be. It defiinitely has a place in this hurried world we occupy. I think this is a higly worthwhile read.
Book Description
Imriel de la Courcel's blood parents are history's most reviled traitors, while his adoptive parents, Ph+dre and Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions.Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in beauty, art, and desire. After a year abroad to study at university, Imriel returns from his adventures a little older and somewhat wiser.But perhaps not wise enough.What was once a mere spark of interest between himself and his cousin Sidonie now ignites into a white-hot blaze.But from commoner to peer, the whole realm would recoil from any alliance between Sidonie, heir to the throne, and Imriel, who bears the stigma of his mother's misdeeds and betrayals.Praying that their passion will peak and fade, Imriel and Sidonie embark on an intense, secret affair.Blessed Elua founded Terre d'Ange and bestowed one simple precept to guide his people, love as thou wilt.When duty calls, Imriel honors his role as a member of the royal family by leaving to marry a lovely, if merely sweet, Alban princess.By choosing duty over love, Imriel and Sidonie may have unwittingly trespassed against Elua's law.But when dark powers in Alba, who fear an invasion by Terre d'Ange, seek to use the lovers' passion to bind Imriel, the gods themselves take notice.Before the end, Kushiel's justice will be felt in heaven and on earth.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome.......2007-09-25
Loved it loved it loved it! I couldn't put it down. The story even invaded my dreams. I hope she continued on his story.
A great read........2007-09-13
If possible, the tales keep getting better with every new book. This one is another page turner. Keep 'em coming Jacqueline.
Stunning.......2007-09-10
"Kushiel's Justice" is a sprawling adventure that begins where "Kushiel's Scion" left off. Not only does it surpass "Scion", but it is right up there on par with the earlier "Kushiel" novels.
Imriel has arrived home from his adventures in Tiberium and Lucca, and has finally read his mother's letters. The content of those letters only increases his tumultuous emotions, as Imriel continues to try to do the right thing, and to be good, in the hopes of making up for his mother's treachery. With his decision to wed the Cruarch's niece and secure Terre d'Ange's place in Alba's line of succession, he seems set on this path.
But neither he nor Sidonie reckoned on their explosive connection, as the two begin an illicit affair that, if discovered, could split the realm asunder. But they are young and unsure, and both hope fervently that their feelings will fade. And so Imriel goes forth to marry his Alban bride, Dorelei mab Breidaia, and forge a life as an Alban prince. There, he is caught in a web of Alban magic, as the country's oldest inhabitants struggle to discern the shifting future.
After a startling twist halfway through the book, Imriel's life is shattered and he embarks upon a mission of vengeance that takes him into unknown lands. That journey tests him and changes him in ways he could never have expected.
Words cannot adequately describe the beauty and mastery of "Kushiel's Justice". The story unravels and weaves and unravels again in breathtaking succession, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, wondering what will happen next. The power of Carey's descriptive prose is on display here, as she sets up new lands and new characters and guides us expertly through their histories and motivations. I loved the many intricacies in the plot, the way certain things tied together, and the way so many unexpected obstacles prove that such journeys are never easy. Imriel learns this, too, as even the man against whom he has sworn vengeance shows him that even an idea as righteous as justice or an emotion as clear as hatred is not always so simple.
During the course this book, we see Imriel at his best and at his worst. We see the nature of the Shahrizai and Courcel blood in him, as well as the influences of Phedre and Joscelin. We see him lose himself and find himself repeatedly, and we see the forging of a powerful young man who has finally come to terms with himself. Other main characters include:
Sidonie, in whom readers finally glimpse the subtle cracks in her cold exterior, the insecurities she has struggled with. There is not as much focus on Sidonie's individual character as there is on her interaction with Imriel, but we still see the strength and intelligence and compassion in the young woman.
Dorelei, who serves to ground Imriel and put things into perspective for him. I really enjoyed the portrayal of her character, and found it to be realistic and refreshing.
Alais, who finally comes into her own in Alba. Like Imriel, she begins learning more about herself and her heritage in "Justice", and an interesting groundwork is laid for her in the next novel.
Urist, the commander of the forces who serve Imriel as Lord of Clunderry in Alba. He's an experienced man who doesn't miss much, and his support of Imriel provides a nice balance during their travels.
Many other characters also make appearances throughout the novel, including: Ysandre and Drustan, and his heir, Talorcan; Eammon and Brigitta, and the Lady Grainne; Hyacinthe and Sibeal and their children; Maslin de Lombelon, with whom there's a surprising and satisfactory twist; and of course Phedre and Joscelin, who, despite their comparatively small roles, prove to readers that at heart, they are who they've always been.
I simply do not have enough good things to say about "Kushiel Justice". My only criticism pertains to certain repetitive phrases in the writing, which at times did become a little annoying, but in most places were easily overlooked. If the upcoming "Kushiel's Mercy" is anywhere near as good as this book, Carey will have ended her second "Kushiel" trilogy by setting a standard that few authors today can meet.
Great addition to the Kushiel series.......2007-09-03
We continue Imriel's story, and just like in Kushiel's Scion, his life is as full of adventure as Phedre's. While the story is about Imriel, we are still able to peer into Phedre's and Joscelin's lives. Imriel, in his own right, captures our heart as surely as Phedre did. This was an excellent addition the Kushiel series and leaves you wanting to know what happens next in Imriel and Sidonie's future.
Another excellent book.......2007-08-23
This trilogy seems to have a somewhat different tone from Phedre's, but I think that's just the growth of the author. I've loved all 5 books so far, and my only complaint is that I have probably a year to wait for the next installment.
A bit more introspective, more about internal growth than the big adventure, still ties in all the components you've come to expect and desire from Carey.
Amazon.com
As readers of Janet Evanovich's two previous books about funny, feisty, family-tied bounty hunter Stephanie Plum already know, she operates in "the burg"--a "comfy residential chunk of Trenton, New Jersey, where houses and minds are proud to be narrow and hearts are generously wide open." On this turf, Plum fights for justice and fashion points--this time in pursuit of a beloved neighborhood candystore owner who seems to be moonlighting as an anti-drug vigilante. Evanovich now lives in New Hampshire, but authentic affection for Trenton energizes her prose. Plums in paperback include One for the Money and Two for the Dough.
Book Description
Stephanie Plum, the brassy babe in the powder blue Buick is back and she's having a bad hair day -- for the whole month of January.
She's been given the unpopular task of finding Mo Bedemier, Trenton's most beloved citizen, arrested for carrying concealed, gone no-show for his court appearance.
And to make matters worse, she's got Lula, a former hooker turned file clerk -- now a wannabe bounty hunter -- at her side, sticking like glue. Lula's big and blonde and black and itching to get the chance to lock up a crook in the trunk of her car.
Morelli, the New Jersey vice cop with the slow-burning smile that undermines a girl's strongest resolve is being polite. So what does this mean? Has he found a new love? Or is he manipulating Steph, using her in his police investigation, counting on her unmanageable curiosity and competitive Jersey attitude?
Once again, the entire One for the Money crew is in action, including Ranger and Grandma Mazur, searching for Mo, tripping down a trail littered with dead drug dealers, leading Stephanie to suspect Mo has traded his ice-cream scoop for a vigilante gun.
Cursed with a disastrous new hair color and an increasing sense that it's really time to get a new job, Stephanie spirals and tumbles through Three to Get Deadly with all the wisecracks and pace her fans have come to expect.
Customer Reviews:
Stephanie Plum series.......2007-09-02
I love the Stephanie Plum series of novels. I really hate reading so I purchase them both in audio for me and paperback for houseguests and friends. I'm drawn in with the excitment and adventure of the story that Janet seems to capture in every novel. It has twists, turns, Lula, mystery, wonder, and of course two very "HOT" men! Who wouldn't want a mix of both men. :} I would recommend the "Plum" series, her "Full" series, as well as her earlier novels of mixed titles. They're all great fun and keep you as a reader at the edge of your seat waiting to see if a cars going to get blown up, who's died this week, who attends the pot roast dinner, who she sleeps with next, what will burn down next, and will she get her man (love or bounty). I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I look forward to #14 in the "Plum" series, the next "Full" novel, and the new novel Janet recently wrote with a new author being released this October. Thank you!
Not really impressed.......2007-08-14
After enjoying the first two Stephanie Plum stories, I eagerly jumped into this one. It did not meet expectations. It was just not believable. Stephanie continues to make the kinds of mistakes that you would think she would learn from by now. And while I was able to laugh at the irreverence of the earlier books, I agree with others who said this book was a bit TOO crude. I am undecided as to whether to move onto the 4th.
Grandma Mazur ... I'd like you to meet Lula!.......2007-08-09
It was a slow day in the bounty hunting business and the best that Stephanie could do was an FTA. "Uncle Mo" Bedemier, well-loved owner of the local ice cream parlour, was a "failure to appear" on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. Stephanie didn't like the idea of having to chase down one of the burg's most respected citizens and the local populace, thinking the charge bogus and ill-advised in any event, certainly weren't tripping over themselves to give Stephanie a lending hand finding her man. But business is business and Stephanie is Stephanie. She leaped into the deep end of the pool and soon found herself up to her neck in murdered drug dealers, vigilantes, bible-thumping snake-charming country preachers and the porn industry. Plenty of room for fun and games in this little story!
But from the first moment a grateful reading audience read Stephanie Plum's exploits in her debut novel "One for the Money", the plot never has been the thing. "Three to Get Deadly" doesn't change a thing about that. Character development, slapstick comedy, earthy blue-collar New York dialogue and sticky wickets that would do "The Perils of Pauline" proud are what has rocketed this series to the top of the best-selling lists. No doubt about it. Janet Evanovich continues her string of successes and laugh-out-loud hilarity reigns supreme from first page to last.
Did you like Grandma Mazur in the first two books of the series? Then you'll die for Lula, former juiced hooker, newly minted office assistant and bounty hunter in training under Stephanie's dubious tutelage. She's "f"-ing amazing - funny, frolicsome, free-wheeling, full-figured, feisty, fired-up, frantic, in your face and fabulous! She's got a salty mouth and an attitude that any self-respecting trucker would be might proud of! What a piece of work.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Probbably the best of the series.......2007-08-09
Three to Get Deadly is probably the most well constructed book of the Stephanie Plum series. It's hilarious and full of colourful characters. You will love it. I recommend it for anyone over the age of 16.
Too outlandish.......2007-05-25
I thought her first novel had a few interesting twists and, despite the excessive crudeness, was entertaining. The second book seemed to get a bit too trashy. I thought I would give her one more chance in case she turned the corner. I was disappointed and will move on to another author.
In an effort to keep people amused and laughing, she opts for shock value via crude language and raunchy characters instead of creativity and true wit. Furthermore, Three to Get Deadly crosses the line in too many ways. First, she downplays pedophilia. Next, she makes a pervert likeable and almost makes you feel sorry for him. She leads you into wanting to forgive the guy when his actions are deplorable. Plus she seems to justify vigilantism and trashes God and a church. I could list a few dozen other objectionable points - not just morally, but also from the perspective of entertainment and writing skill.
I think she started off with a good plot and an interesting idea in her first book and built some interesting characters. However, she overused phrases, (if I read "damned skippy" one more time I was going to throw the book across the room) used crudeness and trashy language to keep things going instead of using literary skill, and her content and characters went down hill. Why does every new character have to be so outlandish? Because it is easier to choose shock than to think through interesting character build up.
Save your money and read something of value.
Book Description
The clashes between President Abraham Lincoln and Chief Justice Roger B. Taney over slavery, secession, and the president's constitutional war powers went to the heart of Lincoln's presidency. James Simon, author of the acclaimed What Kind of Nation -- an account of the battle between President Thomas Jefferson and Chief Justice John Marshall to define the new nation -- brings to vivid life the passionate struggle during the worst crisis in the nation's history, the Civil War. The issues that underlaid that crisis -- race, states' rights, and the president's wartime authority -- resonate today in the nation's political debate.
Lincoln and Taney's bitter disagreements began with Taney's Dred Scott opinion in 1857, when the chief justice declared that the Constitution did not grant the black man any rights that the white man was bound to honor. In the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln attacked the opinion as a warped judicial interpretation of the Framers' intent and accused Taney of being a member of a pro-slavery national conspiracy.
In his first inaugural address, President Lincoln insisted that the South had no legal right to secede. Taney, who administered the oath of office to Lincoln, believed that the South's secession was legal and in the best interests of both sections of the country.
Once the Civil War began, Lincoln broadly interpreted his constitutional powers as commander in chief to prosecute the war, suspending the writ of habeas corpus, censoring the mails, and authorizing military courts to try civilians for treason. Taney opposed every presidential wartime initiative and openly challenged Lincoln's suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. He accused the president of assuming dictatorial powers in violation of the Constitution. Lincoln ignored Taney's protest, convinced that his actions were both constitutional and necessary to preserve the Union.
Almost 150 years after Lincoln's and Taney's deaths, their words and actions reverberate in constitutional debate and political battle. Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney tells their dramatic story in fascinating detail.
Customer Reviews:
Two lawyers and a Nation in crisis.......2007-10-05
It should be widely known that during the greatest crisis that has faced the US, the Civil War, Lincoln suspended the rights of habeas corpus (trial by jury) and essential bent the Constitution in order to save the Union. In James Simon's book "Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney: Slavery, Secession, and the President's War Powers" he gives us a fairly balanced approach in examining both sides of the issues facing the President and the Supreme Court as it relates to the Constitution and civil liberties. As a law professor Simon examines Justice Taney's rulings and Lincoln's position on civil matters that were affecting the Nation. His book shows how much of an uphill battle Justice Taney had to face when trying to fight the challenges to individual liberties. As the inevitable war approached, Lincoln didn't wait for Congress to return to session. He did all in his power to block any additional states from turning to help the Confederacy. This was especially true in Maryland Justice Taney's home state. Lincoln took the broad approach to Constitutional matters believing that he knew what the Founding Fathers had constitutionally desired for the Nation. Justice Taney maintained a more narrow Jeffersonian state's view. Simon relates Taney's early views expressed in a banking opinion while serving as Andrew Jackson's Attorney General. Reflecting Taney's words Andrew Jackson's states, "The opinion of the Supreme Court Judges has no more authority over Congress than the opinion of congress has over the Judges, and on that point the President is independent of both" Jackson wrote. "The authority of the Supreme Court must not, therefore, be permitted to control Congress or the Executive when acting in their legislative capacities, but to have only such influence as the force of their reasoning may deserve." As Chief Justice during the Lincoln administration, Taney found himself greatly challenged to maintain this opinion. Simon covers the infamous "Dred Scott vs Sanford" opinion that haunted Taney and how it became a catalyst to move Lincoln forward and into the Presidency. Both Taney and Lincoln had respect for the rule of law. They both desired peace. Taney was willing to allow the states to peaceable leave the Union in order to prevent civil war. Simon reveals that Lincoln's goal was to repair the rupture to the constitutional government established by the framers even if that meant civil war.
This is an important read in helping to understand the extraordinary powers assumed by the executive, with the consent of Congress, in times of emergencies and how when the emergency passes should be yielded up. In the epilogue Simon goes over several later Presidents and their use of war powers. He explains how Congress is the best check on the growing assumptions of Presidential war powers. The Supreme Court has been very reluctant to curb the president's powers especially when the Nation's security is at risk.
Keeping everything in Civil War context shows how much Lincoln "appreciated that the strength of the Union lay not in the force of arms but in the liberties that were guaranteed by the open, and sometimes heated, exchange of ideas"..."He didn't use this authority to trample on the civil liberties that the writ of habeas corpus was meant to protect". Had Lincoln imprisoned and kept imprisoned anyone just because they were unpopular would have meant the failure of the constitution as well as the failure of civilization and hello totalitarianism. Today as we face issue with regards to our own personal liberties, it is important to stay vigilant so that our rights aren't abused beyond the constitutional law. Simon lays open two legal minds in a time of tremendous pressure. Well worth the read to better understand this critical crossroad in US history.
Captivating Work of Legal History!.......2007-07-28
James Simon has been making a career out of writing great books that profile legal/political controversies. He has also written one about the Jefferson/Marshall, and then the Black/Frankfurter, fights. But not to worry. They are entertaining, all; this one is no exception.
The primary concern of this book is to explore the differing visions - on practically all issues - between then president elect Lincoln and then Supreme Court Chief Justice Taney. Lincoln, from Illinois, was a moderate republican who believed in gradual emancipation of slavery and - most importantly here - sweeping presidential war powers combined with the illegality of Southern seccession. Taney, by contrast, was a quiet Baltimorean and democrat who believed in states rights, fidelity to (a more narrow view of the) Constitution, even during times of war, and the states rights to choose whether to condone slavery. Needless to say for those who know even the most cursory history - Lincoln won.
While Simon does treat Taney with a tiny bit of hkostility, he is very careful to give him credit when credit is due. One of the main focuses of the book - the rightfully infamous decision in Dred Scott v Sandford, which saw Taney proclaim that Scott, a black man, could not bring a suit as he was not legally a person - is hard to justify by even the most generous legal mind. And Simon rightfully and flatly treats it to a stinging critique. This, as with several other Tany zingers.
But SImon is also quick to point out that Taney wss first and foremost concerned with civil liberties during war time, against the president's sometimes Orwellian actions, such as his acts to shut down newspapers that did not sympathize with the Union, or his actions - yes, it is true - to arrest a priest who did not pray for the Union. When these are looked at by Simon, Taney comes out with at least some dignity.
This book covers, first, both men's early years before going into the pre-civil war acts like Dred Scott and follows the trajectory of the entire civil war, highlighting the president's actions therein and Taney's (often ignored) responses to them. Legalese - have no fear - is kept to a minimum, and, in fact, the entire book reads like a historical thriller with a bit of courtroom drama.
On a final note, I find this book prescient for today's times, becasue many of the debates that Taney and Lincoln had are debates we ourselves are having in the US today. Whether or not military tributnals can or should supplant judicial courts, whether habeas corpus can be suspended in war time, what it even means to bve at war (the debate then was whether or not you can be at war with your own country men, today it is whether you can be at war with a group not a state). Finally, there is whether the president's war powers give the president virtually unlimited authority to ignore other constitutional provisions. Prescient indeed!
Anyhow, this is a good read for anyone interested in an in-depth study of the Civil WAr period or the legal issues rife therein.
Enough Reviews Have Now Been Written.......2007-04-21
Actually, more than enough has now been written about this book in the reviews above. One wishes there had been a more detailed analysis of Taney's pre-Lincoln opinions, a more detailed analysis of his anti-Presidential opinions, and a little less repetition of the well-trod facts of Lincoln's life. But nothwithstanding all this, it was a quick paced easily readable way to become re-acquainted with this too often ignored clash over executive power. And it provides much fodder for discussion of how W is using executive power in our time.....
Good, but not Great.......2007-03-10
Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney was a quick read (about 280 pages), which did not shed much new light on Lincoln or his presidency. The parts on Taney were interesting when you came across them, but the book itself was not balanced. Taney comes across as a "great" and fair Chief Justice untill the Dred Scott decision in 1857, and then he becomes blinded by his 'State's Rights' philosophy. This bias affects most of his post-Dred Scott rulings, and diminishes Taney's status as a potentially great Chief Justice. The book is interesting in that it really details just how far Lincoln stretched his interpretation of the Constitution during the Civil War, but the battles between Taney and Lincoln are limmitted. This book is interesting and good, but not great.
Too Little Taney.......2007-02-19
This book does offer quite a bit of information about the divergent evolution of Lincoln and Taney from their somewhat common beginnings, but unfortunately stops short of giving us a full insight into why Taney, who freed the majority of his slaves and personally abhored slavery, would defend it so vehemently and unrigorously in his Dred Scott decision. All the stuff on Lincoln is good, but I've seen it done more eloquently elsewhere (including his suspension of the writ of habeas corpus); I really expected more on Taney.
As a Catholic, I would have loved to see more on Taney's Catholicism than a mere mention of it and the name of his parish church -- perhaps how his views either for or against slavery and states rights were formed there. But the author makes mention of and dismisses this religious side in a few short sentences, while hinting that Taney was an intensely religious, if conflicted, individual. How can one arrive at a true understanding of Taney without knowing this dimension of his character?
Sadly, Taney himself occupies somewhat less than half of the book, and quotations from (and any extensive analysis of) his decisions other than Dred Scott are lacking. The author spends about as much time on Douglas as he does on Taney (Douglas' name could be added to book's title without falsity).
Finally, Simon, in his epilogue, moves to the present and makes this comment on the current political situation compared with Lincoln's: "And he did not attempt to escape judicial scrutiny in the name of national security, as the Bush administration has repeatedly done in prosecuting the War on Terrorism, which, unlike the Civil War, has no discernible end." In the book itself, Simon has Lincoln completely ignoring Taney's pronouncements on the writ of habeas corpus and packing the Court with three new pro-Lincoln justices to assure a good decision on the Prize Cases. He furthermore points out that, until quite late, the Civil War had no discernible end either, with defeat after defeat dogging the Union forces during the early and middle portions of the war. Simon's final intrusion of his own modern politics (conflicted with his admiration of Lincoln's strong prosecution of the war against slavery) provides a dissonant counterpoint to the rest of the book.
Book Description
Since 1980, the number of people in U.S. prisons has increased more than 450%. Despite a crime rate that has been falling steadily for decades, California has led the way in this explosion, with what a state analyst called "the biggest prison building project in the history of the world." Golden Gulag provides the first detailed explanation for that buildup by looking at how political and economic forces, ranging from global to local, conjoined to produce the prison boom.
In an informed and impassioned account, Ruth Wilson Gilmore examines this issue through statewide, rural, and urban perspectives to explain how the expansion developed from surpluses of finance capital, labor, land, and state capacity. Detailing crises that hit California's economy with particular ferocity, she argues that defeats of radical struggles, weakening of labor, and shifting patterns of capital investment have been key conditions for prison growth. The results--a vast and expensive prison system, a huge number off incarcerated young people of color, and the increase in punitive justice such as the "three strikes" law--pose profound and troubling questions for the future of California, the United States, and the world. Golden Gulag provides a rich context for this complex dilemma, and at the same time challenges many cherished assumptions about who benefits and who suffers from the state's commitment to prison expansion.
Customer Reviews:
Lots of Good Stuff.......2007-05-13
As a researcher in criminology and recidivism, this book proved to be very helpful!
bought for another.......2007-02-19
i purchased for a friend who is an inmate
he has praised the book to me
A disappointment.......2007-02-04
This book could have used an editor. I struggled through 200 of the 250 pages (before the notes at the end) before giving up. I was hoping to read an inside account of how the prison unions gained power to promote the building of more prisons, or perhaps an in-depth review of how politicians manipulated the public to be tough on crime. Instead, I find a hard to follow mish-mash of various vaguely related topics (farm worker struggles in the central valley, problems in Latin America, etc.). Although never outright stated, it seems her main conclusion is that California built all these prisons, and then toughened the laws to fill them, because the state wanted to develop land in rural areas. Huh? Could it be that that instead no one else wanted prisons near them, and rural locations were the only place they would be accepted, partly because locals were more interested in the prison jobs? And if this is the conclusion, one would think there would be some analysis disproving that it wasn't politicians getting tough on crime first, and overcrowding then driving the building of prisons in rural areas, rather than the other way around.
The other problem is that the writing appears like someone trying to sound important, rather than trying to explain something. The sentence structure was difficult to follow, with too many adjectives, etc. Here is an example from page 54: "The pivotal verb 'to reproduce' signifies the broad array of political, economic, cultural, and biological capacities a society uses to renew itself daily, seasonally, generationally." Also, the constant quotes in the middle of the text, apparently to give the air of authority missing in the text itself, was distracting. Why not use footnotes? An example from page 43: "The location of defense and other high-technology jobs (Soja 1989; Oliver et al. 1993) exacerbated the state's residential and income segregation (Walters 1992; Mike Davis 1990; Bullard et al. 1994).
There are a few good points buried in this book. For example, the point that California politicians got tough on crime at a time when crime had already started to decline for two years. Or the fact that the definition of crime determines how many criminals there are - an increasing crime rate doesn't necessarily mean an increase in crime, it can simply reflect a change in the definition of what is a crime (possession of smaller amounts of drugs, etc.). Or that the determinate sentencing we now have was partly a result of prisoners suing to be treated equally under the parole rules, with a very unintended consequence. I wish the book had focused on aspects like these, and had been written in easier to follow language.
An excellent book...a must read!.......2006-12-30
Ruthie Gilmore's examination of California's prison-industrial complex paints a sobering portrait of the effects of the state's post-industrial decline in the past quarter century. Supplemented by numerous charts, maps, and statistics, Gilmore argues that the massive prison-building project that began in the early 1980s was rooted in earlier developments, namely the failure of the "welfare-warfare state" to absorb the numerous surpluses created by political and economic restructuring. Combining theory and historical-sociological analysis, this highly readable book is at once depressing and optimistic; it lays out the facts and guidelines for pursuing meaningful, antiracist struggles against the systemic dehumanization of immigrants, low-wage workers, and youths of color that continues to characterize U.S. political culture.
Customer Reviews:
From a Survivor.......2003-04-28
William Watkins pointedly and proudly explains how people other than the African Americans have guided the principles of Black education in the United States from the Reconstruction era to post World War II. Whether these people acting philanthropically as John D. Rockefeller or as "evil geniuses" (Chapter 6), they have shaped Black education then and some would argue for all time.
In his writing, Watkins shows that there is a view of the history of American education that does not come from the larger culture. Watkins view is from the "other side of the fence" that is not written by the victors but rather a survivor. This view is equally important as it establishes the fact there are always two sides to every story. "History is made by people in struggle" (p.179).
Generalizations tend to pervade Watkins' writings as the use of the words "few" and "many" are consistent. But this is understandable considering little or no empirical research was being conducted regarding Black education during this time period.
Pointing to the past for blaming is not the purpose of Watkins in his book, but rather an enlightenment of the history presented by a survivor of slavery, segregation and racial inequalities that have existed for generations. Truly, Watkins has offered a view of history in which we can reflect upon and use to help guide a new generation of architects.
White Architects.......2003-04-28
William H. Watkins writes about the power of education and how it "can be used both to oppress and to liberate." (pg.1) Watkins shares with us how research and science in the last century validated the belief that Whites were the superior race. This belief has played a great role in the development of the school system and curriculum we have today in America. The "White Architects" have used the school system to keep races of people oppressed. He clearly defines who the architects were and the role they played in orchestrating the school system we have today.
I believe that in order to see more success among minority students in schools today we have to restructure the whole school system. Watkins book strengthens my belief. He states "public education was product of historically, politically, and socially constructed ideas." These ideas need to be updated and remade to include all races equally.
The White Architects of Black Education.......2003-04-28
Mr. Watkins walks us through an historical and turbulent era of education that continues to have ramifications in our present educational system. Watkins journey through the maze of black education exposes the political and socioeconomic influences of the dominnant and affluent white culture of the north. He reveals to the reader the influences of the corporate magnets of the north who wanted cheap labor and subserivent workers. They used their philanthropy and the educational system to imposed their own philosophy of education on the black population;while promoting subserivent lifestyles for those who participated. Mr Watkins is able to convince the reader about the political and economic hold that the corporate world imposes on the black population and the disregard these men had for how the black population wanted their education to progress.
Mr. Watkins continues to show us the need for continued political and socieconomic justice for all people and warns us of the continued influence that corporate America has on all of us.
A New Foundation for an Old School Structure.......2003-04-26
William H. Watkins is subtle in his story of the "white architects" who developed Black education beginning in 1865, just at the end of the Civil War. Watkins shocks you with his "scientific racism" platform that he explains "presented human difference as the rational for inequality" and that it "can be understood as an ideological and political issue" (pg. 39). The reader senses a calm attitude about the author as he speaks of the Philanthropists, beginning with John D. Rockefeller, Sr, who was most concerned about "shaping the new industrial social order" (pg. 133) than he was for providing a useful education. "The Rockefeller group demonstrated how gift giving could shape education and public policy" (pg. 134). In their support of Black education, by 1964,the General Education Board (GEB) spent more than $3.2 million dollars in gifts to support Black education. This captivating book begins with a forward written by Robin D.G. Kelley who reflects that she learned one lesson from Watkins, "If we are to create new models of pedagogy and intellectual work and become architects of our own education, then we cannot simply repair the structures that have been passed down to us. We need to dismantle the old architecture so that we might begin anew" (pg. xiii). Why don't the school reformers who mandate educational laws experience such an awakening?
White Architects-Bad Design.......2003-04-26
William Watkins' "The White Architects of Black Education" gives an historical and sociological perspective to the progress, or lack of progress, related to the education of African Americans in the United States. This is an excellent resource for those people who have an interest in how the educational system of the mid 19th century through the mid 1950's was crafted in a way to limit the progress of African Americans during those times.
It is interesting to read about how famous Americans such as John D. Rockefellers Senior and Junior, and Andrew Carnegie set up philanthropic foundations to improve the lives of Black Americans. Even though they had what appeared to be benevolent intentions, the reality was that they perpetuated a continued system of racial subservience.
We see not only white men of influence involved, but also conflicts between those African American leaders who differed on plans to educate children. W.E.B. Dubois criticized Booker T. Washington for, what he called, "submission and silence as to civil and political rights." Many felt that Dubois' remarks about Washington would create a diviseness among Black leaders.
Though education for African American children has improved over the past century, this book points out why progress was slow and why we haven't yet reached a truly equal educational system. This part of American history should be a part of general history texts, not separate add-ons to sociological and historical course work.
Average customer rating:
- Murder Mystery Set in Venice
- Another wonderful Brunetti
- Not That Death in Venice
- My last Donna Leon book
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Uniform Justice
Donna Leon
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ASIN: 0142004227
Release Date: 2004-04-06 |
Book Description
For more than a decade Donna Leon has been a bestseller in Europe with a series of mysteries featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti. Always ready to bend the rules to solve a crime, Brunetti manages to maintain his integrity while maneuvering through a city rife with politics, corruption, and intrigue.
In Uniform Justice, a young cadet has been found hanged, a presumed suicide, in Venice's elite military academy. Brunetti's sorrow for the boy, so close in age to his own son, is rivaled only by his contempt for a community that is more concerned with protecting the reputation of the school, and its privileged students, than with finding the truth. The young man's father is a doctor and former politician. He is a man of an impeccable integrity who inexplicably avoids talking to the police. As Brunetti pursues his inquiry, he is faced with a wall of silence. Is the military protecting its own? Or has Brunetti uncovered a conspiracy far more sinister than that of a single death?
Customer Reviews:
Murder Mystery Set in Venice.......2007-08-30
This has been a summer of unusual reading, and the latest book I am reviewing here, "Uniform Justice," reflects my recent fascination with all things mystery and thriller. Prior to this summer, this genre is not something I would usually consider. However, I have discovered a lot of great writing so far, and this book is a good example.
Leon's book, "Uniform Justice," is part of a series based on Comissario Guido Brunetti. However, when I read the book, I wasn't even aware of that fact, so it's clear that the book stands alone, to be enjoyed without any previous encounters with Leon's work. This story centers on the supposed suicide of a young cadet at a military academy in Venice. The academy resents any interference from outsiders, particularly those of the Venice Police and Brunetti. The story enlarges once the boy's family becomes involved in the investigation.
While there is plenty to enjoy on a good mystery storytelling basis, the book's real pleasures can be found on many other levels as well: first, it is a love song to the city of Venice, its buildings, people, and food. Second, the story closely follows the life of investigating Commissario Guido Brunetti and his own family life (he has a son the same age as the victim); particularly interesting are the accompanying office politics of his job. Finally, the story is an examination of the Italian way of doing things (manners, politics, bribery, and corruption).
This is a very interesting book, even for readers who don't consider themselves mystery fans. For setting alone, the book is worth reading, but I think, like me, you will find yourself on the lookout for other Comissario Brunetti tales once you finish this one.
Another wonderful Brunetti.......2007-01-09
If you like international detective stories and don't know Donna Leon's series starring Commisario Guido Brunetti then you're in for a treat. Every installment is uniformly well written, engrossing and enjoyable. Settle into crime, family dinners (with polenta)and an occasional glass of Soave as our Venetian policeman copes with fatuous superiors and nasty criminals. End with some Vin Santo.
Not That Death in Venice.......2006-10-05
Donna Leon, originally from New Jersey, has lived in Venice, Italy, for twenty years, as lecturer, professor, and finally mystery writer/student of Baroque music(and she actually motivated me to buy a CD of excerpts from Handel's operas). As of 2006, she's written 16 Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries, all set in or around Venice.
First thing to be said is, she knows the place: its geography, weather, people, houses, jobs, transportation, politics, smells,feel, food, and death, and no, not in that "Death in Venice" (by Thomas Mann) way. Her Venice has little in common with the beautiful, ethereal city celebrated so frequently in song, story, and movie, and so fondly remembered by multitudes of tourists. Her Venice is where Venetians live and work.
Commissario Brunetti is a melancholy and cynical man, made tired by endless infighting in the top-heavy Italian police bureacracy; and by many disappointments in dealing with what he sees as the self-serving corruption of the Italian power elites. Only the domestic warmth of his family: wife Paola, a hereditary contessa born to one of Venice's oldest families, who chooses to teach, cook, and to espouse left-wing causes (that often sound as if her creator might also support them); his children Raffi and Chiara, and many good meals, enables Brunetti to stay centered and to continue fighting the good fight.
Many people feel that Leon relies too heavily on stereotypes. Her view of Italy as a whole reflects the country that certain liberal bohemias love to hate. She sometimes slows the action of her books to express her political views. "Uniform Justice," particularly, can be viewed as being a bit too full of political digressions. Leon may also be accused of choosing the subject matter of her books for political reasons; of painting all southern Italians as dumb and dishonest, all Venetians as intelligent and honest, all American tourists as fat and crude, and all women under 35 as beautiful. There's some truth to all these criticisms.
In "Uniform Justice" Brunetti is sent to the upper-crust "San Martino Military Academy," where Cadet Ernesto Moro has been found hanged in the boys' lavatory. The school, man and boy, prefers to think Moro a suicide, and whispers various nasty habits of his. They close ranks against Brunetti, as they do against all outsiders, particularly the low-born. However, Brunetti doesn't think the cadet's death is suicide, and digs doggedly until he can prove the cadet's death is murder. Furthermore, the death is directly attributable to the self-interest and corruption of the Italian elites, and to the weakness of any countervailing powers, such as the boy's own family, that might have saved him. But does Brunetti imagine he has liberated Italy from this kind of business? No, sorry, no can do.
It's a really sad story, and I particularly liked the fact that Leon doesn't ever forget that murder, violent death, is tragic, and in the case of a young person, doubly so. If you don't mind a gritty Venice, one where the gondoliers don't sing night and day, this book, and this series, may be for you.
My last Donna Leon book.......2006-08-26
I've happily read all the Donna Leon mysteries, and enjoyed them from the beginning, although less and less lately. I recognize the author's right, to a point, to push her views through her characters, but the books have become so "anti-" that I have trouble enjoying them. Death of Faith was little more than a bitter anti-Catholic rant. And Uniform Justice does the same for the military, painting all military members of all countries as ultra conservative, brainless, immoral, borderline (or worse) facists. The many anti-American and anti-tourist comments (a true but over used cliche) are also harder and harder to get past pleasantly.
The series has degenerated into little more than bitter ranting, and left character development and intricate plot twists behind. Donna Leon seems to have had five or six good stories to tell, and is now just filling paper and lining her pockets with her reputation.
I'll miss these books, the first five or six were so pleasant, witty, and fun.
Great Series.......2006-08-04
I did not feel this book was as good as others. However, this is still one of the best series I've read in a long time. The writing has reminded consistently good, unlike the Anne Perry series in which the writing deminished to such a level that I can no longer read her books
Also, has anyone noticed that the books seem to get more and more cynical as the series moves forward -- Patta gets dumber and Venice and Italy more corrupt?
S
Book Description
Meet Ree Dolly -- not since Mattie Ross stormed her way through Arkansas in True Grit has a young girl so fiercely defended her loved ones. Sixteen-year-old Ree Dolly has grown up in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks and belongs to a large extended family. On a bitterly cold day, Ree, who takes care of her two younger brothers as well as her mother, learns that her father has skipped bail. If he fails to appear for his upcoming court date on charges of cooking crystal meth, his family will lose their house, the only security they have. Winter's Bone is the story of Ree's quest to bring her father back, alive or dead. Her goal had been to leave her messy world behind and join the army, where "everybody had to help keep things clean." But her father's disappearance forces her to first take on the outlaw world of the Dolly family. Ree's plan is elemental and direct: find her father, teach her little brothers how to fend for themselves, and escape a downward spiral of misery. Asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake, but Ree perseveres. Her courage and purity of spirit make her a truly compelling figure. She learns that what she had long considered to be the burdens imposed on her by her family are, in fact, the responsibilities that give meaning and direction to her life. Her story is made palpable by Woodrell, who is "that infrequent thing, a born writer" (Philadelphia Inquirer).
Customer Reviews:
A great read.......2007-09-27
This was my first book by this author. I found this book to be an excellent read. Captures the Ozarks well. Characters are developed and plot builds. Highly recommended.
fantastic.......2007-09-24
This is one of the tightest and toughest novels I have ever come across. I read it in a sitting and wished it had taken a week. It is so sharp and contemporary that you don't notice the almost mythical nature of it until it is done. Fantastic job.
Story Well Told.......2007-08-29
This book was an unexpected treat. I haven't read any of Woodrell's works before but after reading this one, I plan to read more. This book is written so well, that I can still remember it vividly even after reading numerous books since. The characters and dialogues are so real and attractive, there were no boring patches in the book.
Entering a life unknown before now.......2007-08-15
It is wonderful to read a book that is so finely written.
He brings characters to life even though you may have little in common with them and makes you care and understand.
Pure poetry mixed with backwoods grammer, beautiful but lacking........2007-08-12
Transported into the main characters world., a teenage girl Ree who has been born and bred into generations of pour, hardened, country folk with an absent daddy, mentally ill mother and two rough and tumble younger brothers she is responsible for, dreams of joining the Army on day to better herself. However, keeping her family on their feet till then proves to become more difficult as she faces losing the family home and land to a bail bondsman unless she can find her father. Her kin being of more harm than help given that they are not front porch tea sipping, take their shirt off their back for you people, but crank cooking, whiskey drinking, stay off my property if you don't want to get shot people, Ree straps on her combat boots, musters up what must be half craziness and half solid gumption and sets out to find her daddy to help those she loves.
Winters Bone left me with mixed feelings that lead in turn to my review. The language was a mix of amazing, beautiful, visual poetry with back woods mountain grammar that tended to disrupt the flow for me. Given half my relatives speak in this way minus the profanity I understand and respect the writer's blended method however for me personally it was harder to read. If he didn't disrupt the poetic narration with some tossed in poor grammar and kept that separate for when the characters thought and spoke I feel it would have flowed better and read better for me. I kept wanting to care about the main character and had to put aside my feelings of her bad choices given how she was raised. The story stalled in the middle however events picked up and I became interested again. I did feel a little let down in the end by one of Ree's choices that I am not going to elaborate on as to not create a spoiler. Ree is not your typical heroin but I could see how she is a hero to her family. All in all, this book is not for everyone but I found it worth one read.
Book Description
For the first time, a sitting judge blows the whistle on America’s out-of-control courts.
A judge for more than twenty years, Robert Dierker has enjoyed a distinguished legal career. But now that career may be on the line. Why? Because he is breaking the code of silence that has long kept judges from speaking out to present a withering account of how radical liberals run roughshod over the Constitution, waging war on the laws of nature, the laws of reason, and the law of God.
Even those outraged by America’s courts will be shocked by Judge Dierker’s story of activist judges, deep-pocketed special interest groups, pandering politicians, and others who claim to stand for tolerance, equal rights, and social justice, but actually stand for something quite different—something closer to totalitarianism.
Citing not only Judge Dierker’s own experiences but dozens of other recent court cases,
The Tyranny of Tolerance shows how the courts enable left-wing activists to ram their dangerous agenda down the throats of the American people. Consider:
• Why do the courts claim the power to tax us?
• Why is a Christian fired when he voices opposition to his employer’s favoring homosexuals?
• Why are airline pilots sued and sent to “diversity training” for recommending that suspicious-looking people of Middle Eastern appearance be kept off planes?
• Why does a judge who defends a monument to the Ten Commandments in a courthouse lose his job?
• Why are speech codes imposed on employers, university students, lawyers (and judges!), while “artistic” indecency is protected from even the mildest regulation?
• Why are peaceful abortion protesters thrown in jail, their right to free speech crushed?
• Why are white and Asian students denied admission to colleges and universities in the name of “diversity”?
• Why is an enemy fighter captured in Afghanistan granted access to U.S. federal courts, overturning judicial precedent safeguarding the president’s wartime powers—to say nothing of common sense?
With this passionate insider’s account, Judge Dierker reminds Americans what’s at stake in the battle for the courts: the Constitution, the success of the war on terrorism, the freedom to worship God, the ability to keep our families safe, the institution of marriage, and much more.
Fortunately, Judge Dierker shows how we can defeat the radical liberals’ tyranny of tolerance. By wresting back control of the courts and restoring the legal, moral, and religious principles embedded in the Constitution, we can ultimately reclaim the republic the Founders bequeathed to us.
Customer Reviews:
Don't waste your money.......2007-08-18
This makes Levin's Men in Black look like a scholarly book. Tyranny of Tolerance makes no attempt at considering the complexities of some of the questions that the author discusses. In fact, loaded with inconsistencies and incoherence, it is at best a rant. A simple example should suffice: he insists that judges should follow the intent of the Constitution and its plain meaning. If that is the case, he should argue that the narrow purpose of the 14th amendment was not to announce a broad principle of equal treatment, but a specific protection for black Americans. The Congress that wrote the amendment enacted affirmative action laws favoring blacks. Instead, like the judges he criticizes, Dieker "morphs" the amendment into a rule that he favors. Readers serious about understanding judging and the Supreme Court ought to read Kermit Roosevelt's book about Judicial Activism.
A Needle of Truth out of the Haystack of Judicial Deception .......2007-05-27
Political Correctness is a passive aggressive form of tyranny but one of the most dangerous tyrannies nonetheless. It is passive because it is subtle and has the power to make its victims feel guilty for opposing it and thus easier to subjugate. It is dangerous because by the time we get fed up with it and decide to stand up to it most of the damage has already been done.
The Judicial code of silence is just such an example of this damage. How can sitting judges, with more job security than most Americans can dream of, be bludgeoned into silence so easily? Nothing more perfectly demonstrates the tyranny of political correctness, masquerading as "tolerance."
Judge Dierker as written a good book. He is bold and courageous for doing it and will no doubt suffer career ostracism, if not death threats, for it. He reminds me of the scientists who break their own code of silence to speak out on the hoax of anthropogenic global warming. The machinations of both of these elements of political correctness have the goal of transferring more control over the personal lives and finances of ordinary Americans to a government in the hands of the enemies of truth, justice and the oh-so-politically incorrect "American way."
If you are one of those who is fed up with being pushed around and dictated to by mad power hungry moonbats this book is for you. It affirms that you are not alone.
The Code Exposed.......2007-05-27
"Tolerance" is one of those words that have a positive connotation so it is no surprise that the Democratic Party has co-opted it as one of its watchwords. However, in THE TYRANNY OF TOLERANCE, judge Robert Dierker insists that the drive to achieve tolerance has reached such a manic level that the word now implies tolerance for some is a zero sum game that inevitably results in intolerance for others. Such a wish to force tolerance on those whom the tolerant deem intolerant is now reflective in a broad swath that cuts across all sectors of America. Those who see themselves as dispensers of tolerance call themselves liberals, but Dierker more correctly terms illiberal liberals. As a circuit judge of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit of Missouri, Dierker, over a twenty year career on the bench has seen it all, and during those two decades has seen a negative transformation in the basic legal framework of his court and by extension, the United States. At the core of this metamorphosis is the evolving view held by the Left of the Constitution. Originally, seen as the cornerstone of our republic, it has slowly been eroded away from meaning what it says to what a leftist judiciary says it means. Now, the illiberal liberals use it to force an agenda on the very fabric of our society, one that includes filing "lawsuits to kick the Boy Scouts out of public parks, to get sodomy into a constitutional right, to throw peaceful abortion protestors in jail, to allow abortionists to pull babies three-quarters out of the way of the womb and kill them, to crush pro-lifers' rights of speech and assembly, to nullify the reproductive rights and parental rights of men, to bankrupt the firearms industry as a means of disarming a free people, to impose racial quotas on employment, and to eliminate God from the Pledge of Allegiance." (Page 3)
It is pretty clear that Dierker is a conservative judge who takes a view of society that includes a refusal to expect a guaranteed level playing field of wealth and justice. The Left, in his view, wishes a society that is based on a Marxist redistribution of wealth and a utopian guarantee of justice for all to be achieved by legislative fiat. Historically, whenever any society is instituted under Marxist rules of wealth redistribution and socialist guarantees of employment and institutionalized multiculturalism, the result has inevitably been economic collapse as with the Soviet Union or social dysfunction as with most of multicultural Western Europe. These calamities Dierker is determined to avoid. In an overly brief coda, he notes how a concerned citizenry can reverse this decades long slide toward collapse and dysfunction. He writes that voters can demand judges who will decide issues based on what the Constitution says, and not on what agenda they would prefer it contain. Congress must be persuaded to curtail runaway judges by explicitly abolishing corrosive and divisive policies like affirmative action. And finally, Presidents must be chosen at least partly on their willingness to defy power-hungry supreme courts as Lincoln did when he authorized suspension of habeas corpus in Maryland in 1863. Dierker exhorts us to realize that it is not too late to wish to be intolerant of the perverted brand of tolerance now bandied about by the illiberal liberals.
Book review.......2007-04-10
This book is very importent to any who are concerned about the current fact the liberal judiciay is out of control and taking us down the road to complete judicial autocracy.
Wow! The Truth about the Legal Thought Police Pogrom.......2007-03-20
WOW!! This Book is a Rare Find - and a Very Important One.
Using Clear and Unambiguous language to explain in straightforward terms the current state of Constitutional Law and the Judiciary in modern Weimar Amerika - Judge Dierker has both produced a Masterwork of American Letters, and Turned Over the Rock on the Ugly underside to the attack on our Country by Radicals within the alleged `Legal Profession' using the pretext of `Tolerance' as a platform for a Draconian Political Thought Policing attack on Society and the Constitution.
For those thinking of attending Law School (or already there) - this book is Vital, particularly as it covers Basic Issues that are Now Censored by Law Schools and Constitutional Law Texts (like Justice Scalia's Dissent in Romer v. Evans - where he discussed Homosex Bias in Legal Education - and was Censored from the Cohen & Varat Text Book for it) - and does so in a refreshingly candid manner.
In fact, this book is so complete and yet concise, that if one supplements this book with the Cases it Cites (available on the Net for free) - it would serve as a Far Better Constitutional Law Text than most of those on the market. I say this as a Constitutional Law Scholar / First Amendment advocate who graduated with Distinction from the McGeorge Law School - and was threatened with extreme physical violence by a Professor (Myers) while a student in retaliation for daring to support Justice Scalia's (censored - but not forgotten) dissents in class.
For those who are Not Lawyers - Read This Book!! In barely 200 Pages Judge Dierker lays out the Major Cases and Players and Scams that are the stock in trade of the Radical Gender Feminist / Homosex Attack on Society. He does so in an easily understandable and lucid manner, that allows Citizens (and not just the self anointed `legal elite') to understand what is really going on, and how the scam is being run. For many the legal system and Supreme Court is a mystery beyond comprehension - but in the Tyranny of Tolerance the system is dissected in a manner understandable by all.
This Book truly lays bare the inner workings of the Legal System - and Identifies the Strategies and Tactics that have been used to turn it in to the Enemy of the People, and a tool for the self anointed power elites to enforce their Pander or Perish agenda - BAMN (By Any Means Necessary) through the Tyranny of the `Tolerance' police.
One of the BEST READS I have Ever Found - Worth the Time for Any Citizen. 5 Stars!
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- Mao: The Unknown Story
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- Politics in States and Communities (12th Edition)
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