Reviews (14)

Not as good as he says or as bad as his worse enemies make him out to be
One can accept the Soros version of Soros , or one can search elsewhere and find far more critical versions. Soros is to himself someone dedicated to making the world a better place, someone strongly committed to the idea of the open- society for mankind as a whole. He believes his own rare combination of great wealth, an original set of principles of life,a strong desire to help humanity,make him uniquely suited to understand what the world needs now, and how to give it to it.
It's a Worthwhile Education
Soros probably writes too many books and doesn't spend enough time crafting them. Certainly he stuffs each book with too many ideas and topics, some of them decidedly under-developed. For all that, the insights are well worth the slog.
yet another hopeless philosopher
After reading Mr. Soros's book, which is not an easy task, I believe he had to deal with his conscience. It must be extremely difficult for a forteen year old Jewish boy escaping Hitler's racial vilification and death sentence, by false identity-papers.
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Subjects:  1. 21st century    2. Civilization, Modern    3. Democracy    4. Essays    5. National characteristics, American    6. Political Advocacy    7. Political Freedom & Security - General    8. Political Ideologies - Democracy    9. Political Science    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Sociology    13. U.S. - Contemporary Politics    14. War on Terrorism, 2001-    15. Human rights    16. USA   

Reviews (5)

The Pictures are Really Entertaining.
Happily, I discovered this book shortly after another one of my recommendations; "The Elementary Common Sense of Thomas Paine." It was truly fascinating to read about the events that occurred in Colonial America shortly before the Declaration, and see those events referenced in our constitution. You will understand the evolution of our government from colonial to country by reading both. Enthusiastically Recommended for all ages.

Every American should buy this book
This is a visually wonderful book.Sam Fink originally did a pen-and-ink version of this, which was later revised to be a full-colour version for Welcome Books.Apart from the briefest of commentary pieces, this is simply the text of the U.S. Constitution, from Preamble to Twenty-Seventh Amendment.Fink has done an engaging hand-inscribed version with illustrative artwork, sometimes symbolic and sometimes demonstrative.For example, for the Thirteen Amendment (the one passed in 1865 to abolish slavery), Fink's graphic shows strong chains being broken by a pair of shears that have been painted red, white and blue like the flag.For the Sixteenth Amendment (the 1913 amendment permitting general income taxes), Fink's drawing shows a man standing next to Uncle Sam, with Uncle Sam's hand reaching surreptitiously into the unsuspecting man's pocket.
Why would you buy this book?
The title of this book is the giveaway.Apparently, the author has not read the Constitution FOR the United States of America.It is NOT the Constitution of the United States of America."for" places the Constitution in proper context as the set of rules for the government.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional Law    3. Constitutions    4. Government - National    5. History    6. History: American    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Oversize books    9. Specimens    10. U.S. Constitutional History    11. United States    12. United States - Revolutionary War    13. American history: c 1500 to c 1800    14. History / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)    15. USA   

Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Constitutional    3. Constitutional law    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. United States   

Reviews (5)

Repetitive and Too Big
This massive back-breaker of a casebook is seriously in need of major editing.The cases were frequently repetitive and exhaustive about minute details.The editor would make a point, the following case would repeat it twice, and then the editor would again repeat it following the case.
Terrible Editing
The whole point of buying casebooks like this is to have handy a collection of the most pertinent points of relevant cases presented in an effective manner that makes sense.That said, Sullivan (who FAILED the CA bar exam) does a horrible job editing, and fails to make a decent casebook.
Why are you reading this review?
More importantly, why am I writing this?If you're considering this book, you'd better be in law school.In that case, you're probably obligated to buy this book for your Con Law class, which begs the question in the title of this review.You're buying it anyway! Stop wasting time on the internet and get back to work (oh, the irony).
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Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Constitutional    3. Constitutional law    4. Law    5. United States   

Reviews (5)

Insightful, biased, brilliant, shrill - Posner!
Richard Posner is perhaps best known for his work on the economic analysis of law (his text by that name is the standard for the discipline). His work on catastrophic risk, which forms the basis for his analysis in _Not a Suicide Pact_, draws heavily on the reasoning used in his work in the area of "law and economics."
Read the book BEFORE you review it
This is a terrific book that all open minded people would find of interest. As is the case so often,reviewers are being allowed to place reviews without ever reading the book, as in the previous reviewers case (Upshur).Posner examines the delicate balance between personal freedom and collective security and the fine line between them that is constantly shifting due to historical circumstance. After reading this book,no matter what position you choose to take, you will have a greater understanding of the issues involved, and you will be able to make a more informed decision.

Is this what we're coming to?
I'm sad to say it looks like it is.
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Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Constitutional    3. Law    4. Law and legislation    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. National security    7. Political Freedom & Security - General    8. United States    9. Law / Constitutional    10. Law | Constitutional Law   

Reviews (13)

Why many women lawyers still hit the glass ceiling
In her thoroughly researched and heavily footnoted book, Lauren Stiller Rikleen examines this troublesome issue:why many female lawyers still have not achieved the same professional success as their male counterparts.Rikleen delves into the challenging topics including part-time work, and what happens to the careers of women who opt for that route.She also explains other factors that contribute to the success of male lawyers' careers (being mentored, and becoming rainmakers) and discuses why many women don't enjoy the benefit of those.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
Having survived three years in a law firm (and survive was the key word), I could definitly relate to the stories in this book. The only shocking part is that I was in a law firm over 10 years ago, and nothing seems to have changed. Ending the Gauntlet, however, is more than a compendium of stories of women being mommy-tracked. It looks at the structure of a law firm itself and how that contributes to the workplace issues for everyone, not just women. I particularly loved the Prologue (worth the price of the book itself, especially if you have my warped sense of humor), because it describes how a bizarre sort of company is run where performance for all employees is based solely on money they personally earn for the company; the managing director/CEO is only "part-time" because he too has to earn money to keep his title; turnover is high; management is minimal or nonexistent; and people are given management positions because they are "least objectionable" to others; part-time is extended but discouraged as it cuts into billable hours ... and you finally start to realize that while the rest of the world has moved foward, law firms are relics of days gone by

Kudos for the Roadmap for Change
Here is a great articulation of the problems in law firms and other service firms, many of which no one, until now, has had the courage to point out clearly and effectively.And here is the roadmap for change.Anyone involved in a service firm should read it carefully and follow Lauren's lead. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Discrimination    2. Law   

Editorial Review

One of the greatest of American stories has found its great chronicler in Taylor Branch. Beginning with Read more

Reviews (26)

Leadership, charisma and iron will.
As King's star rises, Green's book opens up wide to the national and world stage. Cannaan transitions from an essential biography of King to a complex social and historical account of America in the mid 60's. By the late 60's, race was a hot button that super charged the fabric of all things American. One scholar pointedly stated, "if you want to look at the motivations behind all historic American politics and policies -- follow the race card." Cannan's follows the call for racial justice as it moves north and the long sharp lens of Green focuses on the race riots in LA, Queens, Detroit and Chicago. Each chapter is a fascinating look at people vs. political power and the passionate personalities that sparked bloody confrontations. Adding complexity to the issues of the day, Green correctly weaves in our last and fatal commitments in Vietnam and the political pressure that was brought to bare on the opposite side of the Johnson house, literally squeezing the administration between two crisises. In many ways, the three book series is a apt study in modern man's stubborn nature to selfishly preserve their own tribe over all others -- blood lust and all. Somewhere in this series an astute observer comments, "racial prejudice, drawn to it's natural conclusion, is the practice of genocide, plain and simple." Man killing man. Of course Canaan does not end on that morbid conclusion. It ends optimistically, depicting King as the first modern American to preach, practice and deliver radical social change through peaceful mass demonstration. In his fine, broad wake peaceful demonstrations have prevailed and will again and again... thanks in large part to leadership, charisma and iron will. 9/11/06

A (slightly) flawed conclusion to a great story
This is the third volume of an epic history of King, the Civil Rights movement and America during a pivotal moment.
Heartbreaking Story, of our Divisive Racial History
Taylor Branch continues to be the best source for our troubled racial history. We've developed a mythology of the movement, that it was heroic, which it was, but that's an incomplete picture. This should be read by every American. Especially those right wing conservatives who seem to forget how recent we were bombing churches in this Country. It was just yesterday that people went to jail (Parchman prison even in Ms) for voter registration activities. Mr. Branch also shows the seems that begin to wear, how Dr. King became reviled by the Radicals because his devotion to non-violence brought him to oppose the War in Vietnam and brought condescension from the Black Power advocates like Stokely Carmichael and H. Rap Brown, who began to (understandably) promote a violent response to the violence which the SNVCC had suffered for years. This is an important book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1929-1968    2. 20th century    3. African Americans    4. Civil rights    5. Civil rights movements    6. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - Histor    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History - U.S.    10. History: American    11. Jr.,    12. King, Martin Luther,    13. People of Color    14. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    15. U.S. - Political And Civil Rights Of Blacks    16. U.S. History - 1960s    17. United States    18. United States - 20th Century    19. United States - 20th Century/60s    20. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    21. Black studies    22. History / United States / 20th Century    23. Human rights    24. USA    25. c 1960 to c 1970   

Reviews (23)

Invaluable to anyone with an interest in the meaning of the Constitution.
This is a remarkable work with contributions from more than a hundred legal scholars. The intent is to "present the Founder's understanding of the Constitution and its various provisions" along with the judicial interpretations and political circumstances that make up the historical development of constitutional law. Intended for an audience of lawmakers, judges and lawyers, the Heritage Guide is also a valuable addition to the library of any person with an abiding interest in one of the most - if not the most - remarkable documents created by the hand of man.
Very solid reference of the Constitution
This book goes line by line through the Constitution explaining the original intent of the founders.It also has articles for each topic authored by the leading scholars in the respective areas.If you are interested in knowing the history of the Constitution, this book is a must.
Great Book
Very detailed coverage of the constitution and amendments.Each phrase is commented on and relevant and significant court cases and developments of interpretation are listed.I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in constitutional law and history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional law    3. Constitutions    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations    7. U.S. Constitutional History    8. United States    9. Political Science / General   

Reviews (3)

Great piece of oral history
Henry Hampton and Steve Fayer have collected a small sampling of civil rights oral history that has yet to be duplicated in a modern book on the era.They have included all of the key figures involved in the movement, Dr. King and Malcolm X, along with Stokely Carmichael, John Lewis and Andrew Young.What they have also done is give readers the non-famous persons perspective on the various events surrounding the movement. This has been invaluable to me in my research and a truly enjoyable read.It should be a must read for everyone!

Readaable, Even-handed
Fantastic, relavent, engrossing. A Treasure! One of the most moving books about the Movement
Starting with the murder of Emmett Till and ending with the political activism in the 80s, this book gives a moving overview of the civil rights movement. Each of the 31 chapters first gives a short summary of the events and then redraws the situation with eye-witness accounts. Many activists like Coretta Scott King, Harry Belafonte and members of the Black Panther Party, to name a few, give intriguing details. This moving book is easy to read and especially recommended for young people who need first hand information about the movement. Really recommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1877-1964    2. 20th century    3. Afro-Americans    4. Civil rights    5. Civil rights movements    6. Discrimination & Racism    7. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - Histor    8. General    9. History    10. History - General History    11. History: American    12. Sources    13. United States    14. Human rights    15. Social Science / Discrimination & Race Relations    16. USA   

Reviews (21)

For the layman's library as well as the expert's
If you--like this reader--want to be an educated newspaper reader and voter, then this book is worth the investment in time and money.Professional reviews indicate Amar's brilliance in the field of constitutional law, but that brilliance translates into a highy readable book.
For lawyers and scholars only
America's Constitution follows the US Constitution, from the soaring brillinace of the preamble, through article 7 and each of the amendments.Amar describes in depth the historical and political background of each section and explains what the drafters had intended, why it was written with the particular words and expressions that were used, and the intended and unintended consequences of the choices made by the framers.
great intro to the constitution
Amar explains in his postscript that his aim in writing this book was "to offer a comprehensive account of America's Constitution, introducing the reader both to the legal text (and its consequences) and to the political deeds that gave rise to that text." He has achieved this aim splendidly. This phrase-by-phrase guided tour through the document never fails to inform and provoke, whether or not one agrees with its author (and I don't always). It's also a very approachable book, in terms of both style and content. The knowledge base assumed here is considerable, but not forbidding: anybody with a good working knowledge of the Seven Articles and the better-known Amendments ought to be able to thread his way profitably through Amar's lucid and energetic narrative.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional History    3. Constitutions    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. U.S. History - Constitutional Period To Civil War (1789-1860)    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. Political Science / Constitutions   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Law    3. Legal Reference / Law Profession   

Editorial Review

Anonymous wears a black shroud and a hangman's noose. Unnamed and masked, perhaps he or she will avoid the fate suggested in the haunting photograph that graces the cover of this remarkable book. Anonymous is one of the mostly unsung heroes interviewed by Kerry Kennedy Cuomo who are fighting for human rights in places where torture, imprisonment, and death are the side effects of speaking out against such atrocities as child soldiers, sex slavery, honor killings, and repression of political rights. In Anonymous's case, teaching Sudanese women their rights where a civil war is being waged by Islamic extremists could land him or her in a "ghost house" of torture, or, if lucky, in prison for an undetermined amount of time. In an age when heroes seem almost a thing of the past, these 51 human rights defenders demonstrate that real moral courage is alive and well on planet Earth. As Kennedy Cuomo writes in her introduction, these are the Martin Luther Kings of the world, and "courage, with its affirmation of possibility and change, is what defines them." Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent, touching reading
I bought this book for the sole purpose of a class where I was required to do some outside reading.This book was on our recommended reading list.I read the entire book, only one story was required.It was astonishing how these people change the world.I was moved by these stories.

almost religious in its power
The stories and photographs are deeply moving profiles of several of the most courageous people in the world.There are few terms to describe the total power, since I turn to this work on many occasions to gain some inspiration. Shallow Treatment of a Vital Subject
The people described in this book are true heroes, and their stories make me feel humbled and ashamed. But the book attempts to describe 50 different people. Each person gets 3-6 pages, and at least one of the pages is a photograph, leaving room for only a short, unsatisfying glimpse of each life story. Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Human Rights    3. Human rights workers    4. Interviews    5. Pictorial works    6. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    7. Political Science    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Portraits    11. Current Events / General   

Reviews (9)

The Best Reading In a Decade
I thought that I knew a lot about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but this book has really opened up to me his true character. As I read his precious speeches, articles and books I am so happy that I purchased this compilation of Dr. Kings' works and I have been given a special glimpse into the life of such a genuine and extraordinary individual.

An Indispensible Collection
A Testament of Hope is indispensible for a complete understanding of MLK Jr. the man. He was so much more than a monolithic figure of the Civil Rights movement. He was a pastor, theologian, philosopher, diplomat, husband, and father. A Testament of Hope helps the reader to grasp the multifaceted life of this icon of the twentieth century. This book lets the reader into the very human life of MLK Jr. Nowhere have I discovered a more cogent explanation of passive resistance than in the various speeches and essays contained in this book. If you are engaged in the struggle for civil rights or if you seek to better understand modern humanity more completely add this book to your library and consult it often.
5 Star author, 2 star editor
I've studied the works of Dr. King since I was 7 years old, and now my 7 year old is studying him with great interest.I figured this book (a gift) would be a good summation of his career instead of the other half dozen individual books I have in my library.Well, as with his other work, there are many, many typographical errors.I feel that a man of his education would be offended to see his works corroded by half-assed spell checking. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Blacks    3. Christianity - Evangelism    4. Civil rights    5. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - Histor    6. Inspirational    7. Inspirational - General    8. Race relations    9. Sociology    10. United States    11. Human rights    12. Other prose: from c 1900 -    13. Religion / Evangelism    14. USA   

Reviews (5)

More Like Kafka

An engrossing, condemning eyewitness account
The author was a second-generation British Muslim born and raised in England, and was seized from his family home in Pakistan in 2002, accused by the U.S. of being a terrorist, and held for over three years. His story of his imprisonment and detention including two years at Guantanamo Bay provides the first account by a detainee of life inside the prison. From his intense interrogations to his release in 2005, this account is co-authored by Victoria Brittain, former foreign editor of the UK Guardian, and provides an engrossing, condemning eyewitness account of the US prison system and civil rights pertaining to terrorist suspects.
1/3 through the book - this is a poorly edited book
So far, I've made it through about a hundred pages, and this book sounds hollow and fake. The author jumps around in his timeframes, and by changing his vocabulary and perspective, makes it very difficult for the reader to keep a perspective on his actions and history.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse of    2. Afghan War, 2001-    3. Afghanistan    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography And Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Penology    9. Personal Memoirs    10. Personal narratives, British    11. Political    12. Political Freedom & Security - Human Rights    13. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    14. Prisoners of war    15. War on Terrorism, 2001-    16. Biography & Autobiography / Political    17. Human rights   

Reviews (14)

This book seems to get 5 or 1 star(s)
I completely enjoyed the book, and found it to be accurate. It is very interesting to note that a number of the reviewers were not so much reviewing the book, but expressing their opinions, hence, the disparity in the ratings. While reading the book, it made me understand what Professors in college were actually practicing, revisionism, and disparaging founders reputations. It is too bad that in this life, the founders do not get to defend themselves against the neverending attacks on their character. Prior to reading the book, any engaged political person knows that the Judicial branch is destroying America with their partisan activism. Eventually, changes will happen to our system, or it will be broken. Barton does a good job exposing these justices that are looking to mark their own mark at our expense.
The Truth
If you doubt what Christians in government are up against, take a look at these reviews. Barton has done a masterful job with this book, but it simply doesn't fit the modern "separation of church and state" agenda of liberalism. As a result pointy head pseudo-intellectuals go on and on about how Barton made all of this up...Well, the truth is the modern rewrite of history is what is making things up. Read this book and learn the truth about our founding fathers.

Revisionist History
Barton could not be more wrong on the issue of church and state separation. Not only does he misrepresent the founding fathers and their beliefs, but he completely misses the mark in terms of religious freedom. As an American who cares deeply about religious freedom - not only for myself but for those who believe differentlythan I do - I feel that it's my duty to set the record straight.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional history    3. Constitutional law    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Religion and state    6. Religion, Politics & State    7. Sources    8. United States   

Reviews (13)

An excellent reference
It is difficult to say whether the contentious atmosphere that currently exists regarding the legal opinions of the Supreme Court is greater than any other time in the history of the United States. There have been times, especially during the Civil War and World War I when the Supreme Court raised the ire of many a citizen. Some of the "activist" justices, as some of them are now called, could perhaps be designated as "activist light" if compared with some of the justices of the past. This book gives ample evidence for this comparison, but also gives information on a wide variety of legal issues that the Supreme Court has had to deal with throughout its history. It would probably not be read from cover to cover, but instead serves as a general reference for those readers who are not and do not intend to become legal scholars, but are curious as to the reasoning patterns deployed by the justices who sat on the Court. Readers who are approaching this subject for the first time will find many surprises about the Court, both in the opinions expressed by the judges and in their personal histories and backgrounds. It is fair to say that legal opinions are guided predominantly by the historical context in which they are put forth, and this claim seems to gain more substantiation as more articles in this book are read and studied.
Massive tome on the Supreme Court.
_The Oxford Companion to the United States Supreme Court of the United States_(Kermit Hall, ed.) is a massive tome containing a vast swath of information: cases, traditions, theories of constitutional interpretations, historical events, and biographies of all of the Supreme Court Justices.It has the same material (word for word) as Kermit Hall's _The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions_ but this is much more worthwhile reference work because it contains more contextual material than the cases themselves.This book is by no means exhaustive, but it provides a very informative overview of what the Supreme Court has been up to for the past two hundred years and the very different personalities serving on the body.

A worthy companion
As the nation prepares to welcome the seventeenth Chief Justice, this book is a wonderful guide to the processes of the least 'media-exposed' branch of the federal government and its highest institution, the Supreme Court.
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Subjects:  1. Courts - Supreme Court    2. Encyclopedias    3. Essays    4. Federal Jurisdiction    5. Government - Federal    6. Law    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Reference    9. Supreme Court    10. United States    11. United States.    12. Comparative law    13. Constitutional & administrative law    14. Courts & procedure    15. Law / Reference    16. Law | Legal History    17. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    18. USA   

Reviews (1)

First Rate
I had the pleasure of taking Professor Seamon's Administrative Law course at the University of South Carolina School of Law. He really knows the material in and out and this book reflects that.Read more

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Administrative law    3. Cases    4. Constitutional    5. Law    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. United States   

Reviews (5)

Horrible Casebook
I too have used this book for two semesters of Con Law.In my opinion it is the absolute worst casebook I have ever had to use.
Run for the hills
This is definitely the worst casebook I have come across so far.It weighs a ton too.You absolutely need to buy a supplement if you want to understand anything.A huge amount of space is devoted to notes and comments most of which are meaningless and incomprehensible to most 1Ls.As someone already said, if you can avoid this book, you're lucky.

Not for the casual reader...
We used this book for two semesters of Constitutional Law at law school. Even so we covered less than half of it. It is not easy reading but when used with other study aids or Lexis the cases become more clear.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Constitutional    3. Constitutional law    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. United States    7. Constitutional & administrative law   

Reviews (3)

Great reference guide
I am a manager for a Federal Govt Agency.I found this book informational and easy to understand.Immigration law is a complex subject.The book is easy to read and addresses many important aspects related to this subject.The sections related to inadmissability, removal are well written and easy to understand.The chapters related to the history of various classes of immigrants was intersting as well.I would recommend the book for persons who want to expand their knowledge of this topic.

The book provides a good academic discussion
This book makes no pretensions to be the ultimate compendium for the practitioners in the immigration field.As the author points out in the preface, this book is meant to give you a brief overview of the subject.And that it did!It provides succint and stimulating discussions in many pertinent topics.Most importantly, the flow of the discussions is not bogged down by chaotic juxtaposition of law and facts that is usually usually associated with works written by the practitioners.In short, this book presents you with the picture of the forest rather than the individual shots of trees.I highly recommend it.

Gives a general overview, not for beginner, not for pro.
I work for a law firm and am planning on going to a law school. I got into the immigration field by pure accident but I had a great deal of research done through working on actual cases. This book gives a very good general overview of the immigration law and procedure, but it does not list the details of "HOW?" only some of "WHY?".Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Emigration & Immigration    3. Emigration And Immigration    4. Emigration and immigration law    5. Law    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. United States   

Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Constitutional    3. Constitutional law    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. United States