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 (1)

Better than Glannon
I bought this guide along with the much-lauded Glannon E&E, as well as the Glannon Guide to Civ Pro.The Glannon Guide is not worth the money or time.The Glannon E&E is very good.Freer's treatise is EXCELLENT!It is clear (very, very clear) and comprehensive (big picture to minutiae are covered, concepts, cases, etc.).As the semester progressed, I began to use Freer's book exclusively to understand the subject (I still used Glannon E&E for the numerous questions and answers [note: Freer does include many question/answer type analyses as well]).I recommended getting both - use Freer to understand the topics you are covering, and Glannon E&E to get more practice with hypos. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Civil Procedure    3. Civil Rights    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. United States   

Reviews (2)

A Must for transfolk and their allies
Transgender Rights
The Transgender Movement as social movement
This volume of essays conceives transgender as a global social movement for rights, including discussions of law, politics and economics.It is academic in tone, but much of it is accessible to a lay audience.While its essays are wide-ranging, covering such diverse topics as multiculturalism, disability laws and Argentinian concepts of citizenship, there is, to my mind, a theme to these essays: the social contradictions that arise from the attempts of supposedly liberal Western societies to assimilate transgender identity.The title of Jan Morris's gender transition autobiography, "Conundrum," comes to mind.Paisley Currah's discussion of the transgender movement refers to it as one "that seeks the dissolution of the very category under which it is organized." Judith Butler's article about the psychiatric diagnosis of "gender identity disorder" notes that "the price of using the diagnosis to get what one wants is that one cannot use language to say what one really thinks is true." Dean Spade's critique of political economy and thegender compliance it demands discusses how the movement for gender identity non-discrimination constitutes a strategy of normalization that opposes, rather than furthers, the right of gender self-determination central to liberation.
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Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Gender & the Law    3. Gender Studies    4. Legal status, laws, etc    5. Sex and law    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Transsexuals    9. Human rights    10. Social Science / Gender Studies   

Reviews (13)

Every citizen should read this book
This is the best book I have seen on this topic. Through a very concise and logical presentation, it answers objections from those who are opposed to legislating morality and those that question whether political activism is a proper focus of Christians. A brief history lesson helps put things in perspective. Legislating religion vs. legislating morality is also covered, as are short sections on specific moral issues like abortion and homosexuality. Appendixes include the Declaration of Independence and Amendments to the Constitution.
Book Debunks Separation of Church and State
Many Christians have foolishly bought into public school arguments about separation of church and state.This book goes back to all the court decisions which were made over the last 100 years which led to this common idea we hear today.The book clearly shows that Jefferson never intended separation of church and state the way it is being taken out of context today.I was shocked to find that it isn't even mentioned in the Constitution and am surprised so many Christians have bought into this.I now see that it is "freedom of religion, not freedom from religion."This part to me is the most helpful part of the book.This book will help you not feel like you are somehow "inflicting your religion on someone else" and that all laws are in essence, a legislation of someone's morality. Fundamentally Flawed
The authors attempt to justify Christian elitism, arguing for a largely paternalistic government (pages 35-36 and 208 liken the government's societal role to that of a parent) that governs according to an objective "Moral Law."Giesler & Turek make the argument that all laws enforce morality at some level, so the question ultimately becomes, "whose morality?"The authors begin by defending the alleged right of governments to promote religion with taxpayer funds and resources, arguing that it's legitimateand constitutional for government to promote religion, just not any particular denomination (of Christianity); quite an interpretation of the First Amendment.
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Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Religion - Socialissues    3. Religion, Politics & State   

Reviews (8)

Response to Cindy Heilman
In regards to the review by Cindy Heilman below, it is apparent that you missed a major point of this book. When you state that "Neither the disabled, homosexuals, nor adoptees are the target of lynching, Jim Crow laws, fire engine hosing, or vicious police dogs." The most influential book you could ever read.
My perception has changed in ways immeasurable in regards to people with disabilities. Now, every single day I am aware of the small and large ways in which those with disabilities are discrimated against by temporarily able-bodied individuals. I am buying several copies to lend and give out, I hope others do the same.

A really good introduction to disability politics
This book is written in an easy-to-read style by a journalist who has covered disability issues for many years. It explains how he came to see that disability is a civil rights issue, just like racial or sexual discrimination. And it provides a very interesting history of the American disability movement in particular. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Discrimination against people    3. Discrimination against people with disabilities    4. Government policy    5. History    6. Human Services    7. People with disabilities    8. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Sociology    12. United States    13. Law / Civil Rights    14. Modern fiction   

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Constitutional    3. Courts - General    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. Law    6. Legal History    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    9. Supreme Court    10. United States    11. United States.    12. Citizenship & nationality law    13. Civil rights & citizenship    14. Courts & procedure    15. USA   

Reviews (10)

A "Mental Adventure"
Capers in the Churchyard: Animal Rights Advocacy in the Age of Terror is a swift read, but a long mental journey. I feel the same sentiments as Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson when he writes in the book's foreward, "[The author, Lee Hall] thinks further than I have thought about certain areas, and I am thrilled to be able to follow her on this extraordinary mental adventure." Indeed, while reading the book, I was introduced to ways of thinking that are different from anything I have ever read in the literature, or heard at the conferences I've attended.
A Valuable Look at Methods of a Movement
(Originally posted on SuperVegan.com)
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF ANIMAL RIGHTS
This is absolutely the best book ever written on animal rights, what works and what does not. I rarely get speechless, but I don't know where to start (or stop) praising Lee Hall for outlining the path we must follow to achieve true abolition of humanity's custom of enslaving any beings defined as non-human.
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Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Environmental    3. Law   

Reviews (3)

.....but this one fits in your pocket
The Table of Contents of this book is nearly indentical to the "Code of Federal Regulations" issued by the Justice Department and provided free of charge to anyone who asks for it. But at roughly 6x9 inches, it doesn't fit in my pocket. So if the pocket thing is important to you, I highly recommend this book!

ADA Compliance Simplified!
This little book is easy to carry around and contains all of the ADAAG info you could ever need! I've been using mine for 2 years and would be lost without it!Thomas Schmokel - ADA Consultant

Get a grip on ADA, pocket size.
Are you tired of tracking down the office copy of the ADA standards?Is the only copy within the workstation of King Tornado?Get your hands on this little number.Keep it by you at all times.I have used this reference guide for two years now and it has saved me a lot of time.This is a very easy to use condensed version of the state issued ADA guide.It is accurate and reliable and it does not have to go back to the office library.And don't let the words "pocket guide" scare you off, this is not a brochure, it is a book.It's just smaller and smarter, not to mention lighter than the stardard issue.So get a grip on ADA, pocket size. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Barrier-free design    3. Civil Rights    4. Disability    5. Law    6. Law and legislation    7. Mountaineering    8. Reference    9. Study & Teaching    10. United States    11. Architecture / Reference    12. Construction industry    13. Disability: social aspects    14. Environment law    15. Property, real estate, land & tenancy law    16. USA   

Reviews (7)

Joey
Well being young and unexperienced I found this book very helpful, it really opened my eyes to a new way of looking at things. I liked the way most of the information seemed to be first hand, rather than just many assumptions.

Checks and Balances
Reading this book, comprised of info from many sources, I got frankly angered by the way this administration, as well as others in the past, used tragedies and wars to take our freedoms from us and invade our privacy on a whim.I understand some liberties must be sacrificed in times of conflict.The government just after 9-11 was running straight from the executive branch without any checks and balances.Of course who would dispute or bring up civil liberties in times of crisis, obviously not anyone in the courts.People were labeled enemy combatants and contained without right to trial, any proof of guilt, and held months without anyone even knowing their whereabouts.Many were probably guilty, but some were innocent and in the wrong place at the wrong time.Our government wanted to get people to act as spies, surveying their neighborhoods, spying on neighbors, getting your library to turn you in as a terrorist for reading muslim literature or something containing dissent to the govt.Luckily that brilliant plan of ashcrofts has not gone over to will not be tolerated, and should not be tolerated by the citizens that are supposed to be the backbone of our democracy.Very informative book.AMerica must fight to revise this orwellian act that is the patriot act.

Excellent book for understanding the legal issues
I read this book cover-to-cover on a flight from L.A. to New York, and found it both well-written and informative.Indeed, I thought it was such a good survey of the major legal issues in America's war on terrorism that I assigned it as required reading for my American Law & Terrorism seminar at UCLA.Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Essays    3. Political And Civil Rights    4. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    5. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    6. Political Science    7. Political Terrorism    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. September 11 Terrorist Attacks    11. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    12. Terrorism    13. United States    14. War on Terrorism, 2001-    15. Civil rights & citizenship    16. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle    17. USA   

Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Civil Rights    3. Constitutional    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. State action (Civil rights)    7. United States   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (2)

Most Important Legal Book of the Year
This is an excellent book.
You Were There
Stohr's book reminded me of an old television program hosted by Walter Cronkite. It reenacted significant events in history and he always ended it by saying, "You were there." I felt as though I had been behind the scenes as those involved with the two affirmative action cases worked for victory. Stohr explains the legal terms clearly without being condescending. He delves into the personalities and the politics which determine the outcomes. I especially enjoyed his coverage of the Supreme Court. Stohr is an excellent, fair minded reporter. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Constitutional    3. Education    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. Higher    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    8. Admission    9. Affirmative action programs in education    10. Bollinger, Lee C.    11. Discrimination in education    12. Discrimination in higher education    13. Ethnic Orientation/African-American    14. Grutter, Barbara    15. Law / Constitutional    16. Law and legislation    17. Law/Civil Rights    18. Michigan    19. Political Science/Government - Comparative    20. Political Science/Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    21. United States    22. University of Michigan   

Reviews (6)

Politically-driven justification
This book tries to justify Israel's repeated and immoral aggressions on neighbour states. The nearing 1000 peaceful civilian deaths in Lebanon at the hands of Israel's army proves that Dershowitz's justification of aggressive "preemptive" tactics is immoral and ineffective. The book is politically driven, I recommend it to readers interested in understanding the attempt by a minority to justify immoral and illegal acts of war.

We Don't Want to Go There
In this recently published book, Harvard law professor and lawyer Alan Dershowitz raises some questions about our fundamental assumptions about preventing harmful behavior from individuals and states.He asserts that in the age of terror traditional assumptions no longer suffice and that new tools of jurisprudence are needed to respond to a new kind of threat.
Past history, present actions and possible future scenarios
As the military world moves increasingly towards making preemptive moves in the name of 'preventing' war, PREEMPTION: A KNIFE THAT CUTS BOTH WAYS becomes an increasingly important study. Author Alan M. Dershowitz is a lawyer and educator who traces society's shift in its approach to controlling dangerous human behaviors, from the local to the world level. A number of current examples charts these moves, from the tendency to profile suspicious behaviors to instigating proactive measures rather than reactive responses. Contrasting this approach to Cold War and other approaches, Dershowitz places in perspective past history, present actions and possible future scenarios.
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Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Political Freedom & Security - General    3. Political Freedom & Security - Human Rights    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Pre-emption    8. Preemptive attack (Military science)    9. Prevention    10. Violence    11. Law / General    12. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Civil Rights    4. Congresses    5. Criminology    6. Ethnological jurisprudence    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Social Science    9. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Feminism    3. Feminism & Feminist Theory    4. Feminist theory    5. Gender Studies    6. Philosophy    7. Sex    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Women's Studies - General    11. Jurisprudence & General Issues    12. Law    13. Political Science and International Relations    14. Social Science / Feminism & Feminist Theory   

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Constitutional    3. Courts - Supreme Court    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession   

Reviews (21)

Magnificent.
Don't be put off by those reviewers who say it is the "New School" of writing or there are editing and gramatical errors that detract from this book.
Why hasn't this been made into a movie?
I had to read this book for a class, and unlike other historical works, this one reads like a novel.The background story of Ossian Sweet is so moving that I could picture prominent African-American actors portraying his character and winning Academy Awards.That a director has not made this story into a movie is a shame.I teach American history and I had never heard of this case before, and with leading characters like Clarence Darrow, I found that surprising.This book is well worth reading--it won't disappoint!

CRWWIIDEP
This should be at least 8 stars. This is one you will remember for a long time. It was hard to put this book down. No doubt you will enjoy it very much. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1857-1938    2. 1895-1960    3. 20th century    4. African Americans    5. Civil Rights    6. Criminal Law    7. Darrow, Clarence,    8. Detroit    9. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    10. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - Histor    11. History    12. Law    13. Michigan    14. Political And Civil Rights    15. Sociology    16. Sweet, Ossian,    17. Trials (Murder)    18. Trials, litigation, etc    19. United States - 20th Century    20. United States - 20th Century/20s    21. United States - State & Local - Midwest   

Reviews (20)

one of the best books ever written
This is certainly the best book ever written -- the best book that ever will be written -- about race, law and American society. It is a remarkably insightful history and one of the most stunning existing examples of narrative journalism. It is a masterpiece.

Moving and Informative
I'm a fan of nonfiction works and this easily moved to my top 5 favorite books. When I was growing up there were no courses on the contributions blacks made to America.There was no black history month.And I was cheated.I'm a 50+ white woman who lived through desegregation and had no clue that it was a struggle.I honestly don't remember a time when my elementary classes were all white but they must have been.I do remember clearly when my elementary class stopped being all white.That was when Richard Harris became my Batman buddy.On the aftenoons following the show we would go to the neighborhood soda shop and have a coke and discuss all the action of the previous evening's show and check for new Batman bubble gum cards with the intensity that only 5th graders can bring to such an important endeavor.It felt normal to chat Batman with Richard; and I'm so sorry for all the children that had such a dumb practice as segregation rob them of those moments.
Compelling and original arguments and a fresh analysis of America's black & white race relations
I just finished this book, A Simple Justice, and it is fantastic.It's the story of Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka, which is the landmark Supreme Court case that desegregated compulsory public schools in America.But it's so much more than that.After reading this book, I felt almost ashamed of my previous ignorance to the struggles and condition of black america at the hands of almost everyone else in the country.It is comprehensive in its scope and perspicacious in its analysis, sparing no feelings on either (or rather, any) side.I believe myself to be, for the most part, a judicious man when it comes to philosophical or sociological observations, but Kluger was able to open my eyes to angles I had previously missed on issues I thought I had resolved long ago.So if you're not too scared of big books, this one's worth the time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1918-    2. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    3. African Americans    4. Brown, Oliver,    5. Civil Rights    6. Educational    7. History    8. Law    9. Law and legislation    10. Legal Reference / Law Profession    11. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    12. Segregation in education    13. Specific Groups In Higher Education    14. U.S. Political History    15. United States    16. Law / Civil Rights   

Editorial Review

In the first hectic days of the American Civil War, the future of the Union was in doubt. Troops traveling to defend Washington were waylaid by mobs in Maryland. In the midst of this crisis, Abraham Lincoln sought to suspend the writ of habeas corpus to permit the military to detain those who were interfering with the prosecution of the war. When the Supreme Court limited his ability to do so, Lincoln complained that the Court was allowing "all the laws, but one, go unexecuted, and the government itself go to pieces, lest that one be violated." Eventually, civil liberties were curtailed for the duration of the Civil War--as they would be again in World Wars I and II.Read more

Reviews (15)

"A citizen is a person owing allegiance to some organized government, & not a person in an idealized 'state of nature...'"
"Without question the government's authority to engage in conduct that infringes civil liberty is greatest in time of DECLARED war" (emphasis added). But what exactly is meant by the notion of civil liberty? "It is not simply 'liberty' but CIVIL liberty of which we speak" (emphasis in Rehnquist's original)."The word 'civil', in turn, is derived from the Latin word 'civis', which means 'citizen.'A citizen is a person owing allegiance to some organized government, and not a person in an idealized 'state of nature' free from any governmental restraint." "This book,' Rehnquist states, is "limited to cases of declared war, together with the Civil War" (the equivalent of a declared war---and takes up 170 pages of this book; but excludes all others wherein Congress never specficially declared war, whether Congress authorized the use of force or not). Rehnquist: "There are marked differences between the government's conduct during the Civil War, during World War I, and during World War II. One of the main differences is that in the Civil War, the Lincoln administration relied on presidential authority or on the orders of military commanders to curtail civil liberties, while in the 20th century wars, the executive branch resorted much more to laws passed by Congress." Rehnquist concludes that "the President may do many things in carrying out a congressional directive that he may not be able to do on his own." But, regardless from the point of view of governmental authority under the Constitution "there remains a sense that there is some truth to the maxim 'Inter arma silent leges,' at least in the purely descriptive sense." "Inter arms silent leges" is latin for 'In the face of arms, the law falls mute,' or 'In time of war the laws are silent.' Hence "the reluctance of courts to decide a case against the government on an issue of national security during a war." Thus a main point of this work by William Rehnquist (written in 1998) is that a declaration of war makes even more of a difference during time of hostilities. (And it is why Tony Blankley in his book "The West's Last chance" has called for a declaration of war against Islamists.) "In any civilized society the most important task is achieving a proper balance between freedom and order. In wartime, reason and history both suggest that this balance shifts to some degree in favor of order---in favor of the government's ability to deal with conditions that threaten the national well-being. It simply cannot be said, therefore, that in every conflict between individual liberty and governmental authority the former should prevail" (Rehnquist's other main theme). As Lincoln asked in a message to a special session of Congress, July 4, 1861: "Are all the laws, but one, to go unexecuted, and the government itself to go to pieces, lest that one be violated?"In support of this view Rehnquist quotes Judge Learned Hand who opined that "A society in which men recognize no check upon their freedom soon becomes a society where freedom is the possession of only the savage few...."Cheers

Brilliant and prescient
Rehnquist wrote this before Sept 11, but it is a book that has added meaning today.Mostly the Chief Justice focuses on the suspecnsion of Habeas Corpus by ABraham Lincoln and its ramifications for Civil Liberties and the abuse of them during war time.This is not a lively account, but it is accurate, well thought out and makes for interesting reading, having added strength of authority by nature of its author.
An Informative Read
I rated this book at 4 stars, but probably would have given it 3.5 if I had that option.It is a good book -- better than average -- but is less than it could have been.
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Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. American    3. Civil Rights    4. Civil War, 1861-1865    5. Current Affairs    6. Habeas corpus    7. History    8. Law    9. Law and legislation    10. Legal History    11. Legal Reference / Law Profession    12. United States    13. United States - General    14. History / United States / General   

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Social Science    3. Sociology    4. Sociology - General    5. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Reviews (1)

Fine but superseded
This is an impressive study, but it should be allowed to go out of print.Barendt has done a second edition (2005), which supersedes this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Comparative    3. Freedom of speech    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Media & the Law    7. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    8. Constitutional & administrative law    9. Freedom of information & freedom of speech    10. Law / Media & the Law    11. Law | Constitutional Law