Free Downloads The Courage Of Their Convictions: Sixteen Americans Who Fought Their Way To The Supreme Court
An "extraordinary book reveal[ing] the live faces behind the masks of constitutional law; to read it is to understand the inner dynamics of law's outward development."—Laurence H. Tribe.
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (March 1, 1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0140128107
ISBN-13: 978-0140128109
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.2 x 7.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #80,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #31 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States > Judicial Branch #59 in Books > Law > Rules & Procedures > Civil Procedure #69 in Books > Law > Legal History
This was a fantastic book! People may know about some Supreme Court decisions and its impact but I do not think people understand why such important cases were brought before the Supreme Court. We never learn in school who these people were, (they are everyday people) and exactly how much courage and determination it takes to fight your case to the Supreme Court (after all I think S.C hears about 1% of all cases filed to the Court). Irons is an academic but boy you can read this in a day-this is not a dreaded book you are assigned to read for school.
I have used this book three times in UC and CSU public law classes have taught: Intro to Judicial Process, Intro to Judicial Politics, and American Government. It is a personalized, almost biographical approach to leading constitutional rights cases, replete with the "human" as well as "legal" story behind each of the 16 cases. Though short on some of the important legal arguments at the Supreme Court level, it covers well the dispositons and judicial personalities of the lower courts. More importantly, however, it deals with the suffering and courage of the litigants themselves. As such, it is a terrific book for both introductory American Government and judicial politics/process courses at the college level.I have also used Irons' new book JIM CROW'S CHILDREN in my upper division course on Racial Equality and the U.S. Supreme Court at U.C., Irvine, just this summer.
Irons does of fine job of describing the uphill battle that a variety of individuals have faced in asserting their basic rights as Americans. Some of these cases righted grevious wrongs, and others are more open to debate. But then, the law is not a popularity contest. The fact that humble and even unpopular cases can nonetheless get their day in court, and get fair and due process, is something that every American should be proud of. It's something worth remembering and defending, something worth protecting, and Peter Irons shows you *why* in this book.
I was instructed to read The Courage of Their Convictions as a summer reading assignment for AP US Government. Usually, I dread reading summer assignments, but this book was written in a way that made the cases relatable and interesting. I appreciated the fact that it had first hand accounts of the major player in each of the suits, the person who was defending their freedoms as an American. It wasn't written in a complex way, the text had a good flow to it. I felt like I was getting a proper idea of how the Supreme Court actually runs, and overall it was a worthwhile read.
This book speaks to lawyers and non-lawyers alike. It can give lawyers pause to think about the power they really have to change lives, and it gives non-lawyers an insightful, in-depth look into the American legal system at work. This book is a must-read.
Not bad for giving you a personal perspective on some landmark cases. Gives a view from the different parties to the case, which is not needed for briefing, but good to understand the human element. I took it like client interviews to help you develop the case into what it became.
Peter Irons exhibits his amazing skills of persuasive communication all throuout this book. For instance, he teaches us American History while at the same time making an indepth analysis of the Judicial System with Constitutional emphasis based on a number of true stories. Further, he does it with so much wit bringing those individuals' drama to life instead of what would usually be complicated Caselaw with boring facts and precedents.
I work at a University Library and see many, many books. This book caught my eye and I found myself compelled to read it. The situation in our government seems to leave many people I talk to feeling discouraged and powerless. Iron's book reminds us that we don't have to be powerless.I encourage High School teachers to read the book and consider assigning at least parts of it to their students. Most Americans don't understand our legal system or the power we have as individuals to stand up for our civil rights.
The Courage of Their Convictions: Sixteen Americans Who Fought Their Way to the Supreme Court The United States v. Nixon: The Watergate Scandal and Limits to US Presidential Power (Landmark Supreme Court Cases) (Landmark Supreme Court Cases (Abdo)) Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court Dissent and the Supreme Court: Its Role in the Court's History and the Nation's Constitutional Dialogue Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story Storming the Court: How a Band of Law Students Fought the President--and Won The U.S. Supreme Court (Let's See Library - Our Nation) Supreme Court Paper Dolls (Dover Paper Dolls) The Oath: The Obama White House and The Supreme Court The Supreme Court; Twelfth Edition Supreme Court Decisions (Penguin Civic Classics) The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions The Rehnquist Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment That Redefined the Supreme Court John McKinley and the Antebellum Supreme Court: Circuit Riding in the Old Southwest Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court Men in Black: How the Supreme Court is Destroying America The U.S. Supreme Court: A Very Short Introduction Scalia Dissents: Writings of the Supreme Court's Wittiest, Most Outspoken Justice Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices
