Justice Brennan: The Great Conciliator

by Hunter R. Clark

An in-depth look at a thirty-four-year Justice of the Supreme Court represents the first biography drawn from his own private papers and details his view on the First Amendment, criminal defendant rights, minorities, women, and the poor.

Genres: Law

340 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1995

Reviews

[Henry Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of Justice Brennan: The Great Concilator
William Brennan is undoubtedly one of the most consequential justices to have ever served on the Supreme Court. He moved the Court and the country in a more liberal direction, serving as the glue that held the Warren Court together. Hunter Clark provides insight into who Brennan was as a man, his Irish Catholic roots and New Jersey upbringing. We see Brennan crack the highest levels of the legal and defense worlds, eventually becoming a high powered lawyer and judge. Brennan then served on the NJ and eventually the U.S. Supreme Court, working with Chief Justice Earl Warren to make landmark changes in civil rights, civil liberties, and social issues. Brennan eventually became frustrated under the Burger and Rehnquist Courts, as his influence diminished. The book does a good job of exploring Brennan’s life, yet Clark also sometimes delves into the background of Brennan’s cases in too much detail. He also inserts his own personal views into the book, which occasionally detract from its overall aim of providing insight into Brennan’s life and work.Still, this is a solid read about a justice who changed the course of American history. Rating: 3.25/5.

[Eric_W]

Reading in conjunction with The Last Liberal by Eisler.