The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court

Politically Incorrect Guides

by John Yoo, Jim Seybert (Narrator), Robert Delahunty

Guaranteed to give the listener a deeper understanding of America’s most powerful judicial body, John Yoo, professor of law at UC Berkeley, and Robert Delahunty, professor of law at the University of St. Thomas, detail in sprightly, slightly irreverent manner how the black-robed judges who make up the U.S. Supreme Court have swung like a pendulum from saviors of the Republic to super-legislators who usurp the roll of Congress and dictate law from the bench, back to defenders of the Constitution again—or at least for the moment.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Aaron Wright]

Professor Yoo's most famous piece of writing argued for the moral and legal righteousness of crushing the testicles of children. (Don't call it torture!)

Now in what can only be understood as one of the least apt sequels ever written, he turns his attention to the Supreme Court. Don't worry friends, your favorite Justice isn't about to have his testicles crushed while family members watch in horror - he's just in for some mild ribbing. When push comes to shove, Professor Yoo knows it's always better to punch down (right in the nuts!) than up.

[Marshall]

Good, but I was expecting more unorthodox views--indeed, the PI Guide to the Founding Fathers had a very unorthodox--and highly critical--view of John Marshall, which I was unfamiliar with, but this book did not seem to share the same view. Instead, this book's retelling of the Supreme Court's history was pretty standard. I enjoyed the parts about the major questions doctrine, which is a fairly recent development.

[Amy]

Did not receive this when it says I did

[Denise Collebrusco]

I won this book and never received it

[Christina Gaston-DeSimone]

Won on a Goodreads giveaway and never received!

[Cindy Kong]

Did anyone ever received their copies that won? I didn't and won this since August 2023.

[Jeff]

This book starts off with an easily-read and understood summary of Supreme Court juris prudence from the founding to recent times. I enjoyed reading it.

And then it gets deeper and more serious. The latter 75% of the book focuses on the Supreme Court's juris prudence on the most difficult issues of our day - abortion, gun ownership, and the federal administrative state. It was no longer easy reading at that point, although it is written in a way that a lay person can understand the issues and constitutional theories discussed. It's very illuminating with respect to the changes in legal interpretation over time, and how the latest decisions relate back to them or break from them.

I'm giving this book three stars - I think it's a good book overall. But don't be mislead by it being a part of the PIG series. This is definitely NOT the Supreme Court for Dummies.

[S C]

My rating has nothing to with the information contained in the book and is not based on an opinion of the validity of its contents. For some reason, I assumed from the title that this would be an easily accessible book on the topic of the Supreme Court -- I guess a popular law type thing. This review is directed at others who may be under that same impression. The thing reads like a textbook. That may work for some or even many. But it doesn't for me. I did learn some things, but, man, I slogged through it. And it's not a long book. If you're wondering about the political slant, I would say it's closest to the libertarian ethos.

[Kayla Tornello]

This book wasn't able to hold my interest. I struggled to finish it. I did appreciate all the book recommendations in the margins for further reading, though.

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!

[Dr G]

One point of view

[Pam Mooney]

A master class! You will become engrossed and perhaps go on to do your own research. A good read.

[Susan Walker]

Okay political book.

[Kerri]

I won this book in a giveaway in June 2023 but did not receive the book until December 2023, so I may not get around to reading this for many months.