Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas

by Ted Cruz

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From Senator Ted Cruz, a timely, authoritative exploration of Clarence Thomas’s life, ideas, and lasting impact on constitutional law

For over three decades, Clarence Thomas has stood at the center of American law, enduring withering criticism and personal attacks while writing some of the most brilliant, accessible, transformational opinions in the Supreme Court’s history. His insistence that the Constitution, not merely judicial precedent, is the highest authority has reshaped American jurisprudence, and his lasting impact on the trajectory of constitutional law is undeniable.

In this powerful and timely book, Senator Ted Cruz draws on his own Supreme Court clerkship, on his many years as a Supreme Court advocate, and on his now decades-long friendship with Justice Thomas to paint a portrait of one of the most consequential—and misunderstood—Americans in our nation’s history. Drawing on nine hours of exclusive, wide-ranging, and deeply personal one-on-one interviews with the Justice, Cruz reveals how Thomas’s most formative early experiences—like growing up in crushing poverty in segregated Georgia, his early encounters with extreme racism, and his brief stint in radical left-wing politics—forged a lifelong commitment to independence, self-reliance, and truth.

From Thomas's early years studying to be a priest to his role today as the intellectual force behind some of the Court’s most significant decisions, Going Further traces the formation of one of our Constitution’s staunchest defenders and makes a rousing argument about why his life, his ideas, and his courage matter now more than ever.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2026

About the author

Throughout his life, Ted Cruz has proven to be a passionate and effective fighter for limited government, economic growth, and the Constitution.

Ted’s calling to public service has been inspired by his firsthand observation of the pursuit of freedom and opportunity in America. Ted’s mother, Eleanor, was born in Delaware to an Irish and Italian working-class family. She became the first in her family to go to college, graduated from Rice University with a degree in mathematics, and became a pioneering computer programmer in the 1950s.

After being tortured and imprisoned in Cuba, Ted’s father, Rafael, fled to the United States to attend the University of Texas at Austin in 1957. He then started a small business in the oil and gas industry. Today, Ted’s father is a pastor in Dallas.

Growing up, his father would often say to him:

“When we faced oppression in Cuba, I had a place to flee to. If we lose our freedom here, where do we go?”

Ted has been a tireless fighter for liberty because his family knows what it is like to lose it.

As Solicitor General for the State of Texas and in private practice, Ted authored more than 80 U.S. Supreme Court briefs and argued 43 oral arguments, including nine before the U.S. Supreme Court. He also won an unprecedented series of landmark national victories that include his defense of U.S. sovereignty against the UN and the World Court in Medellin v. Texas, our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, the constitutionality of the Ten Commandments monument at the Texas State Capitol, and the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance.

In the U.S. Senate, Ted has led the fight to repeal Obamacare, to secure the border, and to confirm Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. He has also led the fight to defend life, marriage, the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, and our entire Bill of Rights. And most importantly, he’s kept his promise to speak the truth and do what he said he’d do.

Ted has proven to be the exact type of courageous conservative we need in the U.S. Senate to restore economic growth, defend our Constitution, and protect the values we all hold dear.

Ted, his wife Heidi, their two daughters Caroline and Catherine, and his entire family have been blessed to live the American Dream — the idea that anyone, through hard work and determination, can achieve anything. And he is committed to ensuring every family has that same opportunity.

Reviews

[Cole Feix · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about Ted Cruz starring Clarence Thomas.

Also, A very good book on a man who should be a national hero. One day I hope he gets the respect and adulation he deserves. Clarence Thomas is one of the most consequential legal figures in the history of the Supreme Court, and has an incredible only-in-America story!

[Bralynn Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going Further offers a compelling and personal look at Justice Clarence Thomas, exploring his remarkable journey, judicial philosophy, and lasting impact on American constitutional law. Ted Cruz’s firsthand perspective and conversations with Justice Thomas add a unique depth to the book. A thoughtful and inspiring read about perseverance, independence, and conviction.

[Graham Seibert · Rating 5 out of 5]

No person one can name was born with such an amazing assortment of disadvantages and advantages as Clarence Thomas. On the downside: dirt poor, black, illegitimate, and in a town with no culture or intellectual stimulation. But some advantages: very intelligent, great strength and stamina, sufficiently isolated from white people that not to be greatly shaped by their expectations, or lack thereof, and the support of his grandfather's family to spur him to success.

Lastly, and impossible to quantify, is character. Clarence Thomas was always, for better or worse, his own man. Rubbing shoulders with hoodlums, black revolutionaries, white bigots, snobs and strivers, and later the top tier of government officialdom, he never sold out.

There is a curious paradox. The Democrats fashion themselves as the champions of every minority group. Yet, the most prominent black in American government is a staunch conservative. The author of this book, Ted Cruz,and Marco Rubio are conservative Hispanic men, far more accomplished and renown than what the Democrats have to offer, Kamala Harris, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Hakeem Jeffries.

Blacks execrate him for not showing solidarity with black causes. For fraternizing with whites as well as blacks. For his concern for the human condition, not just the black condition, and the fair application of the constitution to all Americans.

Thomas is a fundamentalist. An originalist. He supports the Constitution as written. He supports procedural due process – fully enforcement of legal procedures as written to preserve people's rights. He does not support substantive due process, the protection of rights not enumerated in the Constitution. Many court decisions, such as those about homosexuality and abortion, have been based on a supposed "right to privacy" that is nowhere enumerated in the Constitution. Lawyers stretched their interpretations of "freedom of expression" and "freedom from unreasonable searches" to project the "penumbras", or shadow edges, of certain amendments that arguably refer to certain privacy rights.

Thomas' argument is based on the Tenth Amendment, which prescribes that the federal government has only those powers delegated to it by the Constitution, and that all other powers not forbidden to the states by the Constitution are reserved to each state, or to the people. Thomas holds that the federal government has no business adjudicating questions of homosexuality, contraception and such. His, or any judge's, personal feelings on those issues do not matter. Those matters are left to the states and the people. Cruz writes about the banning of contraceptives that:

…Justice Potter Stewart dissented, rightly arguing that such laws were “uncommonly silly,” but that the Constitution did not prohibit those laws. When the Court in 2003 struck down Texas’s law criminalizing gay sodomy, Justice Thomas echoed Justice Stewart’s earlier formulation;

Thomas' take on civil rights legislation is similar. Disagreeing with Sandra Day O'Conner about allowing affirmative action admissions to law school for 25 years, until it was no longer necessary, he wrote.

I respectfully dissent from the remainder of the Court’s opinion and the judgment, however, because I believe that the Law School’s current use of race violates the Equal Protection Clause and that the Constitution means the same thing today as it will in 300 months.

Well-reasoned dissents are essential. Thomas wrote the lone dissent in an early, unsuccessful challenge to Roe vs. Wade. He repeated it in subsequent challenges, and his verbiage became the core of the final, successful challenge.

Cruz' book is a survey of the American legal landscape between 1991, when Thomas joined the bench before Cruz clerked for Justice Rehnquist, until now. At the start of that period the court retained the liberal disposition it had attained under Earl Warren. Cruz writes that is was not a terribly collegial bunch. Thomas is a very affable fellow, who easily made friendships with Justices Breyer, Ginsburg and O'Connor despite their divergent views on the law. The comradery, the levity increased significantly. He writes that but for Ketanji Brown Jackson the place might remain as friendly today.

The book is a wonderful read. The early biographical material is a condensed repeat of Thomas' own "My Grandfather's Child." It makes you cry with pride for this man's great endurance, work ethic and character.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incomparable indeed. Love him or hate him, there is no one quite like Clarence Thomas. I have the greatest respect for his judicial consistency and his integrity.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A portrait of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that combines biography with an explanation of Thomas’s approach to the Constitution and the law. Cruz traces Thomas’s life from his childhood in segregated Georgia and years of poverty, through his education, changing political views, faith journey, and eventual rise to the Supreme Court. The book also draws on more than nine hours of personal interviews with Thomas.

The title Going Further reflects the central theme of Thomas willing to go beyond the reasoning of his fellow justices and reconsider long-standing precedent when he believes it conflicts with the Constitution’s original meaning. Thomas’s opinions and experiences on the Court explain both his originalist philosophy and his willingness to stand alone when necessary.

I almost didn’t read this book because I’m not a fan of Ted Cruz, but I’m very glad I did. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

One certainly doesn’t have to agree with every decision Clarence Thomas has made—to find the book interesting. I thought it gave me a much fuller picture of Thomas than I had before and helped explain why he approaches the Constitution and the Supreme Court the way he does. Excellent read.

[Jeffrey Horelick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Extraordinary American Journey of Clarence Thomas

Ted Cruz's Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas is about much more than Supreme Court decisions. It is about the making of a man.
Clarence Thomas came from almost nothing. Born into poverty and segregation in Georgia, he was raised under the demanding influence of his grandfather, who taught him discipline, work, faith, and self-reliance. From there, Thomas went on to Holy Cross, Yale Law School, government service, and eventually the Supreme Court, where he became one of the most consequential justices of the modern era.

What makes this book especially compelling is that Cruz does not simply present a polished résumé. He explores the difficult parts of Thomas's life as well: his drinking, his troubled first marriage, financial struggles and debt, professional disappointments, and decisions he later viewed differently, including hi time working for Monsanto.

Thomas was also not always the conservative figure people know today. As a young man, he wrestled with anger over racism, radical politics, faith, identity, and distrust of institutions. His eventual political and constitutional philosophy developed through experience, disappointment, and reconsideration.

His time at Yale is particularly revealing. Thomas came to believe that racial preferences caused others to question whether he had truly earned his place there. That experience helps explain his later opposition to affirmative action and his insistence that Black Americans should never be treated as though they must think or vote a certain way.

Cruz also revisits the brutal confirmation battle involving Anita Hill and the efforts to find damaging information about Thomas. The Juan Williams episode illustrates just how personal and relentless that effort became.One of the most striking portions of the book involves the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. When it opened, Clarence Thomas, only the second Black justice in Supreme Court history, was essentially represented by a single reference connected to Anita Hill.
Think about that.

His childhood was in poverty. Segregation. Yale Law School. Decades of public service. The Supreme Court. His influence on constitutional law. Yet his historical significance was reduced to one of the most painful controversies of his life.
Cruz objected publicly, and the museum later expanded its treatment of Thomas. To me, that episode captures a central theme of the book: Thomas has often been judged not only by what he accomplished but by whether his beliefs matched what others expected a Black American to believe.
That is why the title Going Further works so well.

Throughout his judicial career, Thomas has repeatedly been willing to stand alone, challenge accepted precedent and return to the text and original meaning of the Constitution even when doing so brought enormous criticism.
Cruz is clearly an admirer and friend of Thomas, so this is not a detached biography. But that relationship also gives the book unusual depth. He presents Thomas not as a flawless man, but as a complicated one who endured poverty, racism, personal mistakes, failed relationships, financial strain, political attacks, and years of controversy. And yet he kept going.

That may be the most powerful lesson in the book. Readers can disagree with Clarence Thomas's decisions, but after reading Going Further, it becomes difficult to dismiss either the magnitude of his journey or his lasting influence on American constitutional law.

Ted Cruz has written an important account of an extraordinary American life, and a reminder that history should recognize achievement even when the person achieving it refuses to think the way others expect him to. Clarence Thomas went far beyond what his circumstances ever suggested possible. And when others were unwilling to do so, he went further.

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Senator Cruz has written the definitive bio of Justice Thomas. Some would argue, and I would agree, that Clarence Thomas is the most maligned SCOTUS Justice in American history. But thanks to this incredible story of Justice Thomas, those rhetorical blasts have all been challenged and debunked.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Going Further and learning more about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, from his early years being raised by his grandfather in the segregated Deep South, his years understanding himself in college and the development of his judicial philosophy.

Justice Thomas has never struck me as someone who seeks the spotlight, which made Senator Ted Cruz’s perspective especially interesting. His friendship with Thomas gives him the ability to share smaller stories and observations that provide a personal and thoughtful picture of him.

One story that particularly stayed with me involved a case before the Court concerning Haitian migrants seeking asylum. During the case, Justice Thomas sought the advice of Chief Justice William Rehnquist about the personal struggles he had with the human element of the cases they decide on. Chief Justice Rehnquist shared Arthur Hugh Clough’s poem “Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth” with Justice Thomas. I had never read the poem before, and I found it incredibly inspirational. This story added a very human element to the book and was one of my favorite examples of the personal relationships that Justices have.

I think Justice Thomas is often misunderstood, especially by those on the left, and this book does a good job of showing the experiences, principles, and reasoning that have shaped his worldview.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not yet finished reading this, but find it captivating (both in how it's written and especially the subject of Justice Thomas' life). So far loving it and was inspired to write this poem,

“World’s Blackest Child”

World’s blackest child is what schoolmates
Of Clarence Thomas called him,
When they could get away with it.
They were black schoolmates mind you
So it must have been some insult.

Today Thomas is soon to become
The longest serving Supreme Court Justice
And just like when he was a kid
There are a lot who still insult him.
If he were a liberal justice he’d be lauded
As one of the greatest to have ever served.
As it is, he just is one of the greatest
Without the praise.

It’s a funny thing in America
How we so often root for the underdog,
The one who rose up from abject poverty
To the very top of achievement,
Based on merit none-the-less,
Only to undermine it all
When it turns out the underdog
Goes their own way,
Is their own person,
Especially when they are black and conservative.

It’s funny but not in a humorous way.
It’s a peculiar thing
When some kinds of individuality
And remarkable accomplishment
Are made into nothing
Simply because you “aren’t one of us.”
In the old days they called that being bigoted
Discriminatory and racist.
Today they call it being progressive and woke.

Does Justice Thomas care?
I doubt it, he lived through worse,
And he’s risen above worse.
He was, after all, the world’s blackest child
And he made that a good thing.

Final note: now that I’m done reading this book, I can say it was thoroughly enjoyable and both educational and entertaining throughout (the story of Justice Breyer asking what Thomas would do if he was robbed at machete point like he’d just been, is priceless). My only quibble is minor and that is that the publisher chose to capitalize the racial distinctions of black and white. Seems to me this practice of making a racial color into a formal name elevates race into a type of identity (formal name or title) which makes it into the kind of special status you’d think Justice Thomas would not only roll his eyes at but also strike down in one of his dissents.

“Over the years, Clarence Thomas has done what few jurists ever manage to do. He has held power without being corrupted by it. He has endured seemingly unendurable hatred without becoming hateful himself. He has lived a life defined not by ambition, but by duty. Most importantly, he has not changed his views simply because a majority of the country - or some political party - have changed theirs.” (p. 287)

[Mark Mears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas

By Ted Cruz

This book illustrated several things for me. I initially read it because I have read Justice Thomas’s autobiography and wanted to learn more. I did learn many more fascinating details about the man, which would have been enough.

One of the things illustrated was that we absolutely cannot permit ourselves to judge people by the way the media portrays them. In this case, both Justice Thomas and Senator Cruz are portrayed as unserious and at times jester-like. Read this book and you will learn quite the opposite is true. Both men display an indepth knowledge of the Constitution, constitutional issues, and the law in general. They also demonstrate deep thinking which is not politically motivated.

Another illustration, in the same vein, is one I learned doing interviews with the media. One learns to choose what point you want to make and to craft a brief statement which is not easily edited. Why? Because you can do an hour long interview with a reporter, and only 15-30 seconds will be aired. And that is chosen by the reporter or their producer, and even with the best of intentions may be wildly out of context. God forbid they don’t like you. So you learn to be brief and get a specific message across. Politicians and other public figures do the same thing. My point here, is that you cannot define someone by a quick sound bite.

The book was fascinating with a lot of informative details. I may go back and read it again!

[Reily Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clarence Thomas' life is very different than I suspected. I really enjoyed how this book navigates Supreme Court cases over the years and their impact to American life. I found this book really enjoyable to read and the topic super engaging. Cruz does a good job to bring super wordy court case opinions to a level that's understandable for your average layman like myself all while telling a captivating story about the life of a man who has conviction to do what he's called to do: interpret cases through the lens of the Constitution & not create new laws from the Supreme Court Bench.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding profile of a great man.

Clarence Thomas’s autobiography “My Grandfather’s Son” is compelling and replete with Justice Thomas’s humility— no tooting of his own horn. Senator Cruz suffers no such limitation with respect to his subject and presents the man fully resplendent in his intellect, consistency of judgment and courage. Well worth the read. Especially if you enjoy substance over headlines and gossip like reporting.

[Judy Evenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast read that covers the life of Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice and observations by Ted Cruz. Well written story that seeks to explain how Thomas, born into poverty, brought up by a well intended and demanding grandfather moves from liberal, angry young man into probably our most conservative SCJ.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If it don't make no damn sense, it don't make no damn sense."

[Kenny Schwarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique opportunity to read a detailed biography on a sitting US Supreme Court Justice (with the potential for being the longest serving Justice in history), written by a sitting US Senator. On the positive, the fact that this work on Thomas was being written by a friendly author allowed the book audience to get a unique incident on one of the Court’s least vocal and thus most misunderstood justices. On the negative, the author Sen Ted Cruz’s ultra-conservative political nature papers over some of the criticisms of Thomas without injecting any true objective review or analysis. As long as you are willing to accept that as a natural consequence, Going Further becomes quite enjoyable as Court biographies go. I was pleasantly surprised. Four Stars for “Going Further.”

[S.E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in my late 30's when Justice Thomas went thru confirmation in the Senate. While I have not followed his ruling since joining the Supreme Court, learning of his early upbringing and journey from angry liberal leanings to his more conservative views was extremely interesting. In my opinion, Justice Thomas is a person of great intelligence, honesty and integrity. I plan to pick up a copy of his memoir, My Grandfather's Son.

[Brian Fiedler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Ted Cruz. (Too bad he is not President...) His friendship and access to Clarence Thomas makes for an exceptional biography. As a bonus, we get a good overview of the history of the SCOTUS and the competing judicial philosophies.

[Mike Thiac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent bio of an extraordinary man.

I read Justice Thomas's autobiography "My Grandfather's Son" over ten years ago, it is an example of how much parents, especially a father, mean in the raising of a child. His grandfather was a poor, barely literate, buy proud man who would never take a dime in charity. He worked his grandsons to the bone (One of them told him slavery ended in 1865, his answer was "Not in this house!") but he was adamant they would go to college and make something of themselves.

This book doesn't go as deeply as MGS, but you get the evolution of his thinking, particularly his legal thinking over the years. A point me made for the first few decades he would not like to ask questions of lawyers in front of the court, he like to give they their chance to make their case. With his fellow conservative Justice Scalia (RIP) gone he had taken up the mantle.

Highly recommend this book

[Sam Talkington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justice Clearance Thomas.

Learned so much!

[Marsha R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I learned a lot about this justice whose great grandfather was the son of freed slaves.

[Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read from this author. Once again, he did an outstanding job and I enjoyed his portrayal of the Honorable C.T. The book was quite informative, I had no idea of the transformation Judge Thomas experienced or extent of persecution he endured from his early days to the present. Where others in his situation would settle for becoming a victim of society, this man went from a radical wannabe priest to a household name in the subject of jurisprudence. Love him or hate him, he deserves high praise for pulling himself up by his bootstraps and enduring so many obstacles. A recurring theme throughout the book is giving honor and credit to the man who raised him for instilling a sense of pride, integrity and determination. Through Senator Cruz, Clarence Thomas relates several anecdotes of strong friendships with ideological adversaries. I am always intrigued by tales of people in high government or civic positions that maintain deep friendships with those they have strong moral or political differences with, while the rest of us peasants are at each others throat at the least nudge from main stream or social media. Although the subject of the book is Clarance Thomas, Senator Cruz manages to plug himself a few times and gets a couple digs in regarding our former POTUS. I am glad I read this book and highly recommend it as not only informative but quite entertaining as well.

[Eadie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about Clarence Thomas. It was about how he grew up in poverty and was brought up by his grandparents in Georgia. About his schooling and studying to become a priest. He got totally disappointed with the Catholic Church and their prejudice ways and then decided to go to law school. It told about him being liberal, but eventually turning to become conservative as he was noticing the conservative ways more helpful to his race. You should read this book and learn about his jobs and how he became a judge and went on to serve on the Supreme Court. Great story about his life and I really loved the book!

[Joe Bax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for every American .

[Betsy Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing short of outstanding! Wish everyone could read this and take it to heart. The world would be a better place!

[Sandra M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

truth is hard

No matter what your political beliefs are, some people stand out as being true to their beliefs. This is one of them

[Linda Corry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

Justice Thomas is an outstanding man; I have always admired him but this story truly inspired me. How fortunate we are to have him on the bench. God forever bless him.

[James · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Great book. Very inspiring and I fully recommend reading it. First, the quibbles. There are some factual errors, i.e. the Democrats did not take both houses of Congress in 1980, the year of Reagan's first election. The GOP took the Senate. Also, the fourth to last paragraph of the Epilogue contains an unfinished sentence, "(a)nd don't let anyone convince you to say things you do not."

The book, Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas by Rafael Edward Cruz, better known as Ted Cruz is written by a conservative about a conservative. This book should quickly put to rest any view that people identified as "conservative" are racists. To the contrary, both the author and the subject believe that a color-blind society would be best. Justice Thomas grew up, dirt poor, in Pin Point, Georgia. He spoke a nearly incomprehensible dialect, Geechee, a mix of West African languages and English. He progressed to Holy Cross College, Yale Law School and, improbably, to the U.S. Supreme Court. Some people believe that having unorthodox political views makes him a "race traitor."

This book dispels that illusion. And why the 4.25? The factual and other errors, basically.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Boy, if it don't make no damn sense, it don't make no damn sense." This hem and countless others Justice Clarence Thomas learned from his grandfather, Myers Andetson. Myers raised Clarence and Clarence's brother Myers. Grandpa Myers didn't have a lot of formal education but he had a doctorate in common sense. He passed along a strong worth ethic and a drive to never give up.

This story, though, is about Clarence. Written by a former law clerk in his office (Senator Ted Cruz) this biography tells a tale of incredible struggle against racial prejudice and seemingly impossible challenges.

The reader will come away from this book with a deep admiration for Justice Thomas, even if he doesn't agree with his conservative viewpoint.

[John Campbell · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

I consider this an excellent book about the character of Clarence Thomas. Ted Cruz is able to trace the transformation of his character from when he was a young radical to a mature, educated and informed Supreme Court Justice. the book is as much about Clarence Thomas as it is about the working of the Supreme Court. I not just learned about Clarence Thomas, but also about many other current and former justices, as well as many court cases. It wasn't an overly difficult read but certainly challenge you to think and reason when reading about some of the court cases and the opinions of the various justices.

[Connie Mechem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. Looking inside the Supreme Court was interesting, informative as now I understand how it works. Justice Thomas has had an interesting life. Ideas a person can learn from his story journey. May he have many more productive years sitting on the prestigious court. Ted Cruz did an excellent job in telling this story.