5 comments about Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo.

1. By reading this book before watching the movie, you will see what Dr. Gonzo's life was like right before he decides to become a lawyer. If you have ever felt alienated by American ideals, regardless of your race, you will relate to this book. Acosta's writing is good and he does a great job of describing what the character is feeling when he encounters life, drugs, and ulcers.



2. It is easy to dismiss this book. The hallucinations and drug-induced rants become a little exaggerated and tedious. Although, his friend and partner in crime, Hunter S. Thompson, would detail similar bizarre experiences in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, their intent seemed different. Whereas HST played with fantasy in social satire as a form of comic relief, OZA seems to want you to believe it to be fact...or at least for you to trust that he believed it.
   With that said, the story is one of the most self-deprecating, odd, and entertaining autobiographies I have ever read. It can easily stand alone as study of a Mexican-American struggle for the American Dream, as well as companion book to Hunter S. Thompson enthusiasts. Regardless of your intent on picking this book up, OZA will amuse, disgust, and surprise you...making this a worthwhile read.

   On a sidenote: This book truly makes you wonder, when HST and OZA joined up, who influenced who more.




3. Strong writing in places, but Acosta's style is sometimes hard to follow. Overall, I found the book to be meandering, formless, and kind of dull. The "Chicano in search of his identity" stuff is pure marketing hype. "A Chicano in search of beer, chicks and drugs" would be more like it--but there isn't much of that here, either, in case you're looking for a story of epic debauchery by Hunter Thompson's Samoan attorney. Acosta comes off as a fairly conservative character--he was a Christian missionary in Panama at one time--and basically apolitical at this point in his life. He wanders around the country, goes to bars, tries peyote, smokes some weed, drinks a lot of beer, but it's all pretty low key and, personally, I never thought this kind of thing was very interesting to begin with. Still, Acosta is a fairly sympathetic character and he's a better writer than most. This isn't a bad book, but it isn't that great, either--read Hunter Thompson instead



4. This book is one of the most memorable I have read in many years. Oscar lived an incredible life, and his ability to render it in this book is consistently amazing. I've read this book about three times, and I reflect on the trajectory of Oscar's life often.



5. I heard about Oscar'Zeta' Acosta basically from reading Hunter S. Thompson's book but became quickly fascinated by Dr. Gonzo and wanted to know more about him. I was pleased to find out he had also written some books and was even more pleased to find out he was(is?) a very good writer. Truly an inspiration to anyone who has ever felt their identity as an american is something that they have had to come to grips with. Apart from that serious subtext, it also a very entertaining and amusing story that rolls along, introducing some interesting and memorable characters and situations. A passionate human being wrote this book and it is filled with all the honesty and humanity of someone bearing his soul to achieve a greater sense of genuine self which for Oscar Acosta means being "A Brown Buffalo"

5 comments about Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining: America's Toughest Family Court Judge Speaks Out.

1. Judge Judy didn't disappoint in this book with her life's experiences as a judge in New York. It helps you realize what the justice system is like and the people they see on a daily basis. There are some very shocking cases!
   
   People seem to surprise you whenever you turn around. Her career as a Judge in New York must have many stories and she shares some doozies with you in this book...
   
   Definitely worth it!
   
   Merna
   
   Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!



2. I am a fan of Judge Judy. I like her no nonsense approach to life and the legal system. Having myself grown up in a family of police and police chiefs, I know full well the crap that goes on in life as well as the legal system. Having just gone through a legal fiasco of being accused of something I didn't and wouldn't do, I prayed to have a judge like Judge Judy preside over the case. This drug out for 2 years while the other person smeared my name in every media outlet she could think of - even the FBI - and every place where I was scheduled to give talks about my book. I finally had to sue her to shut her up and then she hid like a scared @*&%$! Well after dragging this out by not providing us with their evidence and discovery - which I am sure she didn't have, they decided to settle out of court with a public retraction and an apology as to what she had said about me. So I never got my day in court, but oh I wish I had just to hear Judge Judy tell her "you can't fix stupid and dumb is forever!" I recommend her books, they are funny, comical and down to earth legal approches to life in the court system. You will get a whole new perspective on the way things are done and they might get you fired up to get a wrong you have been dealt righted. Read Them!!



3. First off I love Judge Judy, I think she is brilliant, funny, and right on the money with her quips and viewpoints.....secondly, i found this book absolutely tortuous to read, and gave up after about 70 pages of it, for some reason I just could not go on with it anymore....Judy's ideas on how to solve what ails our society are insightful, and worth taking note of. However, the book is so poorly written, i couldn't continue to finish it. maybe its just the way it was put togther, but this was not at all what i was hoping it would be.



4. I got this book at the libary and I was so disapointed. From the title I thought it was a book of funny cases. Its not.Its a book on how she became a Judge. there may have been cases ,but I don't remember any.



5. All I know is that watching her shows and reading bits of this book it is clear why she is no longer a sitting judge. She would not be allowed in court anymore. Her attitude and behavior are totally unprofessional.

3 comments about Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders.

1. Christine Pelosi has written a primer on How To Run. (Also, on how NOT to run, when that's the right thing to do.) She's got the background and experience to know the lessons of how to go about running for office, the first-hand experience of training people to do it, and a wealth of voices who back up her practical advice with their first-hand stories of why they ran and what they learned. Practical. Solid. Essential for the first-time campaigner, the twenty-year incumbent, the journalist, and the woman on the street who wants to get an understanding of How It All Works.



2. Look here! Christine Pelosi is someone who has been getting dirt under her fingernails in grassroots politics since she was in the stroller. "Boot Camp" is not the result of just another pundit or academic writing about politics. Christine really gives you both the promise and blessings of fighting for something you believe in while she also tells the truth about the planning and hard work it takes to succeed. She should know because there are at least three generations of Pelosi's who have risen to the top of the political ladder -- a grandfather who was mayor of Baltimore, a mother who is Speaker of the U.S. House, and herself as a 10-year elected veteran of the Democratic National Committee from California. Practical is what the Pelosis know and live; commitment to cause is what fuels them.
   
   Anyone who wants to win an issue or office should put this on their early reading list.



3. Step aside, Colbert - Christine Pelosi has a real strategy for running for office, and anyone, she says, can do it. I listened to Pelosi on the radio the other day and she was so exciting, I checked out her book the same afternoon. She makes practical and worthwhile suggestions for being politically active - and her advice is valuable for anyone. I'm just a copy editor but I feel like even Clinton's senior staffers could learn a thing or three from "Campaign Boot Camp."

1 comments about Convictions: A Prosecutor's Battles Against Mafia Killers, Drug Kingpins, and Enron Thieves.

1. "Unputdownable" is an adjective normally used to describe potboilers, not non-fiction books written by attorneys about their cases. Yet once you start reading Convictions, by John Kroger, it's impossible to put it down. With intelligence, insight, candor and a healthy dose of self-criticism, the former assistant US Attorney tells stories of chasing mobsters, fighting (and losing) the "war on drugs," and the arduous task of representing the US government in court. Kroger is the rare thing: an outstanding lawyer who writes like a novelist and thinks like a philosopher. This is a remarkable book; don't miss the chance to read it.

5 comments about How Can You Defend Those People?.

1. This book should be mandatory reading for criminal defense attorneys. It gets your head, your heart, and your ego in the right place. A light, quick and engaging read, it will crack you up again and again at the same time as imparting much insight. And then there's the chapter on the Roger Ligon case, the prep and trial of which is a model of unstinting hard work, commitment and brilliance by attorney Sherman. And it's cheap, you should buy a bunch of copies so you can hand them out the next time someone asks, "How can you defend those people?!"



2. I've often asked myself "how can that lawyer defend that person". I guess sometimes I still wonder, but in our wonderful country every person has the right to be represented/defended in court. Sort of reminds me of hate the sin but love the sinner . . Can't love the sinner, but can accept the fact that he has the right to good legal counsel.



3. Mickey Sherman, a renowned defense attorney, defends his profession against the rash of stereotypes held by the general public, usually using a heavy does of his good -- and wacky -- sense of humor in the process.
   
   And, it's not just defending his profession. He looks at the practice of criminal law in general. This isn't a nuts-and-bolts, or a tell-all, just a description of how defense lawyers, judges, prosecutors and cops are all people -- and how those who are best people are usually the best in their line of work.
   
   Filled with great anecdotes from an attorney who truly doesn't take himself too seriously, Mickey Sherman explains not only how he can defend "those guys," but, how you should be glad people like him defend "those guys."



4. Hysterically Entertaining
   
   Enchanted by the quagmires, challenges, and events that surround the lives of attorneys, media commentators, and entertainers?
   
   Interested in the inside scoop on high profile cases, courtroom dramas, actors, players, and the personal boundaries that attorney's often face?
   
   Want to read something that will make you laugh out loud, get teary eyed, stir your nerves, rock your views, and motivate you to live each day as you see fit?
   
   If your answers are yes - then "How Can You Defend Those People" is a MUST READ! It's rare to find a book where readers are so moved by one man's life experiences! Mickey Sherman's accounts are so vividly cast and frankly depicted that they leave you yearning for more and wondering how all these interesting events could possibly have happened to one person! From Michael Skakel, OJ Simpson, Scott Peterson, Martha Stewart, the Menedez brothers ... to the quite unknown yet poignant story of Roger Ligon ... this book is well-written, exciting, and hysterically entertaining!



5. "How Can You Defend Those People" is the greatest new book for spring. After being written about in novels and on television shows, Mickey Sherman has finally penned his own story of his colorful and distinguished career. Mickey Sherman is a criminal defense attorney who is also a legal analyst for CBS and a frequent media commentator on legal issues for all the major networks. Having appeared regularly on NBC's "Today Show," CNN's "Larry King Live," "20/20," and many other news shows, Mickey has now written extensively for legal publications and has lectured nationwide on criminal law issues, as well as on the media coverage of them.
   
   This book boldly explains how the famed attorney dealt with impossible cases and sometimes extremely impossible or difficult clients. But one thing is known in the legal world: Sherman's the man to hire when you are dealing with an impossible legal mission.
   
   But those who have read this book all rave about Mickey's literary work. Bestselling author Dominick Dunne raves about "How Can You Defend Those People." Dunne, known as a victims' advocate, said, "I'll never agree with Mickey Sherman, but I must admit I really enjoyed his book. Underneath his sometimes fierce demeanor in the courtroom, Sherman is a witty man with an amiable personality, an expert story teller, and a lover of the law who fights hard for his clients."
   
   Even TV legal powerhouse Nancy Grace raves about reading Mickey's book. She says of defense attorneys, "They are usually my natural enemy, but I enjoyed getting inside the brain of this defense attorney." Other fans of Sherman's work include the LAPD Chief, William J. Bratton and Oscar winning director, screenwriter and producer, Barry Levinson. But fans don't stop there. The new book is doing well with everyday readers and many of the famous in Hollywood as well. Lounging recently at Beverly Hills' Polo Lounge, it was in the hands of several well known agents in the business. Wonder if they were pondering what to do with some of their clients.
   
   Sherman's defense strategies are frequently groundbreaking and sometimes more fascinating than the clients themselves, which is why he is a frequent source for NBC's "Dateline" and "Law & Order," CBS's "48 Hours," Court TV, and all the national news channels, the "New York Times," "Time," and "Vanity Fair." He is even a recurring character in James Patterson's bestselling novels. In the tradition of bestsellers by Alan Dershowitz and Dominick Dunne, Sherman delivers a powerful, extraordinarily candid, and humorous account of his legal career that gives readers an all access backstage pass to the sausage factory that is the criminal justice system, as well as to many cases we have all lived through via TV, which Sherman has provided commentary for and insight on the various news channels. Sherman pulls no punches in his candid and often irreverent account of his experiences, observations and antics on and off the air, covering the big (and not so big) cases for the networks.
   
   Sherman started his career as a public defender, then worked as a prosecutor, and later became a criminal defense attorney for clients such as Michael Skakel (convicted 27 years after the fact for the murder of Martha Moxley) and Alex Kelly (who, on the eve of his double-rape trial in Darien, fled to Europe for nine years). The raw Court TV coverage of his successful PTSD defense of a Vietnam veteran charged with murdering an unarmed man over a parking space argument was nominated for a Cable Ace Award. Many who know Sherman believe that his humble upbringing is what makes him such an advocate for everyone in the system. Sherman tells "Canyon News," "Whether you like criminal defense attorneys or not. We all have a job to do and if you are ever accused of a crime that you didn't commit or you did commit, wouldn't you want a defense attorney to fight for your rights? Every citizen in our nation has constitutional rights; that's what makes America so great." Another reason America's great is because of Mickey Sherman. "How Can You Defend Those People," Sherman's first book, is available at Amazon and at bookstores across the nation. Here's hoping for more of Sherman's masterful storytelling to be weaved around the pages of more books.
   
   I've known Mickey for years and he's always a fixture in Hollywood. He navigates the terrain of entertainment as easily as he does the corridors of courtrooms around the nation. Sherman is very well known and respected in Tinseltown and when his career as an attorney is done, he's surely going to break into some field in the entertainment biz. Charming, charismatic, handsome and very witty, he's comfortable with almost anyone.
   
   Mickey Sherman is a criminal defense attorney who lives in New York and Greenwich, Connecticut. He's married to fellow author, legal analyst for FOX News, and former prosecutor, Lis Weihl.
   
   Tommy Garrett is Editor of Canyon Newspaper in Beverly Hills and Contributing Editor of San Francisco News.

No comments about Lawyer Boy: A Case Study on Growing Up.

5 comments about Hell to Pay: The Unfolding Story of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

1. "Hell to Pay" tells the story of Hillary Rodham Clinton's life, from childhood on. We see her behind the scenes in Arkansas and Washington, pushing Bill to fight back from his sometimes political problems and accept Dick Morris' advice, and helping to squelch reactions to Bill's infidelities.
   
   More significantly, Olson reminds readers of Hillary's role in "Travelgate," selecting Bill's Cabinet appointees (including Janet Reno and Joceyln Elders), "Filegate" (FBI files used to find dirt on Bush I and Reagan appointees), likely obstruction of justice in blocking access to Vince Foster's files until her staff removed selected papers, creating HillaryCare (antagonized many through secrecy, inflexibility, and leaving them out, overly complex - 1,300+ pages, holding back pay for her ghostwriter in "It Takes a Village" for revealing that Hillary did not write it, trying to push V.P. Gore to an across the street office so she could have his W.H. spot, supporting the "sale of the W.H." - $ for sleepovers, etc., the cattle futures scandal, etc.
   
   "Hell to Pay" also portrays Hillary's "never say die" nature, and bits of her temper.
   
   The only bad news about the book is that the author was killed in the 9/11 airliner crash into the Pentagon, and thus unable to update the material.



2. This book was originally published by Barbara Olson in 1999 prior to her tragic death in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the pentagon. The timing is unfortunate in that if this book was just hitting the bookstores now (April 2008) I think it would prove to be Hillary's undoing, much as the Swift Boater's undid John Kerry with "Unfit for Command".
   
   This book is a real eye opener, following Hillary from her high school years through the Clinton White House to her election as a senator from New York. I think Ms. Olson might even have one up on Dick Morris in her documentation of Hillary's past. If even half of what Ms. Olson relates is true this woman should be sitting in a federal penitentiary somewhere, not running for President of the United States, a job she is about as qualified to perform as I am to perform open heart surgery. The book makes it clear that had she not been the First Lady of the United States she probably would have done some time in the slammer. From her shady an often illegal business deals and investments, to her blatant violation of the law by holding Hillarycare meetings in secrete, to funneling money to the PLO and Communist party, to lies, bribes, threats, insults, firings, perjury, blocking investigations, obstructing justice, hiring staff for the White House who couldn't get security clearances or required random drug testing, and altering public documents. Not to mention the fact that people who get too close to the Clintons have a bad habit of turning up dead. Ms Olson depicts Hillary is a one-woman crime wave.
   
   Shortly the American public will be asked to choose between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama as the Democrat Party's nominee to run for the Presidency of the United States. Anybody who is even entertaining the though of voting for Mrs. Clinton needs to buy this book and read it! And quickly! It sure changed my mind.



3. In an effort to objectively write a key chapter in my book, America, You Will Be Destroyed !: Thus Saith The Lord - and Other Amazing Prophecies I read Ms. Olson's book as a part of my research. While many other Hillary books focused on her and husband Bill's scandals, Olson's book tried to capture the psyche and inner workings of the former First Lady.
   
   I felt that the little, seemingly insignificant or trivial details of her life and childhood helped me to paint a better mental picure of the driving forces in Hillary's life. As a former national and state licensed therapist, the little details helped me to create a case study snapshot. The influences of the feminist movement, her continued pursuit and espousal of radicalism and socialism, her upbringing under a driven father, the upheaval of the 60's, the me-generation of the 70's, the self-consciousness towards her own body (specifically her legs), the disdain and reproachful way Bill treated her... Whew, her issues of being driven, loathing of men in general, thirst for power/dominance and control, all make sense. as another reviewer said, "When peeling back the layers, we need to know this stuff to get at what makes Hillary tick."
   
   Looking at all the background and biographical details makes me realize (and hopefully others) that in her machinations we see clearly that she has not become more conservative or even centrist. She is a radical socialist to the core, and the most frightening thng in this revelation is that she seems to truly believe that she alone is right, that she alone is the people's champion and this sense of righteous indignation fuels her passionately to apire to the pinnacle of power at all costs.
   
   Like a true socialist, Hillary will do anything and everything to obtain power. She will reinvent herself over and over to do so. This book shows clearly that pragmatism is all a pose to make her attractive to the broad electorate. For her, the end (her obtaining power) will justify any means.
   
   By examing the actions/reactions of Hillary during key events such as Whitewater, the Travel agency firings, etc. The reader has an opportunity to see the venal, petty, cruel, vindictive, vulgar and violent side of a woman that is in a position of power and who is wanting yet more. Though all writer's have some non-altruistic motivation(s) for putting pen to paper, the work of digging out new details and reframing existing ones is crucial in the discovery phase of the case against HillaryThe Case Against Hillary Clinton (another work by a different author). There will be "Hell to Pay" if Hillary is elected.



4. One of the best reviews I have read on this personality, and I have read seven books. Underlines the development of her radicalization in politics and how her dysfunctional family of orgin undergirds her indefensible justification of her husband's sex addiction and thereby blaming Christians for his deeds.



5. Since Hillary's own "Living History" was such a sterile and lifeless academic exercise - at least compared to Obama's "Dreams of My Father," or even to Bill's "My Life" -- and thus did powerful little to reveal the real person behind the "political persona," one is forced to stoop (almost embarrassingly so) to "anti-Hillary tracts" (such as I thought this one would be), to peel back the veneer covering the "Hillary Rodham" mystique.
   
   Whether intentional or not, much to my surprise, this book is NOT an altogether uncomplimentary analysis of Mrs. Clinton's life. With many rich details that highlight the good, the bad, and the ugly -- along the often bumpy road her life has taken -- this volume, quite adequately "fills in the blanks" about who the real Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton is.
   
   Even though one can clearly see from the title that it was intended to appeal to the "I Hate Hillary Club," it turns out to be amazingly straightforward and free of the usual slander, political vitriol, and below the belt personal jabs that one normally associates with, and expects of books with titles of this sort. Nothing could have been more satisfying than to realize that I had misjudged this book based solely on its cover. I had indeed discounted its value, expecting it to be little more than a carefully disguised "attack ad." And even though much of the juicier aspects of its content seem to have been "culled" from other more respectable sources, it is still much more than just an "attack ad in disguise." It is meaty, coherent, and sticks tenaciously to the main task of trying to unravel, who the person behind the Hillary political persona really is. In short, those looking for an "attack ad" disguised as a book: Well, I am here to tell you, this ain't it. This is not the "National Enquirer's" version of the ex-First Lady's life. Ms. Olson can think and write, and has very high standards for her craft and exercises them all quite well here.
   
   The high points of the book lie in the careful way the author uses the details of her subject's life to outline, against the backdrop of the many layers of American society, the essential elements of Hillary's character and the motivation for her often difficult life choices. The ex-First Lady evolves from a "Goldwater Girl," to a "wide-eyed 1960s Leftist Radical," to Bill's "Hippy gal-pal," to a university Law professor, to a partner in a major law firm, to the ambitious "power grabbing money hungry" political predator that she is now thought by many to be. In the best of the American tradition, she "clawed her way to the top of the food chain."
   
   The public portrait of her is as a person seemingly willing to cut whatever moral corners are needed to advance herself; to protect her Golden Goose (Bill); to grab the brass ring for herself (the U.S. Presidency), and in the end" to find financial security for herself and her family. However, the author is careful to note that she is much more complex than just this demeaning portrait. Hillary does a great deal of good along this very treacherous and tortuous path, especially in improving education in Arkansas, with the Children's Defense Fund, steering Bill's campaigns and comebacks to victory, showing uncommon strength in "facing down" one scandal after another, and in raising consciousness about women issues.
   
   The low point of the book is watching the author get stuck chasing her own tail: Trying to graft her own self-created "Leftist Radical" image onto Hillary. No matter how many Saul Alinsky epigrams she uses, the graft simply does not "take." And the reason is because of the much larger, much deeper picture that the author's own analysis shows the ex-First Lady to be: Hillary, more than anything else, is an evolving political animal that is no longer easy to pigeonhole politically, morally or ethically.
   
   Yet, rather sadly, she misses her own most important lesson and contribution by failing to understand that the corruption of Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, when seen in relief, is little more than a general critique of the American political way of life. For as she so aptly demonstrates, there is nothing unique about Hillary, her personality, her life choices, or her life journey that would make her stand out from the rest of us as predisposed towards political corruption, or towards becoming a "moral retrograde." Yet, as has been the case with so many others of American politicians, she lurched from "Right wing" idealist, to "Left wing" idealist, to a "co-opted and corrupt centrist," to a "bought-and-paid-for" pseudo-liberal democrat, and back into the closet again as a "Right wing Republican in "Democratic clothing."
   
   As a template of how to go from political naiveté to political maturity, Hillary's journey from idealist to corrupt political opportunist, could serve as THE model for anyone who gets caught up in the sausage grinding machinery of American government and politics. The sad fact is that the most likely, and the most probable outcome for any of us, is that we will be consumed by it, and will come out on the other side, grinded into unrecognizable moral mince meat -- a corrupt shell of our previous moral selves. Quite simply, we have a political system that eats and digests its young and spits them out as fertilizer for the next generation.
   
   What was most sobering about the book is that Hillary is the classic case in point. Her life's journey is an object lesson in what not to do. Through her, we can see how truly scary it is that for all but a handful of us, dealt the same hand in life as she, but for the grace of God, we too undoubtedly would have ended up in the same morally corrupt and bankrupt cul de sac that the ex-First Lady now finds herself in: with "unearned riches," dubious but exaggerated accomplishments, hanging on to a failed marriage, and still grasping for a meaningless brass ring, called the U.S. Presidency.
   
   While this is far from a balanced treatment, Hilary's own glossed-over treatment left the door wide-open for a hardnosed assessment, and this is it. Five stars

5 comments about The Revolt of the Cockroach People.

1. Re-Saturday Review of Literature
   Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).



2. Re-Saturday Review of Literature
   Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).



3. This is the most realistic book I have ever seen about Mexican American hippies in Aztlan, the Chicanos of the 1960's neo-freedom movements. It will surely become a collector's item worth saving in this era of gung-ho Americanism which does not know the kind of objectivity Acosta displays with regard to how we think and why we believe as we do. Hunter S. Thompson described the author better than I can in his introduction to the book, highlighting his uniqueness while lamenting his untimely passing. I will write more after I give the book a more thorough second reading.



4. I read this book after finding out that Oscar Zeta Acosta was the fat Samoan lawyer from "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Acosta's style is similar, with a lot of drugs and sex with minors. The differences are that Acosta isn't tripping the whole time and he has time to incite political rallies. I love when they protest the Catholic church, or when he pleasures himself with some nubile young high schoolers under a blanket during a sit-in.... For those interested in the turbulent times that was the 60s, this is a must-read.



5. After reading this book, and actually living through those turbulent times of the 60's and 70' s , it was refreshing to read and feel the burning frustration and love that this man was experiencing and the way he expressed his anger against the machine. This type of awareness has been lost , due to us the forefathers of the Chicano Movement, to teach our own and other's children of how important those actions were, so that we may emphasize education, political power and family values. We have implemented a course in Chicano Studies in schools, we now have political representation in our governments, and many more success stories that are due to the work of such people as Cesar Chavez, Ruben Salazar and Corky Gonzales. Oscar Zeta was a man amongst his own that was afraid of nothing and no one.My thanks to him for fighting the powers that be and for creating an example for all of us, regardless of race. You have to stand up for what you believe and Acosta is atrue testament to that.

5 comments about John Marshall: Definer of a Nation.

1. This is a full-length, 500 page biography of the fourth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Marshall. It is superb. It is very detailed, yet easy to read. Smith follows the conventional chronological format for a biography, starting with Marshall's birth, and then describing his life sequentially from his childhood, his education, his youthful service as a light infantry officer in the Revolution, his work as a lawyer, his early political career, his rise to national fame as an envoy to France during the time when the nation almost went to war with France during the Adams Administration, his service as Secretary of State to John Adams and finally his long service for 35 years as the Chief Justice who established the power and prestige of the Supreme Court.
   
   What I find most admirable about this book is its balance. It gives you everything that you want in a biography. It is very scholarly, and very readable. It gives you a very good sense of John Marshall, the human being, but it also fully explains the significance of the events in which Marshall participated. As an example of the human side of Marshall, Smith gives us a very moving picture of Marshall's lifelong love affair with his wife, Polly, starting with the dramatic courtship by the penniless young officer and ending with the 80 year old Chief Justice walking twice a week to visit her grave. As an example of how Smith explains the significance of what Marshall did, not only did Smith explain the key decisions, but he gives the facts on what impact they had. In the steamship case, for example, Smith both explains the legal and political issues and gives the economic statistics on what effect the decision had on trade.
   
   I highly recommend this book, both for the excellence of its writing and the importance of its subject matter. John Marshall is one of the most important people in American history. He was instrumentals in making real the balance of the Constitution envisioned by Madison and Hamilton in the Federalist Papers. He was critical in creating the pre-conditions needed for America to be a rich and prosperous nation, with great opportunity for the great majority. Marshall was also a wise and a good man, which shines through on every page of this book. The book is worth reading, finally, as a way to come to know such an extraordinary man.



2. Not all historians are fine, interesting writers. Fortunately, Jean Edward Smith is a superb writer, making Chief Justice Marshall's long life an interesting, even fun, read. Moreover, the writing paralells the substance contained in the Book. I wish all historical biographies were of this quality. Buy the Book.



3. This was one of those books I knew I SHOULD read, but its heft put me off for months. When I finally did pick it up, I couldn't put it down.
   
   John Marshall doesn't have the cache or enduring fame that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or many others have - and it's a shame. He formed the institution of the Supreme Court, and in so doing, shaped many of the ways our country (tenuous at the time, mind you) began its journey, and perhaps why we've endured this long.
   
   The author does a fantastic job of painting a picture of life in the day, John Marshall's life and contributions, and how he and others in his era related to each other and the world at large. The cases that came before the early SCourt were fascinating, if only to illustrate the thorny issues and perils of the time. The extent to which he was able to be brilliant, rationale, and to build consensus focused on the original intent and vision for this country is impressive, and sorely needed today.
   
   Funny story - I finally DID start reading this book on the beach in Mexico. Not quite the fluff one typically carries to the beach. The first day, people remarked as such, and by about day 3 or 4, they are saying "wow, you are really making progress on that!" as the bookmark moved steadily towards the back.
   
   Don't wait for the beach - get started!



4. .....though we can still debate whether he defined it correctly. John Marshall, fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was, and remains, one of the absolute giants of our history. Washington fought the battles, Jefferson and Madison composed the theories, but it remained for Marshall to elucidate what it all meant. This is, to my mind, the definitive biography of a titan.
   
   John Marshall was born in what is now Northern Virginia in 1755, the child of a fairly well off family. On his mother's side, he was descended from the famous Randolphs; his father was a surveying associate of George Washington. His dad taught him a love of education and good books that continued all his days. Before embarking on a career in Law, Marshall was a soldier of the Revolution, serving with Washington in several major battles. After marriage to young Polly Ambler, he was a law student of the great George Wythe [also the law teacher of Jefferson, and of Spencer Roane] at William & Mary. Successful practice, and politics, soon followed...Marshall served on the Governor's Council, and was the leading advocate for Constitutional ratification in the Virginia convention; his battles with Patrick Henry are the stuff of legend [though they served as co-counsel in several cases]. He was a constant supporter of Washington, served as one of Adams' three ministers to France in the XYZ affair, and was briefly a Congressman and Secretary of State. He it was who said of Washington "First in War...", though he let Light Horse Harry Lee speak the words, and get the credit. In 1801, John Adams made a "midnight appointment" of Marshall to be Chief Justice, preventing the incoming President Jefferson from making his own choice...
   
   For the next 34 years, Marshall solidified Federal power, freely interpreting the interstate commerce clause, and the clause which allows Congress to make enabling legislation. Marbury v. Madison asserted the right of judicial review, and further cases expanded it. He wrote the judicial opinions that remain the basis of Federal centrilization of power to this day. Smith gives great detail of individual cases.
   
   One of Marshall's great strengths, and we shouldn't make light of it, was that he was a nice guy. A sociable host, his friends loved him, but even total strangers could find him thoroughly modest and charming. Quoits, and good Madiera were real passions. Even his enemies [with two profound exceptions] liked him. His basic decency certainly aided his consensus building.....
   
   ...the two exceptions were Spencer Roane and Thomas Jefferson. Roane was the son-in-law and political ally of Patrick Henry. A long time neighbor of Marshall, and Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court, Judge Roane believed completely in States Rights and held the US Constitution to be a voluntary compact of free and independent states that could be broken at will. What Spencer Roane proposed, Jeff Davis disposed... Alas, where Marshall was a prince among men, Judge Roane was of such acid, unpleasant, temperment that even his friends and allies couldn't stand him...
   
   ....and then there was Mr. Jefferson. The feud between Marshall and Jefferson is one of the absolute central themes of American history. It was multidimensional...personal, familial, political, philosophical...for about 40 years, the conflict was one of cordial, respectful, dislike; after the Aaron Burr treason trial of 1807, it turned into blind, unreasoning hatred. Part of it was rivalry between branches of the Randolph family; part was Jefferson's civilian service during the revolution while Marshall was in the field; part was publication of a letter to Jefferson from his daughter stating "Mrs. Marshall is insane" [sadly, true]. Mostly, the problem was that Marshall and Jefferson had totally different theories of government and visions of America. [They agreed about religion, though Marshall was a founder of, and regular attender at, Monumental Church in Richmond]. In 1807, Aaron Burr was charged with treason, accused of wanting to set up his own empire. He was tried in Richmond, with Marshall sitting as trial judge. Marshall's friend, neighbor, and occasional law partner John Wickham served as defense counsel, along with the drunken genius, Luther Martin. In what is today generally considered a rigged trial, Burr was acquitted. During this trial, an incident occured that is the only evidence of improper conduct on John Marshall's part that I can find; while Burr was out on bail, Wickham threw a grand dinner party for him. Marshall was invited [not improper], went, and stayed the whole evening. You can well imagine the spin that sympathetic Jefferson biographers put on this; Smith doesn't mention it.
   
   John Marshall was a great and brilliant man; he was also a good and decent man. He had his problems; Polly was an invalid with a combination of physical and mental problems for years...one of his sons was essentially worthless. Thru it all, John Marshall was faithful to both his public and private duties. Now, I'll get personal....my copy of this wonderful book was a Christmas present my wife bought me at the John Marshall House in Richmond. Located at 9th. and Marshall, near the Capitol, it is lovingly maintained by a fine staff of really nice people [the Director even helped me with research for a small biography I wrote of Spencer Roane]. The house, and Marshall's grave in Shockhoe Cemetery a few blocks away, are cared for as monuments to greatness, which they are. The house is nice, but not spectacular; Marshall was a modest, unassuming man [John Wickham's house, two blocks away, IS spectacular]. At the John Marshall House [yes, I contribute financially], and at his grave, I feel awe, intellectual interest, and profound respect; at Monticello, I feel reverence. Maybe I think Jefferson was right about the issues, but I can still look up to John Marshall. If you want to understand America, you need to read this book.
   
   This is the best available biography of Marshall, maybe the best ever. If all you want is case histories, read Hobson; if you want a highly technical biography, read Newmyer; if you want to understand the great cases, AND the great man who decided them, start right here. Newmyer and Hobson wrote fine books, but any intelligent person [not just specialists] can read this one.....



5. I think it can be argued that, next to Washington, Marshall was the most significant of the whole colonial group, and fortunately, this excellent biography rises to the occasion, telling the story of this truly remarkable American. The best proof of my enthusiasm for the book is that I have already purchased four copies for friends with more undoubtedly to come

5 comments about In the Ring: The Trials of a Washington Lawyer.

1. This is an absolutely great book. If you like Washingtion DC political insiders history that is a great read to boot, this book is for you.



2. Bennett reveals himself to be a blow-hard and a bully of the first order. His unreserved defense of a powerful client, the acknowledged sexual predator Bill Clinton, and piling on of scorn for Paula Jones and her evil "right wing" supporters, are not actions that any attorney who truly cares about justice should seek to advertise. Likewise, the Catholic Church no doubt made the mistake of thinking that it was hiring a lawyer to defend it rather than attack it from within. Bennett might have been worthy of some respect had he chosen to shut up and not engage in such blatant self-promotion.



3. This is one of those books I read hating myself every minute for wasting my time. My recurring thought was that Bennett promised everyone who ever did him a favor that they'd be mentioned in his memoir. Bennett never lost a case even when he didn't win, and teaches young lawyers the value of honesty, preparation, early connections with powerful people, and most importantly the value of having big bucks and political clout behind you. Everyone is "wonderful" save those who disagreed with him. There are no insights which cannot be gained through far less narcissistic and biased sources. What the book in lacked substance, it did not compensate in the writing.



4. This is a fantastic "inside look" of Bob Bennett. He is very detailed in his descriptions of happenings in his life, both as a youngster in Brooklyn, NY and later as a professional in Washington, D. C. My husband and I were glued to the pages, not wanting to put down the book, at least not until we completed the chapter we were reading. In the center of the book are various family photographs, making the text even more enjoyable. It's a great read.



5. A disjointed and uneven presentation of the highlights of the career of a high-profile Washington, D.C. litigator. It is written in the style of that town, with many words devoted (in a modest way, of course) to what a grand job the author did in representing some totally innocent and famous client. Praise is lavished on most public figures, with scores settled on a few notable back hats; here, e.g., Judge Walsh, Senator DeConcini, and NY Times publisher Sulzberger.
   
   Of course a child of the author goes to Sidwell Friends and the manager of The Palm is mentioned. And, growing up in Brooklyn he loved the Dodgers.
   
   Mr. Bennett's advice to young lawyers boils down to be honest and have balance in your lives. Which is good advice, but you probably do not need to buy this book to obtain it.
   
   Mr. Bennett has been a central figure in a number of the most important legal situations of the past few decades. Unfortunately, in this book, he writes in a style that indicates to me that this book was a toss off effort, done while he was still active and distracted in his day job. Rare are the hard, keen and full descriptions of any of the interesting public figures with whom he came into contact. Mr. Bennett, the one-time amateur boxer, pulls his punches.