This book is a fairly thorough look at the modern Supreme Court. It focused on the major cases and the personalities of the justices. The author shows how politics did influence the court and how the various Presidential administrations clashed with members of the court. This book shows to the reader that the personalities of the justices does matter because it does affect how they rule on various cases.

This is a great read and it is very enlightening. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about the supreme court. ( )

Excellent, brilliant, great that it's actually about the law as well as the personalities. I got it from the library but I have to own it. I find constitutional law fascinating, and the multiple interpretations and manipulations can be so frustrating if you disagree with the outcome; brilliant if you agree. great job toobin ( )

Not very secret; not very inside.

Let me preface this by admitting my biases. I am a lawyer, and would be considered to be a “liberal” by most people who know me. I generally do not agree with Justice Thomas or Justice Scalia, and found the decision by the Court in Bush v. Gore abhorrent. It is my opinion that the court is going too far in rulings interpreting the Miranda decision. One might think I would like this book. I did not.

Toobin’s book is thin on notes, anecdotal and biased. Toobin claims that the book is based upon exclusive interviews with the justices and more than seventy-five of their law clerks that were not for attribution. In addition, he “steeped” himself in the “vast literature about the Court”. He also relied upon the coverage of the Court by the popular press and various “blogs” about the Court. He made very poor use of his sources.

In all of his discussions of the important decisions, Toobin does not provide analysis of legal reasoning. His explanations of the processes are simplistic and gross generalizations. The average reader must conclude that the justices engage in little reasoning when rendering their opinions. One might believe that the rulings from the highest court are made based upon personality quirks and political bias.

Toobin portrays the justices as one-dimensional personalities whose decisions are driven by their political leanings. In discussing Justice Thomas, he is condescending. Describing Justice Souter’s reaction to the Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore, he engages in melodrama.

The Supreme Court deserves a more thoughtful critique. ( )

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court is a thorough examination of the complicated inner workings of the U.S. Supreme Court. In The Nine Toobin reveals how the nine justices render critical decisions on issues such as abortion, civil rights, and church/state relations. Toobin uses interviews with the justices, and his keen insight into the Court’s history to create a gripping account of one of the most influential institutions in American life. ( )

This book gives a thorough view of the Rehnquist court, the appointments, rulings, and personalities. Based on reviews I have seen, your appreciation and rating for the book may depend on your politics and how you interpret the facts presented. I did not find the book as slanted as many others seemed to.

I learned a good deal about the members of the court, their backgrounds and motivations, and found it to be a worthwhile read. I will not comment further because I don't believe in using book reviews for political soapboxes. ( )