Linda Greenhouse

I wanted to write: "What a wonderful refresher on how the Supreme Court works," but the truth is that a lot of this was information I had never bothered to learn. I like this "very short introduction" series for that very reason; they are very clear and efficient in conveying a general understanding of their topics, and provide fascinating little tidbits and provocative questions along the way (e.g. how did we end up with lifetime terms for justices?)

A detailed and perhaps overly sympathetic portrait of Justice Blackmun. This is a quick, entertaining read, but it likely overestimates the quality of Blackmun's work on the Supreme Court

4079 Becoming Justice Blackmun Harry Blackmun's Supreme Court Journey, by Linda Greenhouse (read 4 Oct 2005) This book by the very able New York Times Supreme Court reporter is exceptionally well-done, and furnishes a super authentic insight into the workings of the Supreme Court during Blackmun's tenure. Blackmun was born 12 Nov 1908 in Nashville, Ill., grew up in St. Paul, met future Chief Justice Warren Burger in kindergarten. He went to Harvard College and Law, ranking no. 120 out of 451 show more in his law school class. This book is not really a biography, but only because it leaves out a lot of his life. There is much concentration on Roe v. Wade. The account of the behind the scenes story of that opinion made me feel the justices were acting like legislators--as they were. There was no justification for the Supreme Court to override all the state law, and it is I think generally realized by legal scholars that Roe v. Wade was a brutal exercise of judicial power, done because they could do it. But the behind the scenes account is excellent, based on Blackmun's papers which were opened five years after his death on 4 Mar 1999. I think it is a better book than even Bob Woodward's The Brethren (read 17 Mar 1982) and Closed Chambers by Blackmun's law clerk Edward Lazarus (read 18 Aug 1998) and ranks with the fascinating behind the scenes book The Forgotten Memoir of John Knox (read 15 Feb 2005) by Justice McReynolds' law clerk. This book was a sheer pleasure to read, even tho I disapprove of Blackmun's infamous work in Roe v. Wade. show less

5427. The Burger Court and the Rise of the Judicial Right, by Michael J. Graetz and Linda Greenhouse (read 29 Nov 2016) This is an excellent book, right up to the present. It discusses the Supreme Court during the years from 1969 to 1987--the years when Warren Burger was Chief Justice. But in order to give context the book discusses events before and after those years as well. Its principal divisions are captioned Crime, Race, Social Transformation, Business, and The Presidency. Each topic show more is covered as thoroughly as even a lawyer would want, with full footnotes and legal citations. The authors show the ways that the Burger Court cut down on the accomplishments of the Warren Court, even though they did not reverse them--leaving such for the Rehnquist and Roberts Court to do. I found all the discussion of exceptional interest, although I will admit the section under Business dealing with workplace inequality is pretty technical and without close study is hard to absorb. But all the other parts of the book are of huge interest and most enlightening. show less