4 comments about Attorney for the Damned: Clarence Darrow in the Courtroom.

1. It is nice to know that in one point in our society that there was somebody whocared about the little guy, the poor,the downridden, the underdog etc.,Clarence Darrow found a cause and stuckto it like a fly on poop. It takes guts to stand up against the establishmentand never apologize for it.We need more guys like him.



2. Book is stunning. Makes you realize that language used to be more valued. The guy was amazing simply amazing.



3. Contrary to the myth surrounding the "heroic" Clarence Darrow, as a fighter for the common man and downtrodden, the real Clarence Darrow was a socialist who despised the United States, its legal system, and Christianity. In actual fact, he lost his two most famous trials- Scopes, and Loeb and Leopold. He was also put on trial himself for jury tampering- bribing jurors to acquit his client. Only through the work of the greatest trial attorney of that age, Earl Rogers, was Darrow acquitted. Stories abound in Chicago legal circles about Darrow's bribery of Cook County jurors, the real secret to his "success". His personal life was a failure. If this man is your hero, you need to rethink your life.



4. The 'Forward' by Justice William O. Douglas says this book contains addresses delivered to juries in criminal cases, and speeches on controversial subjects. Darrow opposed bigotry, prejudice, ignorance, and hate. He was always fighting for equal protection, due process, and a fair trial. Darrow trusted juries more than judges to protect the life and liberty of the citizen. He was also a champion of labor when unions were often regarded as illegal, and suffered from government by injunction.
   
   The 'Introduction' by Arthur Weinberg says Darrow was an orator who played on the emotions of his listeners. But people acted mainly through emotions. Darrow's pleas always had a powerful rational basis. He also defended many causes that were unpopular at the time. Clarence Darrow was a corporate lawyer until he became an attorney for the American Railway Union and its president Eugene Victor Debs. Was it a matter of conscience (p.xxx)? This book contains an edited selection of Darrow's speeches, giving the background and the aftermath.
   
   "Crime and Criminals" has his speech to the prisoners in the Cook County jail. Darrow contrasts the acts of the convicts to the actions of the monopolists (gas, trolley, oil). Advertisements in the newspapers are all lies. More people go to jail in hard times than in good times. Most people who go to jail are poor; they can't afford a good lawyer. There is a correlation between increased poverty and increased crime. Darrow suggests crime is a natural phenomenon, like cattle seeking a better pasture. Having a good lawyer is more important than guilt or innocence! Laws exist to protect the ruling class, not to do justice. Darrow suggests that living where there is plenty of land and a chance to make a living would result in no crime (p.14).
   
   Although Darrow was involved in many famous trials, he may be best remembered for the Scopes Evolution Case. Thomas Scopes discussed evolution in his high-school class to challenge a new Tennessee law. The publicity made Dayton famous. The famous William Jennings Bryan, a fundamentalist, advocated these laws and volunteered to help the prosecution. [If this is all you know of Bryan, please learn more.] Darrow examined Bryan on a question of law, the jury was not present. The next day this testimony was stricken from the record. The jury found Scopes guilty. On appeal the Tennessee Supreme Court reversed this, and dismissed the case. The Tennessee constitution banned state support of a religion. Most teachers today are still controlled by state laws as to what they can teach.
   
   In the aftermath of the trial of the McNamara brothers for bombing the Los Angeles Times Building in 1911, Darrow was accused of attempting to bribe a juror. Darrow's investigators were double agents who offered a bribe, and claimed Darrow did it. Such agent provocateurs are found in movements like labor unions. Darrow said the State had put spies and informers into his defense team. and the LA police admitted so (p.504). The man who offered bribes admitted Darrow knew nothing (p.505)! Darrow pointed out that no one's life or liberty would be safe if they could be framed-up for a crime (p.507). Darrow would get a deal if he framed-up Samuel Gompers (p.510)! The plots against Darrow show evidence of the frame-up (p.516). Darrow decided to take a plea bargain for the McNamaras before any bribes were offered (p.522)! The jury quickly found Darrow 'not guilty' (p.531). Adele Rogers St. John's "Final Verdict" provides another view of this trial. Nearby, a young Erle Stanley Gardner was beginning his legal career. Was the angel in the film "Its a Wonderful Life" named to commemorate the recently deceased Clarence Darrow?

5 comments about Counselor LP: A Life at the Edge of History.

1. This is the most moving, realistic depiction of JFK I have ever seen. Many will forever rant and rave over his personal peccadillos, but this man was a leader. His speech at American University, which was his way of dealing with Soviet & American feelings about nuclear war included the following. "For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet; we all breathe the same air; we all cherish our children's future; and we are all mortal." I heard that speech as a young man. I am now 82 and it still rings in my ears. I was raised an avid republican, but I am proud to have helped vote him into office. His like hasn't been seen since.



2. Few would disagree that John F. Kennedy was one of our most inspirational presidents and that it was a tragedy that he was assassinated. Since the 1950s, it was well known that some of the most memorable words that Kennedy inspired us with were drafted if not written in total by Ted Sorensen, Kennedy's dedicated staffer who played many roles in addition to helping write speeches, books, and articles. Speculation about Sorensen's role was fed by Mr. Sorensen's humble deflection of praise that others aimed in his direction.
   
   Imagine what it would have been like to talk to JFK every day and to see him most days. Imagine, even more, if you were walking on history's stage in your role: You weren't just pouring him coffee.
   
   You could re-title this book as "Dream Job" and you wouldn't be far off.
   
   In Counselor, Mr. Sorensen reveals more than in the past about his personal relationship with President Kennedy, who did what and when, his views about Kennedy's decisions and legacy, and what the lessons for historians are from that era. In letting down his hair, Mr. Sorensen is a loyal heir to the Kennedy legend: He doesn't criticize more than an independent observer would who knew the surface facts. Naturally, he also defends where many would not (he's gentle on Kennedy for increasing the number of military advisors in South Vietnam and letting the military leaders there murder the country's political leader). Further, he seems to have amnesia about what any president did before Kennedy who was not a Democrat (he writes as though there was no space program before Kennedy took office).
   
   One of the most interesting episodes in the book comes long after President Kennedy was killed in the description of Mr. Sorensen's nomination to be CIA head by President Carter. The contrast between Kennedy and Carter could not be clearer in reading how this was handled.
   
   I think we should be generous with Mr. Sorensen. It's been many years. He's almost the last of those who served in those years who knows the inside stories. He also suffered a substantial stroke that affected his vision and made writing this book extremely difficult. I commend Mr. Sorensen for making the effort. There are many lessons here that new administrations can learn from.
   
   I also honor him for his service to the nation, to John F. Kennedy, and to my youthful idealistic dreams by inspiring them with his timeless words. Many will always remember him as a speech writer, but he was truly more . . . especially during those potentially deadly days during the Cuban missile crisis.
   
   Thank you, Mr. Sorensen.



3. Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History I was very disappointed in Sorensen's book, primarily because about the only thing he gives JFK credit for is his hiring him! It is as if he believes he was the president himself. Most offending is that clearly he does not connect his speechwriting rules "less is more" to his biography. After almost every description of a positive development in JFK's, Sorensen adds a paranthetical note crediting himself or noting how he predicted the outcome, making it an aggravating read. Sorensen has forgotten that he was part of a team and should have left the credit with the subject that is interesting; JFK and his administration (and subsequent relationships).
   
   His opening comment is completely disengenous about his being uncomfortable about too many "I's". This is a man that is so full of himself...
   
   Sorensen deserves credit for his service to the country, as I am sure he is a phenominal individual and was instrumental in shaping policies to the benefit of his sponsor and the US. But he is not an individual that one should devote the first 90 pages about his upbringing and background about...he simply is not that interesting...he was not the president of the United States...and this book is not that interesting because of it.



4. An intriguing insight into the Kennedy presidency. Mr. Sorensen writes a very compelling account of known crisis of that time, and many accounts of happenings only known by one who was there. It is an excellent historical book.



5. What a disappointment. There is lots of interesting material here but it is so saturated with Sorenson's towering ego that I found it hard to finish. He takes credit for nearly everything and blame for very little.
   
   At one point he describes one of his adversaries as not liking him much - [...]
   
   Surprisingly - he takes on a new skin at the end of the book when he discusses his personal health issues and his aspirations and expectations for America as a country. That part was a good read.

5 comments about Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America.

1. Any college student can write a book as this-- I'd rather read an Encyclopedia!!!



2. This is a beautifully written and captivating look at the lives of strong women who helped change the course of American history. I was extremely impressed by Karenna Gore Schiff's writing ability . All of the women profiled in this book are fascinating Americans and most of them are long overdue for this kind of a tribute. Schiff truly did her research and I was also interested in the information she shared about the strong women in her family--most notably her grandmothers. She dedicates the book to them.



3. Karenna Gore Schiff has done us a wonderful service with this book of women whose impact on American life has been profound. Her essays on the lives and contributions of these women are readable and enlightening. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them.



4. This is a magnificent book, written by a brilliant and humanitarian author. It is well researched and documented, and it is very interesting and enlightening. Every person in our nation could benefit from reading this informative work. Thank you for this book!



5. This detailed book provides little-known insight on nine women very important to the advancement of American rights. Very interesting.

5 comments about Courting Justice: From NY Yankees v. Major League Baseball to Bush v. Gore.

1. I was impressed by David Boies during the 2000 Election crisis, especially after reading a Time magazine article on him. When I saw this book, I was immediately interested, but I was apprehensive since I am not a lawyer and I was afraid it would be bogged down in legalese and I wouldn't understand the book. I decided to take a chance, especially because there was a chapter on the Yankees versus Major League Baseball. It turns out that I understood everything Boies wrote. That's because Boies writes very clearly and for everyone, not just lawyers. He explains the details in the cases that are important to understand, the fundamental arguments of both sides, not just the side he was representing, all in an enjoyable way. I found myself even enjoying the chapters on cases I wasn't immediately drawn to, such as "Fixing the Price of Health" (on price fixing in vitamins), and "The Auction House Scandal". Boies also recounts two of his most famous cases: the Microsoft case and Bush vs Gore. I definitely recommend this book.



2. It's hard to imagine that a non-lawyer might enjoy reading about a conspiracy to fix the price of vitamins or the fees charged by auction houses, but I certainly did. Boise is able to distill complicated legal issues into easily understandable terms. The cases range from the above antitrust issues to the more famous Microsoft case to a horrific custody battle to the Bush v. Gore recount fiasco. Boise approaches all with a sense of humor and a clarity of prose.
   
   That having been said, I really felt this book needed some basic editing help. Boise uses footnotes incessantly for things that could and should be included in the text. He also references cases that aren't discussed in the book and then alludes to them in the afterward. Someone should have told him to take those references out --- they make the book a little confusing.
   
   Finally, Boise's ego certainly isn't small. He thinks much of himself, and he probably is entitled to. The first couple of chapters, however, about his rise through the ranks of lawyers to the star he is today, can sometimes be a little much.
   
   I would say perhaps the best reason to read this book is for an inside look at Bush v. Gore. Boies doesn't talk much about hanging chads. He does look carefully at the legal issues -- rather than the more catchy but ill-defined issue of "fairness" -- involved in the Florida recount, and coherently explains why the Gore campaign and the legal team proceeded as they did. Frankly, I wish Boies had written a whole book on this -- it is clearly the best section.



3. David Boies is a true legal superstar and deservedly so. He is probably best known for arguing the losing side in Bush v. Gore to the U.S. Supreme Court. The book is a cross section of what the author believes to be some of his most interesting cases and many of them are. The book is readily accessible to the lay reader. Boies goes out of his way to explain even the simplest and most obvious points of law so that no one need be left behind. His rise to stardom is all the more extraordinary considering he was dyslexic. He glosses over his two failed marriages and we get to meet all the members of his extended family. But what I found curiously missing is David Boies, the man. He is very careful to hide his feelings about virtually everything except for a couple of lawyers. He is an observor of his actions, rather than a participant. His eye is incisive and he misses nothing. But where is he? He never tells you how he feels (sad, angry, happy). It's as if he left a holographic David Boies for you to look at to fool you into thinking it is the real thing. Surely the book is a fascinating look inside one of our great legal minds and well worth reading, but when I finished, I had no idea of what David Boies is really like.



4. In sorting out the various element that contributed to Boeis's distinguished career as a lawyer who gave pride and grace to his profession, I could come up with few, based on his narration of and his broadcasted trials:
   
   1- As a middle class young student, growing up in a racist society in the 1960, he sensed the common suffering as a young parent of two kids, with little resources, with those that confront black Americans. Poverty knows no skin color. Yet, his white skin enabled him to secure modest residence in Chicago after verifying that his wife was also not of the colored race. "Does it matter?" he never got an answer to his question from the nosy residential agent who decided his fate, then. The mere instinct of asking such a question in 1959 when racism was the norm in the American society, shows how liberal young Boeis was for his generation.
   
   2- His financial struggle to raise family and go to school had ruined his first marriage and left him a wounded man. The woman who helped him succeed left him with his two kids. That loss seemed to throw him into a forbidden love with the wife of his evidence professor, which ended by his transfer from Chicago to Yale. His second marriage led him to work in New York, after graduation from law school. Yet, for the same reason of occupational dedication, it ended and a third marriage emerged in Washington DC. It was clear that he learned by mixing with ordinary people and shared their suffering and struggle for survival. His personal struggle went along with his developing clarity, simplicity, and accuracy in his legal reasoning.
   
   3- His adventurous ordeal with the Guatemalan millionaire's ransom sheds more light on his rigorous calculating mind. His two divorces, growing up poor, gambling interests, and mixing with rich and diverse cultures in major American cities and institutions, were all put in action in his playful and foxy litigation with dangerous, arrogant, and powerful opponent, in foreign and lawless country. Though Boeis admits his mistakes in indulging in a lawsuit that burdened his relationship with his family, his profession, and his employer, yet his mind was unsettled. Whether enough justice could be bought by everyone? Or standing to those who subvert justice at the expense of indigent citizens is worth fighting for? He opted to deliver justice and would repeat the same "mistake" in US v. Microsoft and Bush v. Gore. His recognition that lawyers to parties should not act as judges did not quench his zeal for out-of-reach justice.
   
   4- Boies' Guatemalan adventure also demonstrates his stubborn steadfastness that accompanied him since youth and cost him two marriages, yet let to successful profession. His empathy with Mary and her two kids let him overlook the notorious deeds of her callous ex-husband. After trapping a criminal into a federal prison, Boeis ventured into freeing him despite his long and heinous mischiefs. Boies went on to praise the courage of the FBI, criticize few corrupt judges and lawyers, yet forgot his own indulgence in releasing a criminal to freedom for the sake of his millions. The son and daughter of Joey would have better life without his psychotic influence, Mr. Boies!
   
   5- Almost every legal argument he confronted has been approached as a mathematical problem. Boies outlines all possible options to which his arguments could lead to, along with all feasible approaches to each option. That basic logical organization enables him to prepare for fights he never fought and win fights by virtue of his convincing reasoning. His unique and individual stand on principals distinguishes him over the majority of lawyers. Boies acts as an activist for reform and democracy when many lawyers aimed for secure financial winning. He confesses that had not he been a lawyer, he might have been a teacher of History. Making history was his drive to regulate software industry, health care cost, and democratic representation of powerless voters.
   
   6- The simplicity of his reasoning could not be attributed to study alone. In many of his arguments, he adapts to unpredictable responses and arrives to his ultimate goal. In the asbestos case against Grace, he admits that both the court and his opponent failed to catch him leading during direct examination. He had unintentionally improvised his leading questioning to get his witness to open up against his reservation. In the US v. Microsoft, Boeis shows brilliant technical skills unexpected from a non-technical professional. While Gates accused him by being unable to pass high school physics, Boeis quashed the tricks of the top experts of Microsoft when they attempted to fool the court by claiming that Windows and IE are inseparable. The arrogance and shallow mindedness of the software gurus led them to underestimate the diverse interests and skills of an uncanny lawyer.
   
   7- In addition to his growing up among common people and sharing their struggle for making ends meet, his gambling and travel hobbies have enriched his quick problem solving ability. Associating with people at the top of their professional careers, combined with his keen ability to listen and observe, has contributed to priming his deftness. He does not shy from describing himself as an "experienced examiner", which he is.
   
   8- His ultimate secret may be his ability to clearly discern the basic logical blocs of an argument and tie them quickly and neatly within larger frameworks. Few times, he admits exhaustion after examining hard-to-admit witnesses. Yet, he realizes that those tough fighters always admit to more information after embarrassment than they set off to do. On the quality of justice and judges, Boies presents a realistic narration of corrupt as well as honest judges. Consistently, he claims that judges always attempt to be fair even when they sometimes act with exaggerated toughness.
   
   Mohamed F. El-Hewie
   Author of
   Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training



5. Trial, like a battle, is a zero-sum game. I thought the author could walk on water until Bush v. Gore. David Boies likes dice throwing, and compares it to litigation. Actually, he feels that analogies to war are overdone.
   
   Deposing Bill Gates in United States v. Microsoft was an opportunity to use the e-mail of the CEO and others in the company against the defendant. The trial of Microsoft had been dubbed the trial of the decade. After the Microsoft trial, Boies embarked upon a suit against Roche, BASF, Rhone-Polenc and others for price-fixing in the vitamin market. The case settled for more than the estimated overcharges.
   
   The auction house business used to be cozy. In 1983 Alfred Taubman purchased Sotheby's. In the late 1990's price-fixing resulted in law suits against Christie's and Sotheby's. There was a run of class-action law suits and, in a bidding processs devised by the court, Boies and his firm became the lead attorneys. The cases settled. It is claimed that litigation may resemble the game Bridge, but negotiation to settle resembles Poker.
   
   When Boies entered the Bush v. Gore matter, Warren Christopher was in charge. A number of days were spent in Florida and the Florida courts. Initially there was jubilation because a recount of the undercounting state-wide was to be commenced. Then Boies learned that the U.S. Supreme Court had stopped the count from going on just prior to the scheduled December 11th hearing before it. The Court failed to show the restraint it had for two hundred years in Bush v. Gore. Justices Kennedy and O'Connor discovered a problem with the Florida procedure on Equal Protection grounds.
   
   Boies's recital of some of the notable cases in his career is never dull.

5 comments about Mindhunter: Inside the Fbi's Elite Serial Crime Unit.

1. Given Douglas' background there was little question that he would have a story or two to tell. In Mindhunter you get a glimpse of what it takes to conduct good profiling and what an instrumental tool the profile can be. The book covers some of America's most feared monsters and what role the Behavioral Science Unit played in their capture.
   
   James A. Forrest - Eye of the Storm



2. What can I say other than John Douglas never fails to deliver? This book is a great read, and I loved it!



3. Mark Olshaker has written a very readable, entertaining, and educational book on the life and career of Special Agent John Douglas of the FBI. Douglas was one of the leading experts on criminal personality profiling and a pioneer of modern criminal investigative analysis. The 'Prologue' tells of the physical breakdown Douglas endured from overwork. This is a shocking and misleading introduction! The nature of violent crime has changed since 1960. The murder rate has gone up and the solution rate had gone down (p.30). Crimes between strangers lack an obvious motive. This need created the behavioral approach to criminal profiling. The Investigative Support Unit assists local police in focusing their investigations. Few towns or counties ever have a serial killer or the experience to learn the techniques for solving rare crimes (p.31). [G. K. Chesterton's "Father Brown" used to solve crimes by getting inside the head of the murderer, a feat that seems illogical compared to "Sherlock Holmes" and other detectives.]
   
   [As I remember it, the "Mad Bomber" was caught when police work matched the handwriting in the letters (p.33) to the employee records. Metesky contracted TB and was then fired for being out sick.] The early chapters tell of Douglas' life, education, military service, and how he joined the FBI. These are colorful stories. Douglas was most successful in clearing bank robberies when he developed a "signature" to link several crimes together (p.86). His background in psychology led him to behavioral science (Chapter 5). After Douglas joined the Behavioral Science group he learned that the academic expert's opinions had limited applicability to law enforcement. [Academics don't get the details known to the police, law officers see a limited area. Only national police can see the whole picture.]
   
   Douglas knew the importance of actual experience (pp.104-105). Chapter 6 tells about a strange murderer who was released against the advice of state psychiatrists (p.107). Chapter 7 tells about other serial murderers. Good psychics can pick up on small, nonverbal clues; keep them away from detectives who know the details (p.151). The following chapters describe the cases that he worked on. Is there a classic profile to a serial killer (p.178)? Can an interrogator educe a confession from a suspect (p.186)? Chapter 11 tells about the Atlanta child murders and the conviction. Chapter 15 tells about the solution to the murder of a two-year old boy. Wrapping the body in a blanket was a clue (p.283).
   
   Serial killers are not legally insane, but not normal either (p.338). Their mental disorders derive from their sexual interests and their character. Insanity means not knowing the difference between right and wrong (p.339). Can a brain tumor cause a murderous rage (p.341)? Violent, sexually based serial killers can not be rehabilitated [except by a death sentence]. If they are released on parole they will return to past behavior (p.343). Don't confuse a psychopath with a psychotic (p.345). Killers are created by a bad background (p.357). [Like Ted Bundy?] That seems like an incurable problem given our society. Crime can be lowered by families at the grassroots level (p.374). [Does it takes a village?] The changes in family life since 1960 has effects. [No mention of the National Highway System since the 1950s and the ease of travel for everyone, including serial killers.]



4. this is well written, and worth your time to read.
   gives you insight about the reasons why men do
   such wicked things.
   It's good to know the FBI has figured these guys out, and
   are able to track them down more easily.



5. this book is very similiar to many of his books. This book discusses much of his life. His second book is much better if you are interested in true profiling.

4 comments about Lincoln the Lawyer.

1. Although Lincoln's contribution to history is his handling of public policy, governance, and war, probably most of his time prior to the White House was devoted to his law practice. This book will reward anyone seeking to know how one of America's greatest minds was occupied in the troubled affairs of one ordinary person after another. The solid account is highly knowledgeable but not at all technical, written for inquiring readers rather than legal professionals. Using assorted cases as examples, the author examines the role of attorneys in what was then the American West, giving the book broader scope than just Lincoln's law practice. This is one of the first studies to exploit a recently collected mass of documents relating to Lincoln's law career.



2. All to often, books about great historical figures tend to overemphasize the personality of the figure and forget the essence of the person to history. Also, many authors and historians research a historical figure and find that he is not who the legend claims he is. There is tendency to find this information out and then to immediately start disparaging the figure almost as if the person is taking a personal affront to the real person not being half of the myth.
   
   Thomas Jefferson probably father children with Sally Hemmings beyond a reasonable doubt. John F. Kennedy was a reckless womanizer. These facts do not however change what these people did and achieved. It makes for interesting fodder, but it does not change the fact that the Declaration of Independence was written and the Cuban Missile Crisis was averted. So, there is a trap anytime writers take up great figures. Dirck could have fallen into this trap when writing about Lincoln the lawyer. That the author did not do this is a testament to what an outstanding book this is. This is indeed the no frills Lincoln. Dirck's Lincoln is not a great lawyer nor is a terrible lawyer who represented slaveholders. For the most part, Lincoln the lawyer is closer in truth to the advice Lincoln gave to young lawyers which is cited several times in the book. Lincoln made a comfortable life as a lawyer but as the author points out, he never was unscrupulous in representing a client and was diligent and honest in his dealings through the bar in Springfield and elsewhere.
   
   As Dirck points out, the everyday of lawyering in mid-19th century America was just as exciting as lawyering is today. Wills, Estates, Trusts, debt collection, surety, personal injuries and maybe a smattering of criminal representation was Lincoln's lot in the world of the bar. Overall, Lincoln The Lawyer is a great appraisal of the world that Lincoln knew before anyone could say that he belonged to the ages.



3. What do YOU do all day?
   
   This book is an illustration of the philosophic points made in its own the last chapters. We take the almost superhuman character of Abe Lincoln and view - or interperate - the various instances of his law career in light of it.
   
   Better we should consider what he actually did all day for most of his working life,and it was a real working job, and see what that can tell us about what his character might have been like. I've read a lot of Lincoln bios, this is very informative. Dry as dust, but an A+.
   
   (Oh,bonus,gives you a little history of American law)



4. Dirck tries to do two things here. First he tries to assess Lincoln's law practice in the context of its time and place. Second he tries to evaluate what effect the practice had on Lincoln, both in how the practice suited Lincoln's personality and how it may have helped shape it. He does well on the first task and not so well on the second.
   
   Dirck paints a clear picture of the typical law practice of the day and shows that Lincoln's practice was not much different, except that he was more successful at it than many others. Lincoln had a general practice covering all of the legal areas of the time but largely concentrated on civil cases, most of which were claims for money owed (often on simple IOU's). There were a relatively few forays into criminal law, mostly (with but a few exceptions) minor crimes. In his practice Lincoln was neither a champion of the downtrodden nor a simple tool of corporate interests. Lincoln represented whoever happened to hire him and used all the tools available to a skilled and honest lawyer: Procedural rules, courtroom drama, legal knowledge and persuasive oratory. Lincoln, like all lawyers then and now, also spent a lot of time trying to settle cases before trial. Dirck speaks of this as "grease" (for the system) and seems to suggest that lawyers of the day were conscious of the system's need for "grease" and that Lincoln made special efforts to conciliate disputes. He offers, however, little hard evidence that Lincoln differed significantly from his colleagues in this respect.
   
   Dirck also argues that law was especially congenial to Lincoln because it fit neatly into what Dirck sees as salient aspects of Lincoln's personality (such as his reserve, tendency to avoid commitment, his dislike of conflict, his supposed love of conciliation and so on). Most of what we know, or think we know, of these supposed traits is based on anecdotes gathered by one of Lincoln's former law partners, William Herndon. The testimony was all given after Lincoln's death and apotheosis and is all anecdotal as well as subjective. Here I think Dirck spins too easily into amateur psychologising. The evidence for the conclusions is thin.
   
   Dirck's prose style is quite clear but very plain. He does not seem to have great legal knowledge. He describes a contract case, for example, as having been won on a "technicality" when it was dismissed for lack of "consideration," a legal notion that goes to the essence of contract law because it describes the exchange that makes the bargain. Dirck's book provides a useful overview of Lincoln's actual practice, devoid of myth but not compelling in style.

5 comments about Making My Mark: The Story of a Man Who WouldnÆt Stay in His Place.

1. Judge Marvin S. Arrington has been fixture in Atlanta, GA legal and political circles for more than thirty years. I expected his autobiography to be another in a long line of inspiring tales about tough warriors in the AFrican American quest for dignity, respect and inclusion. The title should have been my clue that it is much more. It is a saga of how his extraordinary life mirrors that of his beloved and iconoclastic city. Just as Atlanta rose from its ashes to become an international hub that defies its southern roots, Arrington forged his path from obscurity to a place of honor on the right side of Atlanta history. From the early chapters, where he offers a riveting picture of his early life in the neighborhood fictionalized in Tom Wolfe's Atlanta-based novel, to the later ones, he builds on the theme of refusing to stay in the place unjustly assigned to him by his city, his circumstances and his culture. A virtual who's who in law and politics endorsed this book including Pres. Jimmy Carter, Sen. Sam Nunn, Mayor Shirley Franklin, Ambassador Andrew Young, and Gov. Douglas Wilder. Tom Wolfe also lent his name. This book has been added to my collection of African American biographies. It is written in a narrative style that makes it accessible to a wide range of audiences, informative to multiple disciplines and enjoyable for re-reading over time.



2. This book should be assigned reading for every fifteen year old. The story of Marvin Arrington is proof that poverty and apparent lack of oppuritunity can be overcome.
   
   Martin L. Fierman
   Madison, Ga



3. I first met Marvin Arrington when I was a college senior and editing the Emory Wheel and he a second year law student, though I doubt he remembers that. We had many encounters after that and I had the opportunity to follow quite closely his legal and political career for many years. Yet as close as I felt I knew him, it was not until reading his memoir that I better understand the inner soul of this gentle and committed man. I thanked him for writing it, because as a son of the south and as a white man who had many friends who were Black Georgians, it wasn't until I heard or read the stories Maynard Jackson, Vernon Jordan,
   Andrew Young, and Marvin Arrington told in their personal memoirs that I felt I had understood my own time with them. Whether a reader knows him personally or not, I enthusiastically encourage people to read this well-told narrative of growing up in the Jim Crow and post-Jim Crow south. That Marvin has brought his unique and heartening experiences to the courtroom and has had children follow him into the law is an evolution that could have been expected, but nonetheless still very gratifying.



4. Marvin Arrington has crafted a lucid and accessible narrative that details his experiences growing up in Jim Crow Atlanta. In addition to describing his rise to the presidency of the Atlanta City Council, he offers many anecdotes from his childhood that give an idea of just how painful racism can be through the eyes of a young boy. Throughout, he encourages his readers to learn from his example of hard work, which is fortified by his experience growing up in public housing projects, attending segregated schools, and working a wide variety of jobs. Then, having integrated Emory Law School's full-time division along with his friend (current U.S. District Court Judge) Clarence Cooper in 1965, he carries forth the lessons of his youth to the legal profession. He would later partner with famed civil rights attorney Donald Hollowell to form Arrington & Hollowell, one of the top 10 black law firms in the nation. He is currently a Superior Court Judge in Fulton County, Georgia, having been elected in 2003.
   
   Arrington's book is both the story of one man's personal odyssey through hardship and success, as well as a short history of the city of Atlanta.
   Thanks to his involvement in politics, his book sheds light on other major figues in Atlanta life with whom he had frequent contact, such as Q.V. Williamson, Maynard Jackson, and Andrew Young. Thanks to his wealth of experience, Arrington also gives an impressive insight into the duplicitous nature of city politics, culminating in his loss to Bill Campbell in the 1994 Atlanta mayoral election. In October 2008, Campbell will be completing a stint in federal prison for tax evasion.
   
   The lessons that one can glean from his autobiography are just as relevant today as they were more than four decades ago. Arrington's recent collaboration with Bill Cosby in addressing the myriad problems plaguing urban communities has only helped to buttress his timely message. I agree with other reviewers that this book should be required reading for middle school and high school students thanks to its power and relevance.



5. Marvin's book is very inspirational. He shows us that with hard work and determination you can conquer any obstacle. He grew up in a poor family a child of a truck driver and a domestic worker, but he managed to graduate from high school, college, graduate school and became a lawyer, city council president and a judge. He was faced with racial discrimination in his early years growing up in Atlanta. He discusses his involvement with the civil rights movement and how that shaped who he is today. He was one of the first black men to attend Emory Law School in the 1960's. My favorite quote in his book is "I believe that all children given appropriate guidance and instruction from their families, teachers and communities can achieve success." I believe he is a great example of that belief. I think this book is a great read for a young adult and anybody else who wants to be inspired by Marvin's success.

5 comments about What Lips My Lips Have Kissed: The Loves and Love Poems of Edna St. Vincent Millay.

1. Daniel Mark Epstein brings a special understanding to Edna St Vincent Millay's biography by virtue of being a poet himself. I think that's why this book is in many ways superior to the Nancy Mitford book.

   Edna St Vincent Millay was not only a great person of words, but a great seductress and everyone, male and female alike, fell under her spell. Apparently, accordingly to this book, she managed to live up to their expectations quite well. Mr Epstein matches the love poems to the folks they were written for and gives the details of the various affairs. It may not sound interesting, but it is quite interesting - especially since M's Millay seemed to have a weakness for men who were not quite as talented as she was. The background behind "Fatal Interview" and the story of her (apparently) one love she lost before_she_ was ready to is quite an interesting read by itself.

   Mr Epstein focuses on M's Millay as sort of a self made goddess and how her various affairs shaped her writing. M's Mitford focuses on how M's Millay's relationship with her mother shaped her life. Both of these are very interesting and I'd advise reading them consecutively and draw your own conclusions. In some respects, I think Mr Epstein is correct in what he presumes, but the same can be said of M's Mitford.

   Throw yourself into the words and life of Edna St Vincent Millay - you'll find yourself awash with her beautiful poetry and prose and this book will help you make sense out of it.




2. Mr. Epstein's passion for his subject was the first attractor for me upon reading this well written, intriguing biography of Edna St. Vincent Millay, specifically focusing on her very tumultuous love life and the poetry which was birthed due to her romantic and [physical relations].

   The prose reads like Mr. Epstein has fallen in love with Edna just as the many men in her path fell in love with her.

   I also found the diversions which came later (like the horse Chaladon) and her well known descent into alcoholism and drug addiction were very compelling to dive into: I would have appreciated more of these times, although the limited documentation available would explain why there isn't more information here.

   This book does its job well: makes me more curious about Edna St. Vincent Millay: from her poetry, her plays and her life outside the written word.




3. This is simply a great biography.
   
   Apparently Epstein was able to gain access to a vast Library of Congress collection of documents on Millay that won't be released to the public until 2010. And he seems to have done an unusually good job of sorting through all this information and putting it in order.
   
   Perhaps it's due to Epstein being a poet himself, but he's able to give a wonderfully sensitive and intelligent account of Millay's life. He's done lots of detective work, and it seems to all hold together.
   
   It's an unbelievable story -- so American in some ways: the gilded age to ragtime to the Jazz Age, the World Wars, anti-war and women's rights, passion, poetry, Greenwich Village and the Left Bank, genius, narcissism, money, fame, sex, alcohol, drugs, a skyrocket ride from poverty to success to destruction.
   
   And yet so un-American in its calm, well-behaved, almost English manner: no shooting, no fist-fights, no one calling the cops, a time when books of poetry sold 50,000 copies and folks jam-packed auditoriums to hear poetry readings -- think Bloomsbury secretly on meth and Virginia Woolf quietly dedicating herself to nymphomania.
   
   Really a well-written book, and surely the best biography of Millay so far.



4. It's not easy being a poet, and Daniel Mark Epstein's biography of Edna St. Vincent Millay in What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, confirms this. From love affairs with men and women to excessive drinking, this book has it all.
   However, there were some things in the book that could have been elaborated on. For example, Epstein had my attention from the very first chapters about Millay's young life as a poet. He mentions how she would conduct candlelight seances in her rooms at night, and would use them as inspiration to write her poetry. He also mentions how close she was with her mother, Cora. I think Epstein should have gone into further detail on both Millay's life as a young poet, and her relationship to her mother. Instead, the book focuses on her love affairs with many men (and a few with some of the women she met at Vassar), as well as the ups and downs she experienced within these relationships and within her life as a poet. Now granted, the book might not be successful if it tried to incorporate the points I would have liked to have seen, but I think especially concerning Millay's feelings of great love for her mother, it might make the book a stronger one.
   What I admired about the book was the feeling I got of Epstein's concern as a present-day writer looking into Millay's steady decline as poet throughout. As a reader, I sensed a certain kind of admiration and esteem for her in the tone of the book, especially at the start of her career as a writer. I was saddened at the end of the book to learn that Millay died from an intake of too much alcohol as well as a fall from her steps. Epstein's concern at the end, too, only strengthened my view that poets do not lead the kinds of high-roller lives that people would like to believe they do.
   When I finished the book, I found myself wanting to know more of the sensitive and acclaimed poet. I wanted to know what drew her so much to alcohol and morphine that she was so wont to abuse. I wanted to know why exactly her husband Eugen's reasoning was in briefly trying morphine in an attempt to make her realize that morphine was indeed not the solution to her problems. I wanted to know what Millay's reasoning was in having extra-marital affairs with other men while being married to Eugen. And I wanted to know more about Millay's sisters; why Kathleen went mad, and why she seemed to stay more in touch with her other sister, Norma, more than Kathleen. I wanted more answers than I got from reading this book.
   In short, while this book is interesting and well-organized, it does not offer a complete look into Millay's psyche and way of perceiving her world. It is most probably a book that would support research done on the poet's life, rather than being a book that can stand on its own. If you want to read a book about Millay's love affairs, read this book. If you want to read about her life as a whole, look elsewhere.



5. This is an intimate portrait of Millay that I cherish. It is also a valuble historical account of many aspects of Maine life. The location and circumstances of Millay's estranged father and the inhabitants of the small town of Kingman in Northern Penobscot County are invaluable in my research of the area. Henry Millay lived in my house in Kingman and no doubt some of Vincent's work was conceived, if not written from my house. It is this connection which has led to my current collection of Millay's work and life. Thank you for this offering on your invaluable site.

5 comments about Not a Genuine Black Man: Or, How I Claimed My Piece of Ground in the Lily-White Suburbs.

1. This book is truly a manifesto for us blacks who grew up post-Jim Crow but still had to deal with the remnants of it afterwards, and who had to fight the double battle of not fittting in with "ghettocentric" mindsets in Black America. For those of us who've had this experience, it's all there. The rejection and humiliation from both sides (white racists and black dogmatists), feeling alone and unaccepted, and the eventual realization that you are who you are and to live life accordingly. Although few of us go to the extremes that Brain Copeland did in his despair over his experiences, it's still quite inspiring. His "you are nornal" soliloquy at the end speaks so eloquently to this situation that I have given this to students of mine who experience the same things and they have cried tears of joy from knowning that someone understands and has articulated their experiences.
   
   You are not alone. You are normal. Thank you Brian.



2. An ideal assigned reading for ANY and ALL high school/college level students. So poignant, humorous, self-reflective and blatantly truthful --Mr. Copeland's personal retrospective, analyzing just exactly what he knows (his life), comes entertainingly packaged in a wrenching yet totally engaging exhalation.
   
   I'd say that this book IS GUARANTEED (yes, this is a superlative) to activate "the thinking mechanism" and elevate your class to that of an educational milestone. If there is one common element which student readers most respect, it's an author's iron-clad commitment to
   "keeping it real". Well, Mr. Copeland's clever and stylish prose delivers a tasty dose of head-on reality which will move readers to a new and better place.
   
   Reviewer's "poetic license" observation:
   
   Inexplicably often, peoples' names accurately and ironically depict a significant measure of their calling. Mr. COPELAND, I'm personally thankful for you and your families' inspirational determination; I'm humbled by my ability to include you in this often recognized, yet little understood club.
   
   NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN: OR, HOW I CLAIMED MY PIECE OF GROUND IN THE LILY-WHITE SUBURBS



3. Brian Copeland's "Not a Genuine Black Man" is a provocative and moving autobiography that begins the Copeland family's 1972 move into "lily white" San Leandro, California. Brian was then eight years old. And San Leandro (99.9% white) was using any method it could to maintain an all-white status.
   
   Copeland, a San Francisco Bay Area TV/Radio celebrity, comedian, and author, is an excellent story teller and tells his story alternating between his arrival in San Leandro and an awakening at age 35 which led to an attempted suicide. "Not a Genuine Black Man" is more than the story of Copeland's struggles with overt bigotry and eventual depression, it is also the story of his mother's and grandmother's resilience that brought San Leandro into the post-civil rights era as a diverse, inclusive community.
   
   The book's title "Not a Genuine Black Man" comes from a letter Copeland received from talk-radio listener which said, "As an African-American, I am disgusted every time I hear your voice because you are not a genuine black man. The letter becomes a catalyst for Copeland to explore his past and find out who he is. "Not a genuine black man...What does that mean?"
   
   Upon reflection, Copeland sees that his mother really wanted white childre and did not want to associate with the black community. "I'm not one of these blacks." As a result, a young black child was faced with the challenge of growing up in one of the most racist suburbs in America with a mother who was trying to escape her black roots. Unknowingly, he had to develop a mask to protect himself from these truths...a mask that would lead to depression.
   
   "Behind most of our masks is a truth that is hidden for a specific reason. Often we don't know what that truth is. I wasn't ready to deal with my truths, but ready or not, they started to bubble to the surface. Once that began to happen, try as I might, I couldn't get the toothpaste to go back into the tube. I knew I had to face the truth about my mother."
   
   Today, San Leandro has changed and Copeland now feels proud of being part of the change. Members of all races worship side by side in the pews of churches of all denominations. His grandmother and, posthumously, his mother were presented with a commendation from the City of San Leandro for "their bravery" to make San Leandro a better place for all.
   
   And as the City has changed, Copeland has also changed. He knows now what it really means to be a genuine black man - he is a "unique man" who has the resilience of his forefathers and the fortitude of his mother and grandmother. His experience is unique and it is a "true" black experience because this is his experience.
   
   A human life is the most complex narrative of all: it has many layers of events which embrace outside behavior and actions, the inner stream of the mind, the underworld of the unconscious, the soul, fantasy, dream and imagination. There is no account of life which can ever mirror or tell all of this. Copeland has offered us a sample of this complexity and reminds us that black people are not a monolith with one lifestyle, one viewpoint, and one agenda. They are a varied lot like any ethnic group, each with their own complex narrative to tell. Narratives that we all must hear.



4. I enjoyed the book, but not for $14. I thought the author could have had more depth instead of simply recalling the past. I did enjoy learning about the Bay Area and the history of San Leandro, though. He is a funny man, but the book could have had a little more "meat".



5. Brian Copeland shares his life story with us in Not a Genuine Black Man. It is insightful, touching and important. Although the subject matter of racial prejudice is serious, he tells the story with much humor to help us, and him, be able to get through it.
   
   If you've ever seen Brian do stand up comedy, listened to him discussing topical news issues on his highly rated talk radio show or met him in person he comes across as being "not like other blacks".
   
   Every white person knows someone like Brian. The co-worker at the office who doesn't have the "accent". Who talks about and does "normal" things. The one who is "just like us". The one who "doesn't play the race card". You've heard at least one person say "why can't they all be like him?"
   
   There are white people who believe racism and discrimination are a thing of the past, saying that no one alive today was ever a slave and everyone now has the right to vote. They feel that African Americans just have a chip on their shoulder based only on injustices that happened a long time ago to someone else. For "proof", they point to African Americans like Tiger Woods, Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Dick Parsons, Stanley O'Neal, John W. Thompson and Oprah Winfrey. Surely they are "just like us", the theory goes, because they choose not to feel victimized by the ancient injustices others suffered.
   
   Copeland lets us see behind the curtain. We learn of the pain that prejudice causes first hand through the eyes of Brian as a child and the toll that experience takes on him as an adult. We learn that with everything he has accomplished, there are white people to this day who say "Yeah, but he's still just a n____". We learn the pain doesn't stop with the discrimination -- when he refuses to make an issue of it and not let it get him down, there are those in the African American community that accuse him of not being a "genuine black man".
   
   Brian let's us know that he is successful and "like us" not because he never experienced the pain of prejudice, but rather he is successful and "like us" despite it.
   
   "Not a Genuine Black Man" is a must read with lessons for everyone. African American readers will surely relate to his experiences and the pain he feels. White readers may begin to understand it.

5 comments about Relentless Pursuit: A True Story of Family, Murder, and the Prosecutor Who Wouldn't Quit.

1. Kevin Flynn is a homicide prosecutor in a city that has one of the highest homicide rates in the country, Washington, D.C. Being surrounded constantly with stories and photographs of death and murder, you would think he would have grown a thick skin, learned to objectify the cases and move through them in a detached manner.
   
   But this case was different. The murders of 40-year-old Diane and 13-year-old Katrina Hawkins left a lasting impression on everyone associated with the case. Their murder investigation was one of the most brutal that police and prosecutors ever worked. Over a year after the crime occurred, during the trial, Detected Combee would still grow quiet when testifying about what he saw in the Hawkins house that day.
   
   But this case is not about the terrible method these two victims were murdered. To quote from the book:
   
   It's a story of extremes: the worst and the best the world can offer, humanity at its most brutal and most noble. It's the story of two families -- mine and another from a world that I thought I knew but didn't -- two families full of ordinary people who did their best under awful circumstances.
   
   Relentless Pursuit does indeed follow the Hawkins case, from the initial night of the murders May 25, 1993 to the prosecution in August 15, 1994. But there is much more to the case than just the horror and the story of how they caught the man responsible.
   
   This is also the story of the Hawkins and Flynn families, which became irrevocably linked together. The Hawkins family suffered one of the worst losses a family can, the loss of both a sister and strong influence in the family, and a child, who had just begun to show her gifts and talents to the world. But through it all, they clung to their faith in God, which also served to help their new-found family member, prosecutor Kevin Flynn.
   
   The Flynn family though, was going through its own trials. Kevin's mother was suffering from depression and shortly after he began work on this monumnetal case, his father was stricken with cancer. Through the entire case, Kevin is required to balance his work and family life, including his wife and child, and try not to let anyone down. And part of that includes the Hawkins, who look to him as the only man that can bring them any measure of justice on Earth.
   
   The book is told in a compelling style, taking us through the case, from the night the murders occurred through the entire case. There are procedural sections to the book, such as descriptions of how certain courtroom processes work, but that does not get in the way to the story, which is what the book is really all about.
   
   Relentless Pursuit is not a book for those looking to learn about how the law really works, but you will learn a great deal about how the defense and prosecution work together and against one another, how much power a judge can wield, and some of the reasons why cases don't work out as cleanly as they do on television.
   
   In the end, this book is just what the quotation above says, it is a story of two families. And it is an excellent book.



2. This is a true crime written somewhat similarly to Ann Rule. A pair of victims, Diane Hawkins and her daughter, Katrina Harris, are brutally murdered. It is Kevin Flynn's job as a DC prosecutor to put the alleged murderer behind bars. In his tale, Mr. Flynn expresses outrage at their horrific deaths and loses the cool mask of distant prosecutor. He becomes involved with other family members and friends of the victims and contrasts their closeness to his own small family's experiences with his father's impending death and birth of his first child.
   
   This book is clear and well written, although it will take some readers a bit to "get into" the book. Stick with it, it is well worth the read. I have bought this book for numerous friends and all have appreciated this thoughtful, insightful read.



3. True crime, sometimes, is far less interesting to read than crime fiction. In fiction, the author has many choices that a true crime writer doesn't. Fiction can place the reader inside the mind of the killer and/or inside the mind of the victim. Seldom is the author of a true crime book given that opportunity. Some writers can speculate with a great deal of seeming accuracy. That's not the road that Kevin Flynn takes in his book.
   
   RELENTLESS PURSUIT is told from the perspective of an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington, DC; he is prosecuting a man for the brutal murder of a woman and her daughter
   
   Diane Hawkins and Katrina Harris were murdered in May of 1993. The trial took place over a year later, in August of 1994. This may seem like a speedy trial, all things considered. The family of Diane Hawkins and Katrina Harris didn't think so; they knew right away who had killed these two people and had a difficult time with the slow and measured pace of the legal process. It took cool heads to persuade some members of the family not to take justice into their own hands.
   
   RELENTLESS PURSUIT is not the best true crime out there; Flynn can be redundant and verbose. The story he tells, however, is compelling and fascinating. It is unclear until the verdict is delivered in court whether or not he has done his job as a prosecutor. And the reader does want to know the verdict. While the case is already decided in the minds of the reader (probably) and in Flynn's mind, he makes us all too aware of the realities of a jury trial, the complexities of presenting a good case, and how little things can undermine the best presentation.



4. I think that Kevin Flynn has done a wonderful job on this book. Being as though I actually have a close relationship with the Hawkins family, the daughter of Diane (Shante) is my niece and nephews mother, it answered all of the questions that you would never ask. I knew how the Diane and Trina were killed, but it gave more than someone just giving their opinion. This was the actual facts from a very credible source. Even though this has happened almost 15 years ago, it brought back a lot of old feelings to the surface. However, it was two thumbs up as far as I was concerned!



5. For some reason, I thought this book was about the prosecutor's relentless pursuit to bring a hard to catch criminal to trial. It wasn't. The criminal is caught the night of the crime, and arrested soon after. There was no relentless pursuit. Just trying to gather evidence and outsmart the other lawyer, which wasn't too difficult. There was no way this guy was getting off. It's written from the prosecutor's viewpoint, including his family's illnesses, etc.
   
   When he describes the crime scene, the interviews with the victims' families, he does a good job - but I had to skip the pages and pages of preaching regarding their deaths. But it gets really bogged down when he describes his family, and when he describes the prosecutor's job, step by step - as if we don't know the process of a trial. He doesn't seem to know the difference between coveralls and overalls, and although he's a homicide prosecutor, he first heard of blood spatter analysis only a few months prior to the investigation.
   
   I didn't see anything regarding any real plot that the victims' family members had to kill the guy before he could go to trial, but I could have skipped it when going over the boring parts. The family wanted to take revenge, sure, but who doesn't. But they knew he was arrested and going to trial.
   
   I also didn't want to know his every thought (10 years later) as he questioned each witness. I would say that 15% of this book is good, the rest is filler.