5 comments about American Infidel: Robert G. Ingersoll.

1. Having read extensively over several years every Ingersoll lecture, interview, essay, etc. that I could possibly find, it was truly wonderful to be able to go behind the scenes for a change and get an up close and personal glimpse of Colonel Ingersoll's life from his early childhood all the way to his very last moments at home with his family in New York.
   
   His surprisingly close relationship with his reverend father, from whom Ingersoll obviously inherited much of his deeply held reverence and affection for the institution of family; his many political aspirations that never quite came to fruition (luckily for us!); his uncanny and almost comical ability to lose tens of thousands of dollars in whatever business venture he chose to invest his wealth; the author has filled the book with these and many other personal gems from Ingersoll's life that one cannot get from studying his lectures alone.
   
   I am always overjoyed and at the same time deeply saddened each time I learn something new about this great American, one who did so much to advance the cause of liberty and freedom in our country and yet today garners little or no recognition at all. Do yourself a favor, and take the time to get acquainted with one of the great patriots, orators, freethinkers, and champions of human liberty and freedom!



2. What I realized from this book is that my ancestors, who where were life long Republicans, have no relationship to the Republicans of today. Ingersoll represents the party of Lincoln, Grant, and TR.
   Ingersoll was the leading speaker and agnostic of that day. Although, agnostics of the day were not able to hold office, he was the confident of presidents, introduced by leading ministers, and well respected by the media. How sad that his vision of infidels being more and more accepted has not yet been realized.
   He was a person of great integrity. A genuine Civil War Hero who turned down a Generalship to end the war with his troops. Who knowlingly lost a bid for Governor by speaking the truth about his beliefs.
   Let me also recommend Grant, by Jean Edward Smith, which gives a flavor for the President who preserved the Union for and after Lincoln.



3. If you are interested in his work and thoughts and not very interested in his personal characteristics and when he did what this book is probably not for you. Thoroughly researched though.



4. The best (albeit the ONLY) biography I've ever read on Ingersoll. Anyone with more than just a pssing interest in RGI should read this. Not too long, but long enough to introduce this great man to those of us who will never have the pleasure of meeting him in the flesh.



5. This biography is well researched and well written.It covers Robert Ingersoll's life and the progression of his beliefs from his Christian upbringing, through his role as America's preeminent freethinker / atheist.The book shows Ingersoll's brillance in causing others to think for themselves in matters of religion, and explaining his reasons for challenging the Bible and Judaic-Christian orthodoxy. Ingersoll is also shown to have been an outstanding lawyer,political strategist, husband, father, friend, patriot,benefactor, and citizen. He lived his beliefs.

   The book shows how the theologians of the time attacked him personally, when they could not combat his ideas on the merits. He was a pioneer of atheistic apologetics, and he paved the way for subsequent like minded people to be able to exercise their rights of free speech on topics which, prior to his efforts, would have exposed them to imprisonment for blasphemy. This biography covers the nation's presidential politics from Lincoln through McKinley. I enjoyed the book and will read it again.

No comments about Thurgood Marshall: Justice for All.

4 comments about Trial and Error: The Education of a Courtroom Lawyer.

1. This book is a must-read for any trial lawyer, and especially for criminal defense lawyers. It is a very inspiring book. John Tucker is my hero!



2. John Tucker offers a wealth of tactical insights gleaned from an impressive career as a litigator, mixing the pathos of legal practice for good causes with the legal theories deployed on behalf of a wide array of clients.
   
   By striving for objectivity, Tucker avoids the self-aggrandizing tone of some other such memoirs and instead focuses on the meaty tactics, the rush to file, the strategies behind certain suits, and a bit of background to explain why things mattered to him. The diverse cases he litigated at every level, from initial motions to the Supreme Court, are presented fairly. Many are not the blockbuster cases one might have heard of - esp. Clark v. Universal Builders - the case Tucker fought for harder than any other, and though he ended up losing in court, some sort of justice prevailed. Tucker's may be the only enduring account, and as such, he offers a gift to litigators and civil rights activists alike.
   
   Two flaws: first, the promotional packaging focuses on the Chicago Eight case, in which Tucker played a small part, as if it were the focus of the book. It's not. In some 20 pages of 360, Tucker explores it and moves on. Lazy publisher might not have read further...More relevant, Tucker evades criticizing his partners and associates (his piercing critique of Judge Hoffman drips with justified acidity), dropping only a subtle hint about other frictions. But that's a forgivable indulgence: who could fault him for refraining from offering anything but praise for mentors and colleagues?
   
   Tucker's career is a model for litigators worthy of emulating. While much has changed since he started practicing, the ongoing struggle for justice (and clients able to pay for it) goes on.
   
   A must read for future litigators, if only for the tactical insights.



3. For any who lack faith in the America's legal system or think all lawyers are worthy subjects of jokes, Tucker's book is the proverbial lightbulb in the cave. Tucker recounts his journey through a lengthy career as a trial lawyer and along the way demonstrates that our judicial system, while short of perfect, is still the best in the world. Tucker helped the poor, the wealthy, the politically powerful and powerless and the reviled through the judicial system. Some cases he won; some he lost.
   Win or lose, however, Tucker fought the good fight for his clients, often pro bono.
   His story is complete. He reveals the importance of trial preparation -- an element that truly separates competent lawyers from their clumsy brethern (the latter of which I always seem to retain; while the former retain me as an expert witness). Tucker tells some wonderful stories about judges, good and bad. Like Tucker, I am from the Chicago area and am very familiar with bad judges. Tucker discloses that there have been many good judges in the area as well and provides useful insight into their judicial reasoning.
   All in all, a wonderful book that will redeem lost faith in our judicial system. "Trial and Error" is not a courtroom thriller: it is far better than one -- it's real life and I for one am glad that Tucker decided to take the time to write his memoir. It is well worth reading.

   Jerry




4. Twenty-one different courtroom cases are covered in this book by a most successful attorney who has his head on straight; by that I mean he mixes the intricacies of the law with living a "normal" life. He certainly puts in long hours in preparation, but that goes along with his job. The author states, "In the American Legal System, a lawyer's job is not to seek justice, but to win the case for his client." He relates many interesting cases, but two exceptional ones are defending a rapist who is truly mentally defective and one about defending the "Chicago Eight" in 1968. A lot of detailed information about that political incident is fascinating. Mr. Tucker does a lot of pro bono work and one of this type was defending the Contract Buyers League in Chicago...a race conflict of great proportions. Fine writing delineates complex legal cases that are most understandable.

No comments about Never Enough: One Lawyer's True Story of How He Gambled His Career Away.

No comments about Top Secret Missions.

5 comments about Civil Warrior: Memoirs of a Civil Rights Attorney.

1. Saperstein says lawyers work hard. I just finished this book and I am exhausted! It is amazing, and a credit to Saperstein, what one person can do when trained, unleashed and licensed to practice law. What we see is a young, intelligent, and questioning person, confronted with injustice, accept as seemingly his fate, personal responsibility to overcome it. And-- I recall an article about him some years ago in The California Lawyer, entitled "Rich Guy" Saperstein-- he is unapologetic that his work in the public interest has brought him wealth.

   It gave me chills to read again of those days of the 60s and law students and lawyers like Guy. Some might suggest one of my characters in my novel. "The Lawyers: Class of '69" was based upon Guy Saperstein. No. I could not even begin to create in fiction the very real life Guy Saperstein has led, as a member of that class of 1969 at Boalt Hall, and one of the most influential lawyers in America. An excellent read.




2. Although Guy Saperstein probably wrote A CIVIL WARRIOR for a broad based audience, it is very worthwhile reading for attorneys, especially civil litigators. The book begins with a description of Guy Saperstein's childhood days in Southern California, continues with stories of his law school days and the beginnings of his public interest law career. Eventually, we learn of the historic employment discrimination cases he handled. The book is inspirational. Obviously, we are richer for the results Saperstein and and his colleagues obtained through the massive class action employment discrimination cases he launched. However, A CIVIL WARRIOR also gives encouragement and inspiration to the practicing attorney to go "the extra mile" for clients. Many practioners, I believe, would likely have settled much earlier in the various litigations in which Saperstein was involved. Saperstein's description of how his cases were screened, prepared and either tried or settled are completely engrossing.



3. It's a rare treat to read a book that challenges you to become a leader in your chosen craft while imparting specific useful information on its subject matter. If you enjoyed reading the Buffalo Creek Disaster, you'll love this book. Saperstein weaves a personal story within a narrative that you've already heard about in the news. This is the story that you haven't heard. Next time you hear people speak against class action attorneys, pull out your copy of this book and remember the great good that this one attorney has wrought through his craft.



4. It's an interesting window into the life of a slacker-turned-lawyer who got drafted into class action work at a time when it was a no-money business for legal aid organizations. Love or hate plaintiffs' lawyers, it's interesting to see how he latched onto State Farm and didn't let go until they made huge changes and paid him and the people he represented a whole lot of money.
   The dates and case cites are spotty in here, so don't go into it looking to do historical or legal research. For that reason, it's easy to lose track of the cases' place in time, and alarming when you realize he's writing about companies were getting away with blatant discrimination in the '80s and even into the '90s.
   For a lawyer, his writing's pretty clear and concise. And the stories about him growing up and skating through school and law school in the 1960s are kind of charming.
   One really good point about it is that he waited a decade to write up his story, so there's a maturity and perspective in there that would've been missing had he decided to cash in by writing a book during his rock-star days.
   It's not the most exciting or revealing memoir you'll ever read, but it is a nice little story of how one of this country's most famous trial lawyers made his way in the profession.



5. A must read for anyone facing a fork in the road of life...to travel the safe, well paved road society has laid for us or to venture out onto a path all you own? Guy Saperstein's "The Civil Warrior" tells the story of one attorney who blazed his own trail in social causes and made the journey for women and minorites a little easier.

No comments about Edward Carson (Blackstaff Classics).

1 comments about Dallas and the Jack Ruby Trial: Memoir of Judge Joe B. Brown, Sr..

1. No serious reader who is interested in the circumstances of the assassination of John Kennedy and the subsequent murder of his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, should miss this book which provides valuable insight into the motives of Oswald's killer, Jack Ruby, through the eyes of the trial judge; the statements made by Jack Ruby to the Warren Commission and during the course of Ruby's FBI polygraph examination.
   Many readers will recall the hysteria which was created by these two murders which occurred in Dallas within 48 hours. Speculation immediately arose and persists today whether Oswald was the sole assassin and whether Jack Ruby killed Oswald to silence him, thereby protecting Oswald's alleged accomplices. There was also speculation that Oswald was the tool of a foreign government and/or whether Ruby was hired by those same interests to silence Oswald.
   A reading of the Ruby interrogation conducted by Chief Justice Warren and former President Gerald Ford provides the reader with valuable clues to Ruby's motivations. Ruby's testimony appears to be somewhat self-serving, but his insistence on a polygraph to prove his truthfulness is noteworthy and the results are very interesting.
   The editor drew on her vast research and experiences as a Dallas psychologist to provide the reader with the necessary background regarding the mood of Dallas and in the final analysis, that mood was the key element resulting in the appellate court reversal of the Ruby conviction.

5 comments about The Keeper of the Flame: The Supreme Court Opinions of Justice Clarence Thomas 1991-2005.

1. For a decade and a half now, Clarence Thomas has been a proverbial "thorn in the side" of liberalism. They just don't know how to take someone who goes against every fiber of their being. The American system so successfully constructed by liberal lawmakers has simply failed them, therefore, they do the only thing they know how, they attack him. With a tenaciously dogged vengeance, they attack him. A black man is suppose to stay on the plantation and be a good democrat, keeping them in office while waiting for the next handout. A black man in America isn't supposed to pull himself up out of poverty. The Democrat created and nurtured system just isn't designed for such an anomaly. So they attack him. At every venue, with every ruling, and for unfounded reasons other than shear loathing, they attack him.
   
   For fourteen years now, only Justice Antonin Scalia has joined Justice Clarence Thomas as the only consistent voices to the original intent of the Constitution. Over the fourteen year span, from 1991 to 2005, as a presiding Supreme Court Judge, Justice Thomas rendered 327 judicial opinions. Each opinion is presented in the book, THE KEEPER OF THE FLAME by Henry Mark Holzer. This extraordinary piece of work goes far beyond previous works regarding Thomas' distinguished career, and is presented in common language that those of us with non-judicial backgrounds can easily comprehend.
   
   This is not a biography of the life of Clarence Thomas. For that, see Clarence Thomas: A Biography, by Andrew Peyton Thomas, a 600-page behemoth that chronicles every aspect of his life. No, this is a close examination of every one of the 327 written opinions Thomas rendered from appointment until the books publication. This book lends clear and concise illustration, primarily in Thomas' own words, to his methodology on rendering decisions and his positions on fundamental Constitutional questions.
   
   Much like Ronald Reagan, Clarence Thomas will never see a national public fully cognizant of his greatness, nor willing to acknowledge his accomplishments. His continual display of an incessant desire to judiciously adhere to the principles upon which our country was founded and our laws enacted should have left Thomas with an unquestioned legacy, but because he doesn't "fit the mold" they attack him. This book is a brilliant presentation which will, hopefully, open the eyes of the masses who have bought into the character assassinations this man has endured while upholding the values our forefathers cherished.
   
   It remains to be seen as yet, whether Justices Thomas and Scalia still stand alone as our last great hope in returning to the virtue that once was America, but we must pray that the recent, and near future appointments to the country's highest court will stand beside Thomas and Scalia as bastions of American sovereignty and freedom. This book lends critical insight to one of the two great Justices of our time and clearly illustrates the importance of future appointees.
   
   Monty Rainey
   [..]



2. Henry Mark Holzer's, The Keeper of the Flame is a fascinating and enlightening examination of Justice Clarence Thomas' brilliant legal mind, his integrity and his strong moral base. Holzer brings to light the incredible purity of one of the nation's best thinkers. He does this by citing the Justice's own words and analyzing those words with the greatest degree of objectivity and clarity. Holzer reveals himself to be a master-scholar of Constitutional Law guiding us through the history of its creation by the Founding Fathers and how it has come to be interpreted by the Supreme Court. He helps us to truly understand the Constitution and its undeniable value to our free society. He takes us through the Bill of Rights so that we know and can appreciate how they apply to our own lives. Professor Holzer is not only a fine scholar-he is a fine writer and a fine teacher. His exceptional skills make this a marvelous educational text, yet a completely easy and enjoyable read.
   
   I was especially impressed by the examples Justice Thomas' unequivocal dissents. He pulls no punches in taking on the Court's majority decision makers when he disagrees. He repudiates with unimpeachable logic and fierce moral conviction. Holzer has proven him to be not only "the keeper of the flame," but to be a man of heroic proportions. We should all be grateful that Clarence Thomas sits on the highest court in the land.
   
   I plan to purchase several copies of The Keeper of the Flame to donate to local school and public libraries; an idea I would hope others, after reading it, might embrace.
   
   Jeff Warren, teacher
   Los Angeles



3. Professor Holzer has cleared away the cloud surrounding the jurisprudence of Clarence Thomas. In the ongoing debate between those who adhere to the idea of a "living constitution" and those who seek original meaning and intent, "The Keeper of the Flame" is essential reading for anyone who wants a better understanding of each viewpoint. This book also shines a bright light on the Justice who might be called the stepchild of "conservative" Supreme Court Justices. Preconceived notions and popular public images of Clarence Thomas are swept away with powerful and very readable text supported, always, by the only real authority on Justice Thomas' judicial philosophy, his own words.
   
   We learn that Justice Thomas' opinions are well thought out and often eloquent. For anyone who has read, or even read of, Supreme Court opinions over the years, it is evident that the Court as a whole has often struggled and equivocated over the principles it applies. But, not Clarence Thomas. Whether you agree or disagree with his judicial philosphy, once you read this book you will never think of Justice Thomas in the same way he has often been portrayed.
   
   Professor Holzer does a masterful job of placing Clarence Thomas in his proper place and, as an added bonus, Holzer gives us a concise and easy to read synposis of the important constitutional issues the Supreme Court has faced over the years.



4. KEEPER OF THE FLAME
   
   Stanley Gray
   
   The charge that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is an Uncle Tom "doing the white man's bidding" is so unfair and so untrue that it makes me want to cry! Thomas is definitely his own man, and it is abundantly clear that Justice Thomas truly understands what it means, and what it takes, to uphold and defend our Constitution.
   
   Holzer's book, surprisingly easy to read, gave me a better understanding of our Constitution and of the workings of the Supreme Court. Most importantly for me, The Keeper of the Flame gave me new ammunition to use in my attempts to persuade fellow blacks that Justice Thomas's decisions in support of the Constitution should be better appreciated.
   
   I especially found it refreshing that race plays absolutely no role in The Keeper of the Flame. Holzer wrote about Clarence Thomas the thinker, not Clarence Thomas the black thinker.
   
   Professional or layman, butcher or baker, all Americans need to read Professor Holzer's book. I'm not sure that I wouldn't make it mandatory reading for high school seniors. And for sure, it is a must read for those entering, or already in, the legal profession.
   
   If I were Professor Holzer I would send a copy to every member of the senate so that they would understand the proper questions to ask future Supreme Court nominees, and so that they'll be reminded of the crucial importance of their task.
   __________________
   Stanley Gray writes froj San Gabriel, California.



5. Yes Clarence Thomas is a very originalist Supreme Court Justice
   indeed! I haven't heard justice Thomas speak much, but his
   opinion writing is great, with both feet planted on the center
   of a rock solid US Constitution.
   
   This book is right on track, and we should thank the author
   of "Keeper of the Flame" for producing this much needed book
   which happens to be an effective `rebuttal' of the prejudice
   and UGLY confirmation hearings that Clarence Thomas was
   subjected to..
   
   The mind of Clarence Thomas is very well sharpened..
   A strong intellect such as he possesses garners facts..
   just the facts..then it digests, develops and communicates
   very consistent rulings as he has done throughout his tenure
   as a modern era Supreme Court Justice.
   
   Justice Thomas' Jurisprudential history the author has shown
   clearly in this book to inform us in this most succinct and
   powerful way. This book is indeed quite fascinating.
   
   The author is very qualified to write on Supreme Court's
   degree of departure from the required conformance to the
   US Constitution, and Clarence Thomas' tendency to defend
   the Original Intent of the Constitution in his opinions,
   dissents and rulings. The Author is a long time professor
   of constitutional law, and has argued on the appellate level,
   including some cases argued before the US Supreme Court!
   
   In my view, no one reading this book through should ever fail
   to gain a feeling of profound respect and appreciation for
   Clarence Thomas' jurisprudence, driven in the center lane
   of "Constitutional Originism' -- he does his utmost to defend
   the US Constitution he knows profoundly, from being trampled
   upon by efforts of other justices..even judges from lower
   courts, to "make laws" from the bench by judicial wordsmithing.
   
   Again, Great book!! Talk about food for legal thought!!!

No comments about William Wayne Justice: A Judicial Biography (Jack and Doris Smothers Series in Texas History, Life, and Culture).