The Brethren : Inside the Supreme Court Book

Average Rating:

Examining the Court from 1969 to 1975, "The Brethren" is an engaging account of how each Justice moved toward a judgement in the biggest cases of that era and how some of the Justices recruited others to form majorities in these cases. The surprising aspect of the book is that persuading other Justices was not so much recruiting as it was threatening, deceiving, placating, or other forms of work place politics.

This is all shocking until one realizes where the tension originates. These years are portrayed as a struggle between the noble and almost mythic Justices left over from the previous era - the Warren Court - and the new Justices, a.k.a. the Nixon appointees. Inevitably in the book, your appreciation will depend on your political leanings. "The Brethren" is, more than any book I've ever read, a product of its times. It reflects the anti-war, anti-establishment, anti-Nixon, pro-activist, and downright revolutionary times of the early 1970s. If you choose to read "The Brethren," you should understand that it takes positions as being either right or wrong. And with political powder kegs (abortion, busing, the Watergate tapes, the death penalty, etc.), that is an intellectually risky proposition.

Worth mentioning are also some lighter moments. Anything relating to the Justices and the obscenity/pornography cases of that time will have you telling your friends about this book. Those parts are filled with priceless humor. My final opinion, however, is that I'm glad I read it (really) but I wouldn't strongly recommend it.