Reviews"They won't be selling Injustices at the Supreme Court gift shop. Ian Millhiser's scathing, exuberant indictment of the many misdeeds of the nation's highest court is a necessary, and highly entertaining, corrective to the mythology that has always surrounded the work of the Justices." -- Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Oath and The Nine "More than just an indictment of the Supreme Court, Injustices offers a stirring defense of the role government plays in bettering people's lives--and a heartbreaking window into the lives that are ruined when the justices place their own agenda above the law." -- Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and US representative "Attention Howard Zinn fans. Ian Millhiser has written a People's History of the Supreme Court: partisan (in favor of 'the little people' rather than the elites the Court has favored), passionate, and provocative." -- Susan N. Herman, president of the ACLU, "Interesting and vigorously argued... Millhiser illuminatingly details the human costs of many decisions reached by the Supreme Court..." --Sanford Levinson, The History Book Club "An eye-opening look at the Court. Accessible to readers with little legal background, this is a powerful study of the branch of American government most often left unchecked...[Millhiser's] findings are startling." -- Shelf Awareness "An impressive debut offering explanations based on coherence between people, cases and the events they adjudicated." -- Kirkus Reviews "They won't be selling Injustices at the Supreme Court gift shop. Ian Millhiser's scathing, exuberant indictment of the many misdeeds of the nation's highest court is a necessary, and highly entertaining, corrective to the mythology that has always surrounded the work of the Justices." --Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Oath and The Nine "More than just an indictment of the Supreme Court, Injustices offers a stirring defense of the role government plays in bettering people's lives--and a heartbreaking window into the lives that are ruined when the justices place their own agenda above the law." --Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and US representative "Attention Howard Zinn fans. Ian Millhiser has written a People's History of the Supreme Court: partisan (in favor of 'the little people' rather than the elites the Court has favored), passionate, and provocative." --Susan N. Herman, president of the ACLU "A powerful critique of the Supreme Court, which shows that it has largely failed through American history to enforce the Constitution and to protect our rights. With great clarity and poignant human stories throughout, Ian Millhiser has written a book that all who are interested in American government and our legal system--which should be all of us--must read." --Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean and distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law "Ian Millhiser's Injustices is a powerful reminder that for most of its history, the Supreme Court has erred on the side of protecting the privilege and powers of America's elites--and that it has so often done so by reading the Constitution upside-down. Millhiser has crafted an indictment of the Court's treatment of workers, minorities, women, voters, and powerless groups, with a deeply researched grounding in history and the law. His dispiriting conclusion is a powerful reminder of how much the Court matters, and how much more it could be." --Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate "Thoroughly researched and delivered with a passion for the law and the people it's intended to protect, Injustices is an eye-opening examination of how the most powerful individuals in the American government have shaped the country." -- Pop Culture Nerd, They won't be selling Injustices at the Supreme Court gift shop. Ian Millhiser's scathing, exuberant indictment of the many misdeeds of the nation's highest court is a necessary, and highly entertaining, corrective to the mythology that has always surrounded the work of the Justices." —Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Oath and The Nine More than just an indictment of the Supreme Court, Injustices offers a stirring defense of the role government plays in bettering people's lives—and a heartbreaking window into the lives that are ruined when the justices place their own agenda above the law." —Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and US representative Attention Howard Zinn fans. Ian Millhiser has written a People's History of the Supreme Court: partisan (in favor of ‘the little people' rather than the elites the Court has favored), passionate, and provocative." —Susan N. Herman, president of the ACLU A powerful critique of the Supreme Court, which shows that it has largely failed through American history to enforce the Constitution and to protect our rights. With great clarity and poignant human stories throughout, Ian Millhiser has written a book that all who are interested in American government and our legal system—which should be all of us—must read." —Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean and distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law Ian Millhiser's Injustices is a powerful reminder that for most of its history, the Supreme Court has erred on the side of protecting the privilege and powers of America's elites—and that it has so often done so by reading the Constitution upside-down. Millhiser has crafted an indictment of the Court's treatment of workers, minorities, women, voters, and powerless groups, with a deeply researched grounding in history and the law. His dispiriting conclusion is a powerful reminder of how much the Court matters, and how much more it could be." —Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate, "As Ian Millhiser illustrates in his trenchant, persuasive, and profoundly dispiriting book Injustices , the Supreme Court has consistently and unapologetically used its authority to thwart progress and perpetuate inequality." -- Slate "Interesting and vigorously argued... Millhiser illuminatingly details the human costs of many decisions reached by the Supreme Court..." -- Sanford Levinson, The History Book Club "An eye-opening look at the Court. Accessible to readers with little legal background, this is a powerful study of the branch of American government most often left unchecked...[Millhiser's] findings are startling." -- Shelf Awareness "An impressive debut offering explanations based on coherence between people, cases and the events they adjudicated." -- Kirkus Reviews "They won't be selling Injustices at the Supreme Court gift shop. Ian Millhiser's scathing, exuberant indictment of the many misdeeds of the nation's highest court is a necessary, and highly entertaining, corrective to the mythology that has always surrounded the work of the Justices." -- Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Oath and The Nine "More than just an indictment of the Supreme Court, Injustices offers a stirring defense of the role government plays in bettering people's lives--and a heartbreaking window into the lives that are ruined when the justices place their own agenda above the law." -- Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and US representative "Attention Howard Zinn fans. Ian Millhiser has written a People's History of the Supreme Court: partisan (in favor of 'the little people' rather than the elites the Court has favored), passionate, and provocative." -- Susan N. Herman, president of the ACLU "A powerful critique of the Supreme Court, which shows that it has largely failed through American history to enforce the Constitution and to protect our rights. With great clarity and poignant human stories throughout, Ian Millhiser has written a book that all who are interested in American government and our legal system--which should be all of us--must read." -- Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean and distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law "Ian Millhiser's Injustices is a powerful reminder that for most of its history, the Supreme Court has erred on the side of protecting the privilege and powers of America's elites--and that it has so often done so by reading the Constitution upside-down. Millhiser has crafted an indictment of the Court's treatment of workers, minorities, women, voters, and powerless groups, with a deeply researched grounding in history and the law. His dispiriting conclusion is a powerful reminder of how much the Court matters, and how much more it could be." -- Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate "Thoroughly researched and delivered with a passion for the law and the people it's intended to protect, Injustices is an eye-opening examination of how the most powerful individuals in the American government have shaped the country." -- Pop Culture Nerd, "Interesting and vigorously argued... Millhiser illuminatingly details the human costs of many decisions reached by the Supreme Court..." —Sanford Levinson, The History Book Club "An impressive debut offering explanations based on coherence between people, cases and the events they adjudicated." — Kirkus Reviews They won't be selling Injustices at the Supreme Court gift shop. Ian Millhiser's scathing, exuberant indictment of the many misdeeds of the nation's highest court is a necessary, and highly entertaining, corrective to the mythology that has always surrounded the work of the Justices." —Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Oath and The Nine More than just an indictment of the Supreme Court, Injustices offers a stirring defense of the role government plays in bettering people's lives—and a heartbreaking window into the lives that are ruined when the justices place their own agenda above the law." —Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and US representative Attention Howard Zinn fans. Ian Millhiser has written a People's History of the Supreme Court: partisan (in favor of ‘the little people' rather than the elites the Court has favored), passionate, and provocative." —Susan N. Herman, president of the ACLU A powerful critique of the Supreme Court, which shows that it has largely failed through American history to enforce the Constitution and to protect our rights. With great clarity and poignant human stories throughout, Ian Millhiser has written a book that all who are interested in American government and our legal system—which should be all of us—must read." —Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean and distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law Ian Millhiser's Injustices is a powerful reminder that for most of its history, the Supreme Court has erred on the side of protecting the privilege and powers of America's elites—and that it has so often done so by reading the Constitution upside-down. Millhiser has crafted an indictment of the Court's treatment of workers, minorities, women, voters, and powerless groups, with a deeply researched grounding in history and the law. His dispiriting conclusion is a powerful reminder of how much the Court matters, and how much more it could be." —Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate Thoroughly researched and delivered with a passion for the law and the people it's intended to protect, Injustices is an eye-opening examination of how the most powerful individuals in the American government have shaped the country." — Pop Culture Nerd, "As Ian Millhiser illustrates in his trenchant, persuasive, and profoundly dispiriting book Injustices , the Supreme Court has consistently and unapologetically used its authority to thwart progress and perpetuate inequality." -- Slate " Injustices is a compelling rebuke of the Supreme Court and pushes for change. While reforming the Court is not going to be easy...the fact that such well respected legal scholars are now vocally making the case against the Supreme Court is a critical first step." -- Feministing " Injustices is a powerful indictment of the strongest institution of the United States.... A must-read for all Americans." -- The Washington Review of Books "Interesting and vigorously argued... Millhiser illuminatingly details the human costs of many decisions reached by the Supreme Court..." -- Sanford Levinson, The History Book Club "An eye-opening look at the Court. Accessible to readers with little legal background, this is a powerful study of the branch of American government most often left unchecked...[Millhiser's] findings are startling." -- Shelf Awareness "An impressive debut offering explanations based on coherence between people, cases and the events they adjudicated." -- Kirkus Reviews "They won't be selling Injustices at the Supreme Court gift shop. Ian Millhiser's scathing, exuberant indictment of the many misdeeds of the nation's highest court is a necessary, and highly entertaining, corrective to the mythology that has always surrounded the work of the Justices." -- Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Oath and The Nine "More than just an indictment of the Supreme Court, Injustices offers a stirring defense of the role government plays in bettering people's lives--and a heartbreaking window into the lives that are ruined when the justices place their own agenda above the law." -- Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and US representative "Attention Howard Zinn fans. Ian Millhiser has written a People's History of the Supreme Court: partisan (in favor of 'the little people' rather than the elites the Court has favored), passionate, and provocative." -- Susan N. Herman, president of the ACLU "A powerful critique of the Supreme Court, which shows that it has largely failed through American history to enforce the Constitution and to protect our rights. With great clarity and poignant human stories throughout, Ian Millhiser has written a book that all who are interested in American government and our legal system--which should be all of us--must read." -- Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean and distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law "Ian Millhiser's Injustices is a powerful reminder that for most of its history, the Supreme Court has erred on the side of protecting the privilege and powers of America's elites--and that it has so often done so by reading the Constitution upside-down. Millhiser has crafted an indictment of the Court's treatment of workers, minorities, women, voters, and powerless groups, with a deeply researched grounding in history and the law. His dispiriting conclusion is a powerful reminder of how much the Court matters, and how much more it could be." -- Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate "Thoroughly researched and delivered with a passion for the law and the people it's intended to protect, Injustices is an eye-opening examination of how the most powerful individuals in the American government have shaped the country." -- Pop Culture Nerd, "As Ian Millhiser illustrates in his trenchant, persuasive, and profoundly dispiriting book Injustices , the Supreme Court has consistently and unapologetically used its authority to thwart progress and perpetuate inequality." -- Slate " Injustices is a powerful indictment of the strongest institution of the United States.... A must-read for all Americans." -- The Washington Review of Books "Interesting and vigorously argued... Millhiser illuminatingly details the human costs of many decisions reached by the Supreme Court..." -- Sanford Levinson, The History Book Club "An eye-opening look at the Court. Accessible to readers with little legal background, this is a powerful study of the branch of American government most often left unchecked...[Millhiser's] findings are startling." -- Shelf Awareness "An impressive debut offering explanations based on coherence between people, cases and the events they adjudicated." -- Kirkus Reviews "They won't be selling Injustices at the Supreme Court gift shop. Ian Millhiser's scathing, exuberant indictment of the many misdeeds of the nation's highest court is a necessary, and highly entertaining, corrective to the mythology that has always surrounded the work of the Justices." -- Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Oath and The Nine "More than just an indictment of the Supreme Court, Injustices offers a stirring defense of the role government plays in bettering people's lives--and a heartbreaking window into the lives that are ruined when the justices place their own agenda above the law." -- Ted Strickland, former Ohio governor and US representative "Attention Howard Zinn fans. Ian Millhiser has written a People's History of the Supreme Court: partisan (in favor of 'the little people' rather than the elites the Court has favored), passionate, and provocative." -- Susan N. Herman, president of the ACLU "A powerful critique of the Supreme Court, which shows that it has largely failed through American history to enforce the Constitution and to protect our rights. With great clarity and poignant human stories throughout, Ian Millhiser has written a book that all who are interested in American government and our legal system--which should be all of us--must read." -- Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean and distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law "Ian Millhiser's Injustices is a powerful reminder that for most of its history, the Supreme Court has erred on the side of protecting the privilege and powers of America's elites--and that it has so often done so by reading the Constitution upside-down. Millhiser has crafted an indictment of the Court's treatment of workers, minorities, women, voters, and powerless groups, with a deeply researched grounding in history and the law. His dispiriting conclusion is a powerful reminder of how much the Court matters, and how much more it could be." -- Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate "Thoroughly researched and delivered with a passion for the law and the people it's intended to protect, Injustices is an eye-opening examination of how the most powerful individuals in the American government have shaped the country." -- Pop Culture Nerd, "As Ian Millhiser illustrates in his trenchant, persuasive, and profoundly dispiriting book Injustices , the Supreme Court has consistently and unapologetically used its authority to thwart progress and perpetuate inequality." -- Slate " Injustices is a compelling rebuke of the Supreme Court and pushes for change. While reforming the Court is not going to be easy...the fact that such well respected legal scholars are now vocally making the case against the Supreme Court is a critical first step." -- Feministing " Injustices is a powerful indictment of the strongest institution of the United States.... A must-read for all Americans." -- The Washington Review of Books "Interesting and vigorously argued... Millhiser illuminatingly details the human costs of many decisions reached by the Supreme Court..." -- Sanford Levinson, The History Book Club "An eye-opening look at the Court. Accessible to readers with little legal background, this is a powerful study of the branch of American government most often left unchecked...[Millhiser's] findings are startling." -- Shelf Awareness "An impressive debut offering explanations based on coherence between people, cases and the events they adjudicated." -- Kirkus Reviews
Dewey Edition23
Dewey Decimal347.73/2609
SynopsisFew American institutions have inflicted greater suffering on ordinary people than the Supreme Court of the United States. Since its inception, the justices of the Supreme Court have shaped a nation where children toiled in coal mines, where Americans could be forced into camps because of their race, and where a woman could be sterilized against her will by state law. The Court was the midwife of Jim Crow, the right hand of union busters, and the dead hand of the Confederacy. Nor is the modern Court a vast improvement, with its incursions on voting rights and its willingness to place elections for sale. In this powerful indictment of a venerated institution, Ian Millhiser tells the history of the Supreme Court through the eyes of the everyday people who have suffered the most from it. America ratified three constitutional amendments to provide equal rights to freed slaves, but the justices spent thirty years largely dismantling these amendments. Then they spent the next forty years rewriting them into a shield for the wealthy and the powerful. In the Warren era and the few years following it, progressive justices restored the Constitution's promises of equality, free speech, and fair justice for the accused. But, Millhiser contends, that was an historic accident. Indeed, if it weren't for several unpredictable events, Brown v. Board of Education could have gone the other way. In Injustices , Millhiser argues that the Supreme Court has seized power for itself that rightfully belongs to the people's elected representatives, and has bent the arc of American history away from justice., Now with a new epilogue. Few American institutions have inflicted greater suffering on ordinary people than the Supreme Court of the United States. Since its inception, the justices of the Supreme Court have shaped a nation where children toiled in coal mines, where Americans could be forced into camps because of their race, and where a woman could be sterilized against her will by state law. The Court was the midwife of Jim Crow, the right hand of union busters, and the dead hand of the Confederacy. Nor is the modern Court a vast improvement, with its incursions on voting rights and its willingness to place elections for sale. In this powerful indictment of a venerated institution, Ian Millhiser tells the history of the Supreme Court through the eyes of the everyday people who have suffered the most from it. America ratified three constitutional amendments to provide equal rights to freed slaves, but the justices spent thirty years largely dismantling these amendments. Then they spent the next forty years rewriting them into a shield for the wealthy and the powerful. In the Warren era and the few years following it, progressive justices restored the Constitution's promises of equality, free speech, and fair justice for the accused. But, Millhiser contends, that was an historic accident. Indeed, if it weren't for several unpredictable events, Brown v. Board of Education could have gone the other way. In Injustices , Millhiser argues that the Supreme Court has seized power for itself that rightfully belongs to the people's elected representatives, and has bent the arc of American history away from justice.