Out of Order

March 4, 2013
The first female Supreme Court justice attempts to shed light on some of its transformations, offering "snapshots of the people and events that reflect the Courtâs evolution and journey." Since its inception in 1790, the Court has had its share of colorful characters, landmark cases, and an early history that belies its contemporary status as a well-respected institution. OâConnor tells tales of memorable justicesâincluding former president William Howard Taft and first Chief Justice John Jayâand admits to how overwhelming her first day on the job was. She relates how presentations to the court are often nervously made by lawyers, who were famously advised back in 1940 to "rejoice when the Court asks questions." There are no longer interminable oral arguments, because "the Courtâs modern practice has homed in on the legal, rather than the emotional, aspects of the case." OâConnor profiles four justices she deems larger than life, and includes a chapter, "Some Laughs on the Bench," that, though amusing, are not exactly belly laughs. The book is rounded out with the text of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and an admirable series of notes.

March 1, 2013
Here comes the judge--and she has stories to tell. O'Connor (The Majesty of the Law, 2003, etc.), the first woman to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court--though, she hastens to add, not the first woman to hold a post of importance in that highest judiciary in the land--has been retired for half a decade, but still she is asked what being a justice is like. And, of course, she's heavily involved in civic education, educating Americans about what being American is about. The result is this lightly told but deeply thought-through history of the court, part of "a government that develops and evolves, that grows and changes, over time." Her case studies are many, including Marbury v. Madison, which articulated some of that evolution and established the court's authority as the final arbiter of the constitutionality of legislation, and some of Daniel Webster's greatest hits--for, she reminds us, Webster argued some 200 cases before the court, "known for his ability to marshal precedents and historical evidence with skill." Apart from the most significant cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education, O'Connor examines just a few minor cases and then mostly to illustrate points about the humanity of the court--Scalia is a funny guy, Rehnquist was a card, etc. She is candid, opinionated and even entertaining throughout, though we wait breathlessly for the fly-on-the-wall story of how the Supreme Court decided to give George W. Bush the presidency. For the time being, a well-considered, lively survey of what the Supreme Court does, how it's constituted and, bonus round, how to argue before it.

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March 15, 2013
Since retiring from the Supreme Court, O'Connor, the first woman justice, has pushed for greater civic awareness of how the U.S. government, especially the court system, works. In this collection of stories about the history of the Supreme Court, O'Connor offers a sense of how the high court has changed since its formation and how it works in relation to the legislature and the presidency. She recounts Roosevelt's failed attempts to pack the court after repeated rulings against parts of his New Deal program and Truman's failed efforts to control the steel mills during the Korean War, when strikes were threatened. She also offers the history of how the once itinerant court came to be located in its stately building and how the court's customs, including the art of arguing before the court, have changed from lengthy oratory to briefings peppered by the justices' questioning. She recalls some of the larger-than-life justices, the history-making firsts, and some lighter moments on the bench. Photos and illustrations enhance this engaging look at the history of the Supreme Court. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This personal look at an American institution from the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court will attract plenty of off-the-book-page interest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)