The Courage of Their Convictions: Sixteen Americans Who Fought Their Way to the Supreme Court

by Peter Irons and Peter H. Irons

Book Overview

An "extraordinary book reveal ing] the live faces behind the masks of constitutional law; to read it is to understand the inner dynamics of law's outward development."--Laurence H. Tribe.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140128107
• ISBN13: 9780140128109
• Release Date: March 1990
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.0" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Inspiring.

We have become an apathetic society. This book is the story of those who dared enough to care.

Individual Power and the Judicial Process

I work at a University Library and see many, many books. This book caught my eye and I found myself compelled to read it. The situation in our government seems to leave many people I talk to feeling discouraged and powerless. Iron's book reminds us that we don't have to be powerless.I encourage High School teachers to read the book and consider assigning at least parts of it to their students. Most Americans don't understand our legal system or the power we have as individuals to stand up for our civil rights.

The Courage of Their Convictions: Sixteen Americans

This was a fantastic book! People may know about some Supreme Court decisions and its impact but I do not think people understand why such important cases were brought before the Supreme Court. We never learn in school who these people were, (they are everyday people) and exactly how much courage and determination it takes to fight your case to the Supreme Court (after all I think S.C hears about 1% of all cases filed to the Court). Irons is an academic but boy you can read this in a day-this is not a dreaded book you are assigned to read for school.

Profiles in courage

Irons does of fine job of describing the uphill battle that a variety of individuals have faced in asserting their basic rights as Americans. Some of these cases righted grevious wrongs, and others are more open to debate. But then, the law is not a popularity contest. The fact that humble and even unpopular cases can nonetheless get their day in court, and get fair and due process, is something that every American should be proud of. It's something worth remembering and defending, something worth protecting, and Peter Irons shows you *why* in this book.

Superb! An amazing insight into the American legal system.

This book speaks to lawyers and non-lawyers alike. It can give lawyers pause to think about the power they really have to change lives, and it gives non-lawyers an insightful, in-depth look into the American legal system at work. This book is a must-read.