Enigma of Felix Frankfurter

by H.N. Hirsch

Book Overview

A recognized, fascinating, and much-cited classic of judicial biography and Supreme Court insight is now available in a new reprint edition--featuring embedded page numbers from prior printings to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 046501979X
• ISBN13: 9780465019793
• Release Date: April 1981
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 263 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Republican Political Party History from the Inside

The evaluation of Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter, even now, offers the opportunity to assess the interworkings of the Supreme Court, and the evolution of opinions that have formed much of its history. As best friends of both Louis Brandeis and Holmes, this biography is enormously important to the nation in view of its personality assessment, and the events of the 24 years upon the bench that so affected the nation. It has a good description of how Justice Frankfurter tried to get the Republican Party to be more liberal in its thinking to cure the problems of discrimination, and human rights that he was such an advocate of, as well as an ardent defender of not wearing away the Consitutional Rights by which the nation offered equal justice to all. It's a well written, and thoughtful biography about a very important man in our history, and each justice in turn, deserves the same conscientious treatment. Appointed by FDR, he was imminently and ardently a defender of separation of governmental branches, and totally against judicial activism and for judicial self-restraint for that reason. Well worth the read, and shows how one Jewish immigrant who arrived at 12 years old managed to become a Supreme Court Justice as well as Professor of Law at Harvard University influencing judicial opinion and practice for many more years than those he sat on the bench. A mentor to thousands of law students, and meticulous in thought, it should be read by every law student, and most of the public to understand the Supreme Court and its power to influence the public.