This book is a high-minded discussion of our right and duty as citizens to voice our opinions, and of the ways in which we might oppose those aspects of our government and laws that we firmly reject.

It belongs on the bookshelf of every American home, and should be required reading in every high school (mandatory) civics class.

Fortas was the ultimate insider, from Roosevelt on. He founded one of Washington's most prestigeous law firms, and became the lawyer for a vast array of clients, ranging from Peurto Rico to many large corporations who wanted something from Uncle Sam.

But his career will forever be defined by his relationship with Lyndon Johnson. More than Johnson's personal lawyer (which he was), he was also Johnson's political confidant.

Not surprisingly, when Johnson had a chance to fill a Supreme Court seat, he gave it to Fortas. Fortas did not want it, and Murphy's description of Johnson's ploy to force Fortas to accept Johnson's "gift" is one of the most telling stories I have ever read about Johnosn.

The problem was, once on the Court, Johnson still treated Fortas as both his personal lawyer and his political advisor. Fortas' relationship with Johnson may have gone un noticed, but Johnson decided to do Fortas a second (unwanted) favor, by appointing him as Chief Justice when Warren retired.

The tragedy of the Senate confirmation hearings form the center of this remarkable book. As a study in the raw workings of politics (presidential, congressional, and on the court itself), it is unsurpassed. Fortas' life was destroyed, and the Court was handed over to Burger, Nixon, and the conservatives. How would the law be different today if only Fortas had been confirmed?

If you can find a copy, snap it up. Such a superb book has no reason to ever be "out of print."

This book is typical of contemporary judicial biography: the author has selected her left judge, then said "ooh" and "ah" over virtually everything he ever did. Apparently, she made friends with his widow in the process. Truly pitiful.

Laura Kalman's biography of Abe Fortas is a fascinating look at the life of one of this country's most controversial judicial figures. Fortas, whose nomination as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was blocked by LBJ's political opponents, emerges from the book as a sympathetic figure, a wise counselor and judge, and, fundamentally, human. Kalman has done her homework, meticulously researching the life and times of Fortas to create what should stand as the definitive work on his life for some time to come.

I do believe the first "reviewer" is a right-wing hack who has never read the book, but just wants to trash it. That review should be deleted.

Justice Fortas is one of the most abused figures in American jurisprudence. Ms. Kalman, using various facts not cited by the first "reviewer" (because the first "reviewer" didn't know them, because he/she hadn't read the book he/she was dissing), particularly Fortas' stellar work in the field of civil rights and for the poor of all races (the Gideon case being a shining example), shows that Justice Fortas was a much better judge, a much better legal scholar, and a much better human being, than the persons that Nixon, Reagan and Bush nominated for the court - many of whom, such as the infamous Judge Carswell, later ended their lives in disgrace utterly eclipsing the politically-engineered humiliation of Justice Fortas.

An engrossing read.