In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights in Action
YA-- Alderman and Kennedy have taken the Bill of Rights and made it breathe. Their book considers 20 or so Supreme Court cases, the verdicts of which pivot on one of the first Ten Amendments to the U. S. Constitution. The cases chosen are not the landmark, precedent-setting ones with which most people are familiar. Instead, readers will find normal people who, because of circumstance, victimization, or character flaws, end up having their stories studied by the highest court in the land. As the authors acknowledge, "It is a fair summary of history to say that the safeguards of liberty have frequently been forged in controversies involving not very nice people." Several life histories read more like soap operas and B-movies than a law text. The writing is clear, direct, and often poignant. There are photographs of some of the protagonists that add to the down-to-earth character of this study. Finally, it is entertaining.- Vicki Fox, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VACopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.