The Nine

Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

De: Jeffrey Toobin

Narrado por: Don Leslie

Best-selling author Jeffrey Toobin takes you into the chambers of the Supreme Court and reveals the complex dynamic among the nine people who decide the law of the land. Just in time for the 2008 presidential election - where the future of the Court will be at stake - Toobin reveals an institution at a moment of transition, when decades of conservative disgust with the Court have finally produced a conservative majority, with major changes in store on such issues as abortion, civil rights, presidential power, and church-state relations.

Based on exclusive interviews with the justices themselves, The Nine tells the story of the Court through personalities - from Anthony Kennedy’s overwhelming sense of self-importance to Clarence Thomas’s well-tended grievances against his critics to David Souter’s odd 19th century lifestyle. There is also, for the first time, the full behind-the-scenes story of Bush v. Gore - and Sandra Day O’Connor’s fateful breach with George W. Bush, the president she helped place in office.

The Nine is the book Toobin was born to write. He is a best-selling author, a CNN senior legal analyst, and New Yorker staff writer. No one is more superbly qualified to profile the nine justices.

©2007 Jeffrey Toobin (P)2007 Books on Tape

Reseñas de la Crítica

Winner - J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, 2008

“The Nine not only provides a vivid narrative history of the Court's recent history, but also gives the reader an intimate look at individual justices, showing how personality, judicial philosophy and personal alliances can inform decisions that have huge consequences for the entire country. . . . Driven by the author's assured narrative voice, The Nine is as informative as it is fascinating, as insightful as it is readable.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

“Toobin’s sparkling new work is anecdotally rich and clearly written. . . . A testimony to [his] skill.” —USA Today“Intelligent and even-handed. . . . Toobin’s access to the Supremes and their secret little world is phenomenal.”—Chicago Sun-Times

“The Nine is the latest, and by far the best [book] . . . about the Supreme Court.” —Nina Totenberg, NPR

“[An] absorbing group profile. . . . [Toobin] deftly distills the issues and enlivens his narrative of the Court's internal wranglings with sharp thumbnail sketches”—Publishers Weekly

Chilling...

Toobin’s book is a stark reminder of the importance of presidential elections. Would like be to hear his thoughts on what has transpired since 2009.

I learned so much about SCOTUS. Fascinating,

I really enjoyed this book. IT. is educational and
yet really fascinating. I liked the narrator. He really pulled you into the Supreme Court.

Skillful Sorting of Fact from Fiction, Must Read!

What did you love best about The Nine?

Toobin uses his vast knowledge of the U.S. Supreme Court to sort fact from fiction. His engaging book cuts through the mystery and superstition surrounding the judicial branch to give us a rare portrait of the Supreme Court in all its humanity, nuance, ideology and intelligence. He seems to always take his sources with the grain of objectivity, questioning the subjective motivations of each and working to provide the counter-argument. Similarly, he tries to reserve his own judgement from most every subject except the Bush v. Gore ruling, and the evangelical christian political phenomenon more generally. The books greatest value is that it lays out the information in a readable and engaging way so that we can shape our own opinions and beliefs with care.

Great read, great for an audiobook

most engaging reading of an audiobook I've ever had -- I really enjoy Don Leslie's appropriately dramatic narration, which is best when complementing dramatic plots and narratives such as Toobin's relatively creative nonfictional account of the Supreme Court

Fascinating look inside a powerful US institution

Often overlooked, the Supreme operates outside the public view as a co-equal branch of government. Toobin does an excellent job of pulling back the curtain and giving us a view of day to day life on the Court as well as a look at the thinking behind blockbuster cases. This book follows the Court and nominees (Roberts and Alito) during the Bush presidency. Highly recommend for lawyers and non-lawyers alike. AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

Keep a 30 Year Calendar Handy

This was an excellent book with loads of information. The major problem I have is that it's not really organized very well. I was happy to see that the politics were kept largely to the side...though it's clear the writer doesn't like the Right.
The book slightly touches on Alito and Robert's appointments, but spends more time on the previous nine. This book is full of Supreme Court history and lore, but the author struggled with perspectives. The perspective of precedents in the court's history or the perspective of the judges and their appointments.
I would get this book again if I had too...even if it were a few hours longer, I enjoyed it that much. I would recommend it as reading before next year's primaries.

Excellent and engaging

I'd heard good things about this book, but it's even better than I thought it would be. The author closely examines the history of the contemporary Court, and provides a lot of insight into the personalities and motivations of the justices, as well as those of the presidents who appointed them. His style is that of an animated storyteller, and he's certainly done his homework. Listening to this book is almost as good as sitting next to a guest at a dinner party who has the most marvelous stories and insights. Not for a minute was I bored.

The narrator is excellent.

Very liberal book

This was a good book. It was very informative.
It has a very liberal bias though.

Must Listen

A book like this is precious. It comes at a very important time in our history. The Author's insight is especially rewarding Our country is headed in one direction & our courts should be mindful of the changes.

Great subject matter and scope, decent book

First off, the narration was excellent.

The scholarship seems on point. There may be a slight liberal bias, but nothing that would be off putting to a moderate. The book is not hard to follow, but sometimes story seems disorganized and scattered.

All in all though, a fascinating book and a great introduction to the personalities on the court up until the end of the bush administration.