New Book on Justice Thomas

Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas
by Kevin Merida and Michael Fletcher (Doubleday 2007)

Availability: Amazon / B&N

Review: Kenji Yoshino in the Washington Post

Via Legal History Blog

Comments

[james Weikamp]

One of my favorite professors, Jonathan Entin (Case School of Law), also wrote a review in the Cleveland Plain Dealer found here...
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1177144420204160.xml&coll=2

[David Stras]

I enjoyed the picture, Bill. Thank you. Although I have not read the book myself, and thus have no opinion on it, I would direct your attention to a more accurate review of the book (as to the public profile and persona of Justice Thomas) from David Garrow in the Los Angeles Times. He ironically refers to Thomas as the "most accessible Justice." I can't link in comments, but here is the URL: http://www.calendarlive.com/books/reviews/cl-et-book23apr23,0,7064062.story?coll=cl-books-reviews

[William Ford]

Here's a picture of Justice Thomas in his Daytona 500 Grand Marshal gear:

http://www.latimes.com/search/la-clarencethomas_i95j01kf,0,7180356.photo

[William Ford]

It took me only a few minutes to find several examples of recent speeches by Justice Thomas:

Feb. 24, 2007 - LSU Law
Jan. 26, 2007 - Univ. of Arkansas Law
Oct. 20, 2006 - Univ. of Georgia

Has Souter given any interviews or speeches since he joined the Court?

My several minutes of research did turn up this remark from Justice Souter in a 1996 letter to Justice Blackmun: "In a perfect world, I would never give another speech, address, talk, lecture or whatever as long as I live." Quoted in Gina Holland, "A Harsh Intrusion into a Very Private Life," The Star-Ledger (May 6, 2004).

[David Stras]

I am obviously quite biased, having clerked for Justice Thomas several Terms ago. But Prof. Yoshino lost me in the first sentence of his Washington Post review when he said that Thomas is the most reclusive Justice. I know that Thomas has not visited Yale, but he does visit law schools more frequently than virtually any other Justice, and makes frequent public appearances, including one as the grand marshal of the Daytona 500 several years back.

To say that Thomas is the most reclusive Justice, especially as compared to say Justice Souter, is just plain wrong, and with all due respect, shows some ignorance as to the public and personal lives of the Justices.