The Brethren
Inside the Supreme Court
by Bob Woodward, Scott Armstrong
5/5
Simon & Schuster 560 pages August 9, 2005
Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong's 1979 inside account of the Burger Court was the first time anyone had successfully reported the Supreme Court from inside, using clerks, justices, and internal memoranda. The book is part of the canon of American legal journalism.
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Jim's Review
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Woodward did to the Supreme Court what he did to the Nixon White House — built the inside account from clerks and staff, then triangulated until the justices themselves verified or denied it. The result is a portrait of nine human beings with grudges, insecurities, and odd habits, deciding the country's hardest cases. Some of the reporting has been disputed over the years; the broad picture has held up remarkably well. The chapters on Burger's managerial failures, Brennan's coalition-building, and the internal fights over Roe and Bakke are required reading for anyone curious about how the Court actually works. Five worms.
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