Injustices

The Supreme Court's History of Comforting the Comfortable and Afflicting the Afflicted

By: Ian Millhiser

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Few American institutions have inflicted greater suffering on ordinary people than the Supreme Court of the United States. Since its inception the justices of the Supreme Court have shaped a nation where children toiled in coal mines, where Americans could be forced into camps because of their race, and where a woman could be sterilized against her will by state law.

In this powerful indictment of a venerated institution, Ian Millhiser tells the history of the Supreme Court through the eyes of the everyday people who have suffered the most from it. America ratified three constitutional amendments to provide equal rights to freed slaves, but the justices spent 30 years largely dismantling these amendments. Then they spent the next 40 years rewriting them into a shield for the wealthy and the powerful. In Injustices, Millhiser argues that the Supreme Court has seized power for itself that rightfully belongs to the people's elected representatives and has bent the arc of American history away from justice.

©2015 Ian Millhiser (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"An impressive debut offering explanations based on coherence between people, cases, and the events they adjudicated." ( Kirkus)

Great read!

I wish that the current politicians would read this book and stop acting like children in a playground.

Very educational.

This book is a wonderful history of cases and the decisions of the judges. I feel that hindsight is 20/20, I have to say I had a pretty strong personal reaction to some decisions, I'm also aware others may respond to different cases with the same incredulity.

An important history of SCOTUS extremism

Milheiser lays out a definitive storyline. I like this narrator, too - I've heard him before.

Good research but very demoralizing

I had to stop and restart this several times. I would get so angry about how unelected judges have let their opinions ruin lives for centuries. not just today. Good research on the part of the author. I do not like this reader at all. His voice is scratchy and always sounds like he is whispering.

Good but depressing

This book is a fairly quick listen but very disheartening if you believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If you believe in misogyny, white supremacy and bigotry, this book will make you very happy