Eduardo Santiago
Unexpectedly riveting. What a fascinating, complex man, and what an immense debt we all owe to him. Reading this over Thanksgiving weekend I felt especially grateful; reading it in 2025, though, tinged it with grief.
Judge McKeown writes with great care, unsurprisingly, painting his legacy as admirable while always being mindful of his more questionable choices. I loved her decision to label him "Citizen." I might've chosen "Activist," but her choice is far wiser: it humanizes him, makes his work slightly more relatable and hence inspiring. Not many teens are going to be reading this book but maybe their adult role models will, and set examples?
Readers with an ethical mindset may find the book stimulating. My own thinking flipflopped quite a bit regarding his entanglements and conflicts of interest: from How Could He to But Of Course and back through stages in between. Why would it not be okay for a Justice to have an open, outspoken public life on matters of importance? How is it different from today's (lower-case out of disrespect) justices' pursuits of lavish vacations, beer-fueled rape parties, and christofascism? How can we expect someone to recuse themself in the face of evil? I am thankful for Douglas, for his passion and determination and for saving so much of our country. The world would be a much worse place today without him.
Unexpectedly riveting. What a fascinating, complex man, and what an immense debt we all owe to him. Reading this over Thanksgiving weekend I felt especially grateful; reading it in 2025, though, tinged it with grief.
Judge McKeown writes with great care, unsurprisingly, painting his legacy as admirable while always being mindful of his more questionable choices. I loved her decision to label him "Citizen." I might've chosen "Activist," but her choice is far wiser: it humanizes him, makes his work slightly more relatable and hence inspiring. Not many teens are going to be reading this book but maybe their adult role models will, and set examples?
Readers with an ethical mindset may find the book stimulating. My own thinking flipflopped quite a bit regarding his entanglements and conflicts of interest: from How Could He to But Of Course and back through stages in between. Why would it not be okay for a Justice to have an open, outspoken public life on matters of importance? How is it different from today's (lower-case out of disrespect) justices' pursuits of lavish vacations, beer-fueled rape parties, and christofascism? How can we expect someone to recuse themself in the face of evil? I am thankful for Douglas, for his passion and determination and for saving so much of our country. The world would be a much worse place today without him.