ldquoI called this book Out of Order because it reflects my goal which is to share a different side of the Supreme Court Most people know the Court only as it exists between bangs of the gavel when the Court comes to order to hear arguments or give opinions But the stories of the Court and the Justices that come from the lsquoout of orderrsquo moments add to the richness of the Court as both a branch of our government and a human institutionrdquomdashJustice Sandra Day OrsquoConnorFrom Justice Sandra Day OrsquoConnor the first woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court comes this fascinating book about the history and evolution of the highest court in the landOut of Order sheds light on the centuries of change and upheaval that transformed the Supreme Court from its uncertain beginnings into the remarkable institution that thrives and endures today From the early days of circuit-riding when justices who also served as trial judges traveled thousands of miles per year on horseback to hear cases to the changes in civil rights ushered in by Earl Warren and Thurgood Marshall from foundational decisions such as Marbury vs Madison to modern-day cases such as Hamdi vs Rumsfeld Justice OrsquoConnor weaves together stories and lessons from the history of the Court charting turning points and pivotal moments that have helped define our nationrsquos progress With unparalleled insight and her unique perspective as a history-making figure Justice OrsquoConnor takes us on a personal exploration painting vivid pictures of Justices in history including Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr one of the greatest jurists of all time Thurgood Marshall whose understated and succinct style would come to transform oral argument William O Douglas called ldquoThe Lone Rangerrdquo because of his impassioned and frequent dissents and John Roberts whom Justice OrsquoConnor considers to be the finest practitioner of oral argument she has ever witnessed in Court We get a rare glimpse into the Supreme Courtrsquos inner workings how cases are chosen for hearing the personal relationships that exist among the Justices and the customs and traditions both public and private that bind one generation of jurists to the nextmdashfrom the seating arrangements at Court lunches to the fiercely competitive basketball games played in the Court Buildingrsquos top-floor gymnasium the so-called ldquohighest court in the landrdquoWise candid and assured Out of Order is a rich offering of inspiring stories of one of our countryrsquos most important institutions from one of our countryrsquos most respected pioneersldquoIn this delightful collection of tales Sandra Day OrsquoConnor shows us the personal side of the Supreme Court while reminding us of the critical role the Court plays Itrsquos a lovely bookmdashand a valuable treasure for all AmericansrdquomdashWalter Isaacson author of Steve Jobs.
