Trials Books

Mix the warm folksy regionalism of Garrison Keillor with the blue collar sensibility of Jeff Foxworthy and the gleefull yet satirical crudeness of George Carlin along with the linguistic dexterity of Bill Bryson, add a touch of sheer juvenile head banger mentality and ex-jock machismo and chase it all down with several pitchers of cheap beer and you have Mike Magnuson's uniquely voiced memoir.

Depicting Mag's slow evolution from long-haired college drop-out ne'er do well to college graduate back to factory worker (Mr. Magnuson is currently a college professor), LUMMOX fills itself with painfully honest self-deprication, nimble attacks on pseudo-intellectualism and brilliant character studies. This is not a book for the politically correct or over-sensitive as it pulls no punches. Inviting equal parts laughter, tears and painfull introspection (there is far too much reader identification here), Magnuson captures a specific region (in this case the often frozen tundra of Wisconsin) and its inhabitants in a personal and captivating way.

A great find and well worth the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and didn't want to put it down until it was finished. The book consists of a series of memorable episodes from the author's young adult life in Wisconsin. The author describes with considerable humor and painful honesty the life of an "average" man... although his exceptional intelligence gives away the fact that his is not your typical 80's-era slacker. I certainly knew some midwestern guys who were similar in their younger days to the title character, and the author has definitely nailed his descriptions and characterizations of the time and places. Personally, I would have liked to see a little bit more evidence of the main character's heart, but then again, this is a book about a "Lummox". I would recommend this book to anyone, male or female, who is looking for an easy-going, laugh-out-loud book.

Mike Magnuson's autobiography is an insightful read, not because Magnuson is some extraordinary figure, but because he is just like the rest of us; simply an ordinary guy trying to stumble his way through life, women and beer.

Lummox recounts Magnuson's various life lessons with an honest and forthcoming tone. Certainly funny, the book is also peppered with solemn moments as Magnuson takes his knocks and rolls with them.

It's defiantly a guy's book - in the same way that Chuck Palahniuk's books are... written with an unapologetic, realistic and sometimes sexist tone.

I highly recommend this book to any guys out there who are looking for realistic and intelligent male-centric literature.

I just got done reading the paperback version of this book and it's a hoot. Highly recommended. In short, it's a hilarious (and often melancholy) autobiography about the author who's a classic underachiever, drifting through life by drinking, (trying) to get laid and playing the drums. When that doesn't work out, he goes back to college and gets an english lit. degree. In the end, Magnuson finally finds his place in the world through self-acceptance and love. It's also a very pointed critique of those (your basic "politically correct" types) who engage in the very same stereotyping (this time - of the male lummox) that the lummox is so often accused of doing. Like Jim Goad's "Redneck Manifesto," the moral of the story may well be that stereotyping is inaccurate, and therefore dangerous, whether it comes from the left or the right.

And if that doesn't pique your interest in reading this book, then read it because, to use Magnuson's words, it "kicks bum!"

This book has the bottom line essentials for a non law student or law student preparing for a mock trial -- and is a useful primer on trial practice as well. Check out Lubet's Modern Trial Advocacy for the graduate level course on trial practice, but this accessible short version is really top quality.

Have coached Mock Trial for several years now, and used several books along the way. This one is far superior to the others, in terms of ease of use and clarity of approach.

The charts are great. They give step-by-step guidelines for trial tactics, cross-examinations, etc.

While working with my mock trial team at Georgetown University, I urged everyone on the team to buy a copy of this book. Because we didn't have a coach, having some source of authority on numerous issues relating to mock trial was critical. This book fit those needs perfectly. Not only do the authors walk through the basics of a trial, but they also include numerous tips for those already advanced in trial advocacy. The Georgetown team won its division at the 2002 College Mock Trial Nationals, placing 2nd in the country, beating far more experienced and well-coached teams. This book was certainly a part of that surprising success. It is a must-read for anyone looking to be more competitive and effective in the courtroom.

While working with my mock trial team at Georgetown University, I urged everyone on the team to buy a copy of this book. Because we didn't have a coach, having some source of authority on numerous issues relating to mock trial was critical. This book fit those needs perfectly. Not only do the authors walk through the basics of a trial, but they also include numerous tips for those already advanced in trial advocacy. The Georgetown team won its division at the 2002 College Mock Trial Nationals, placing 2nd in the country, beating far more experienced and well-coached teams. This book was part of that surprising success. It is a must-read for anyone looking to be more competitive and effective in the courtroom.

After writing for two newspapers in the greater Los Angeles area, I moved to Yuma and was called to be on a five week jury trial about a man who alledgedly murdered his wife.
The opening statements were so bizarre, I was captivated at once and knew that I had to write about the case. And so it was that I took copious notes that were taken away from me at the end of the trial! I felt that it should be public information at that point and was miffed to say the least! After three years of not getting it off my mind, I decided to go to the Clerk of the Superior Court's office and begin to take notes from the transcripts. I gained insights that the jury wasn't privy to. I also obtained a copy of the huge police report. Just taking notes took me six months as I didn't have a lap-top computer at the time.
So after about chapter 13 had been written, I became seriously ill and was diagnosed with a brain tumor and severe electrolyte embalance. I was in the ICU for eleven days and the hospital a month. I was like a three year old when I got out. I didn't know my husband or children at first. I couldn't remember words. I was brain damaged for two years and a doctor told me it was permanent. I knew that after all the years of college, it was a great loss, as I'd always valued my knowlege most of all.
Finally, after two years, my brain seemed to re-route itself and much of my long-term memory came back. It's been a long road and difficult to finish the book, now that I'm fighting spelling problems and typing problems that I never had before. I have amnesia for 2003 and some of 2004. Just two days ago I figured out that I got out of the hospital four years ago instead of five, like I thought, which makes the pets younger than I thought, but somehow I'm still the right age! So time is still difficult for me and short-term memory loss is embarrassing.
Despite my problems, I am getting so many compliments about the book that are so heart-warming. It's nice to know that people can relate to everything that I wrote. Some have said that they felt like they were there on the jury too. I even got compliments and quotes from one of the prosecutors who wanted to know why I changed his name! He even bought a book for his dad too.
I was, according to the doctor, "just hours away from dying" when I arrived in emergency and happy to have come back to this world to finish writing my book for people who have enjoyed reading it. And those of you who are pestering me for the next one, I'M WORKING ON IT! Best Wishes, Cher

'Murder by Gravity?' is a true crime drama that captures ones imagination and keeps one turning pages long into the night. The cast of characters is so strangely interwoven that it leaves the reader with questions that only real life is capable of presenting. A thoroughly enjoyable read, I find myself looking forward to her next offering.

I think the book is well written and the characters facinating. However, not the type I would invite home to tea. I honestly felt as though I was sitting in the jury box. I do recommend it to any one who enjoys Ann Rule and true crime stories. The story delivers all that's promised in the blurb

This is a perfect murder mystery. I was engrossed by this book from beginning to end. It was hard to believe it was a true story. Just the fact that one person could do that to another! Can't wait till it's made into a movie. Looking forward to her next book. She's a wonderful writer.

This is a truly amazing story of a family whose lives were ripped apart when their 18-year-old daughter was killed, and their search for justice.

From the moment "Lil Miss" Lisa Marie Kimmell disappears from their lives, through the endless search for her killer, until the time her murderer is sentenced 16 long years later, the author allows an inside look of what their lives were like. It is an incredibly moving story that touched my heart and left me in tears many times.

Above all, the Kimmells send the message that "life goes on" and we each have to make the best of it. The entire Kimmell family, and particularly mom Sheila, displayed true courage throughout their ordeal. This book is heartwrenching as well as heartwarming, and reading it will leave you a changed person.

I do not know the Kimmells and until I read the book was not familiar with the murder. I read the book in two days. As I was reading the book it seemed like Sheila Kimmell was sitting next to me telling the story. I have been in law enforcement for over 20 years and have investigated many cases to include homicides.

Many of the situations confronting the investigators in this case are often experienced by investigators in other murder cases that are random in nature. Fortunately most murders are acquaintance murders or we would all be in constant fear. Unfortunately there are far to many that are not acquaintance.

Lisa Marie's murder is frightening in that it was such a random crossing of paths with her killer. There are however more of these than people realize. I think this book does an excellent job of exploring how these paths may cross and will hopefully save lives if not open doors to finding the answer to more murders.

I would suggest everyone read this book. I wouldn't encourage panic but it will help to make us a little more cautious.

Lisa and I were about the same age when she disappeared. I wasn't afraid to travel alone until her murder. In fact, I was planning a trip to visit friends that would have taken me through the same area she disappeared from. After her disappearance and death, I cancelled the trip and didn't travel alone for a few years. I never forgot her story and created a page for her on a memorial website last fall. Through that, her mother contacted me. We spoke on the phone, but didn't meet until last month at a book signing.

I read the book within a day. It is very well written. Although I had a respect for the Kimmell family before I read it, having come to know more about them through this story, I really admire them for their courage in fighting for justice and for sharing their story.

I have worked in law enforcement for 9 years and haven't seen much "jurisdictional" problems. I think that is partially a result of the Kimmells' efforts due to their experience.

Now that I know more about the evil being who took Lisa's life , I honestly believe that Lisa's story might have saved my own life. Had her story not gained the publicity it did, I'd have been travelling alone a couple of months later in that same area where Eaton lived and hunted for victims. Lisa and I were the same age. I may have been one of his victims too had I not been frightened by her story.

In 1988 when Lisa Kimmell disappeared I was 9 years old. I still remember the news coverage and donating money to her reward fund at Arby's. Finally, after years her murderer was found. When Mrs Kimmell announced that her book was finished I couldn't wait to read it. I recieved it and read the whole thing in one day. She has done an excellent job of conveying her feelings and outlining her and her families struggle for the 16 years it took to find the man who took her precious daughters life. She was able to expel many of the rumors that had be circulating and she showed the precerverance of the numerous law enforcement officers and others that helped her to get the justice she deserved. This is a book that anyone who has ever seen or heard anything about the disappearance of "Lil Miss" should read!!

`Murder Unpunished: How the Aryan Brotherhood Murdered Waymond Small and Got Away with It' by Thornton W. Price III, has brought to life the events that I only remembered through newscast snippets and the occasional news paper editorial.

`Murder Unpunished' allows the reader to contemplate the concepts of the law being rational, yet the interpretation of the law may seem irrational. The reader can also reflect on why a person can act despicable yet still receive grace. Mr. Price presents the reader with an opportunity to question the concepts of revenge and universal justice. These themes of duality, like old friends, are revisited here in the pages penned by Mr. Price from his autobiographical and historic perspectives that have matured over time. He is unapologetic.

I for one wish to apologize for the state of Arizona's justice.

This book was very informitive about the code that convicts live under. Its a testament to learning to keeping your mouth shut when you do some dirt. Prison gangs are hardcore and the Aryan Brotherhood was formed in california with blood and sacrafice to protect white inmates, anybody who joins knows the commitment they are making as a soildier ( blood in blood out )

Inmates bent on running the asylum in an out-of-control prison dominated by homicidal gangs. Official corruption. Fraudulent land scales. A car bombing. Jurisdictional struggles. Hypnosis. A hung-over judge. Prosecutorial misconduct. A senile attorney.
What might sound like the ingredients of an over-wrought novel are the facts of Durango author Thornton W. Price III's nonfiction true crime book, "Murder Unpunished," published by The University of Arizona Press on July 1.
The cast of characters includes a future U.S. Supreme Court justice (Sandra Day O'Connor), a future Democratic presidential candidate (Bruce Babbitt) and the man who pioneered the psychological autopsy (Dr. Otto Bendheim).
But most of the players in this extraordinary peek at Arizona State Prison run amok came straight from Satan's casting call, even down to the unfortunate Waymond Small, possibly one of the nation's least likable murder victims.
The time is the late 1970s. In less than two years, there have been 14 murders and dozens of assaults at Arizona State Prison. The Arizona Republic has cast a relentless eye on the mayhem. The political pressure to do something ratchets up. And finally the Aryan Brotherhood takes a bridge too far with the murder of Small on the eve of his testimony to the state legislature.
Price, the author, was a young attorney. One of the inmates charged in connection with Small's death-a group collectively known as the Florence Eleven-ends up being Price's first murder case.
Tempting though it must have been, Price wisely avoids much use of the first-person in this economically written account of five murder trials. When he does resort to it, it's justified by the insight it offers.
My own first nonfiction true crime book, "Someone Has to Die Tonight," is scheduled to be published as a Pinnacle mass market paperback in March. I know the challenge Price took on in combing through 16,000 pages of court records and conducting interviews with key players for his narrative.
I also know how his involvement in the case probably made the task harder. I became a confidential informant in the case of a self-styled teen militia that I was documenting. Separating oneself from the story and keeping the narrative focused becomes more difficult when there's a personal connection.
The Florence Eleven was the case for Price: The case that every cop, attorney or crime reporter knows about-the one you never forget. In spite of this, Price showed remarkable discipline in his writing, and it serves his readers well.
My literary attorney, Bob Pimm, counseled me to make my book a train ride that readers wouldn't want to get off. The train needs to take off in the first chapter, he said, and the reader needs to want to say on all the way to the end.
Price kept me on the train.
"Murder Unpunished" has moments of writing that jumps out for its eloquence or economy. He describes one murder in two pithy sentences: "Even with a loaded gun to his head, the idiot wouldn't shut up. He'd dared him to shoot, so he did."
And here's how one of the large cast is introduced: "With a thin, six-foot-seven-inch frame, Jerry Joe `Stretch' Hillyer looked like he'd survived the rack."
And here, another: "Born in Scottsdale one week before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Tidwell's life began in as much ruin as the Pacific Fleet."
Price knows we need humor in a dark tale ridden with murder, rape and drug abuse, and he finds it (somehow it always seems to be there, even in the darkest crime, often because of the extraordinary stupidity of some criminals, whose choices in life seem determined to provide job security for police and prosecutors).
"Did you see anything?" a tired investigator asks in one of 650 inmate interviews after Small's murder.
"No."
"Would you tell us if you had seen anything?"
And then there's Price's account of the state's attempts to hypnotize a witness, a chapter that may alone justify the book's $17.95 cover price.
True crime is a tempting genre for the very reason that makes readers sometimes skeptical the writer could really know all he portrays. How could we know people's thoughts? How could we recapture dialog years after the fact?
It's possible because of the uniquely thorough nature of investigative and court records, around which entire books can be built. It's not an easy task sifting thousands of pages for the specks of gold that add up to a compelling narrative. There are a lot of mediocre true crime books out there. Price's is not one of them.
Here we find a writer unafraid to show a criminal's sheer enjoyment of violence. A writer who's resisted the temptation to include every fact or exchange he personally finds compelling, restraint that must sometimes have been painful.
He knows court procedure and introduces us to terms such as the "slow-form guilty plea"-the trial of someone obviously guilty from the get-go.
He shows us the Mau Maus, the Mexican Mafia, the Native Brotherhood and the Aryan Brotherhood out of control in Arizona's penal system and what was done to fix it. He gets the prison language of kites, fish and punks exactly right in a sometimes profane book that avoids overdosing on cussing and violence.
He explains very well why prison crimes are so singularly hard to investigate.
Down among the human dross, Price somehow emerges with none of the nastiness sticking to him or the reader. Better, he somehow makes us care.
He gives fascinating insight into how the Aryan Brotherhood worked, like a business. And he offers some motivation without making excuses for his unattractive cast.
The case comes as close to Durango as Chimney Rock, just off Highway 160.
Despite a misprint in the spelling of Price's name on the cover (one of those palm to the forehead blunders that has probably cost some hapless copyeditor restful sleep) "Murder Unpunished" is otherwise flawlessly edited.
This is entertaining, educational and compelling. I hope Price will find another case somewhere in his career worth writing about.

Murder Unpunished: How the Aryan Brotherhood Murdered Waymond Small and Got Away With It is a telling example of the truth that entering prison is like entering another culture or country. The rules, customs, and behaviors are foreign to those in the free world. People outside of the walls will never be able to appreciate or accept. The problem, however, is that the prisons are within our country and need to abide by the laws of the United States of America. This book did an excellent job of asking the question, "does justice occur after incarceration?" The short answer is, no. The bigger question to ask is, "when will this country enact laws that can adequately deal with prison gangs and the control that they have in our criminal justice system?" This book is a telling example of all the state and federal correctional facilities will experience with any prison gangs that occupy them. It is a must read for all correctional employees and lawmakers.

Charles Hagan shares with readers his years of experience and expertise as an effective litigator. This book provides useful information and tips for young practicing attorneys and should be viewed as an essential component of every lawyer's library. It clearly illustrates proven, time-tested methods for dealing effectively with criminal law processes. It includes helpful forms designed to save time and eliminate the need to "reinvent the wheel." Mr. Hagan is to be commended for providing such a helpful guidebook.

Edwin L. Walker, Esquire
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging
Administration on Aging
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
One Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Suite 5601
Washington, DC 20201

The book is a must read for future lawyers, particularly criminal defense attorneys. It fills a void for anyone wanting to learn more about the American criminal justice system.

"Insightful" "Easy to read" Can be read all at once or as 12 separate cases. Highly recommended for future law students.

NOT GUILTY EVERY TIME is a must read for new attorneys. Attorney Hagan takes the reader on a virtual tour of the criminal justice process from initial arrest to final sentencing and appeal. The twelve cases range from sexual abuse to murder to drug trafficking. Hagan seems to rarely lose a case in court and it is because of his meticulous preparation, organization, and having a strategy for each and every case his office takes to jury trial. He gives 7 keys to victory every time and they are the 7 that each lawyer should focus on. Nothing succeeds like success and Hagan has become a master trial planner and strategist. You can call him a "tiger" in the courtroom

This book is a must have in every new lawyers library. From start to finish I couldn't put this book down. Attorney Charles Hagan, Jr does an excellent job of explaining the process of a criminal trial from arrest to jury verdict. The many years of experience that Attorney Hagan has as a trial lawyer is not only helpful to those in the legal field, but it's very valuable information for the public at large. A very excellent reference book.

The authors give a full account of this historical trial. I had no background knowledge of the Nuremberg Trial, and I found this book easy to read as well as complete and detailed enough. I would complement it with Nuremberg's Diary, by Gilbert, to get a deeper insight of the defendants personalities. Although I can't compare this book with the others available on the subject, I would certainly recommend it as an excellent choice.

I first became familiar with the Tusas' study in 1985 while covering Argentina's "mini-Nuremberg" trial of the three military juntas that ruled in Buenos Aires from 1976 to 1982 for Newsweek and the Washington Post.

It is a wonderfully written, comprehensive study, really the best I have read on the subject either before or after. I recommend it without hesitation for all those interested in the trial itself, its effects on international law, or anyone who is just trying to make sense out of the murky period in which we now live.


Martin Edwin Andersen
Churchton, Maryland

This book is well written and informative. If your goal is to know about the Nuremberg Trial, or if you're a lawyer studying issues that arise in conducting international tribunals, you'll enjoy this book and it'll be five stars for you! If you're looking for an exciting book on WWII or the aftermath of that war, you'll probably be a bit bored with portions of this book and at best think it's worth three stars.

Best parts of the book deal with the opening and closing statements at the trial, testimony and cross examination of Goering, Speer, etc, the deliberations of the judges, the verdict and subesquent executions, including the mystery of how Goering got the cyanide the night he was to be hanged in order to commit suicide.

What might bore you if you're not a lawyer is the international law stuff, so I'll give the book four stars.

This book must be the best account of the Nuremberg trial out there. OK, I'll admit I haven't read all the other accounts, but this one gives all the information any interested person needs to know about the trial without getting mired in needless detail. Plus it's written in narrative style and the Tusa's personal observations are side splittingly funny at times (Hard to imagine for such a serious topic, but they do it)

The book begins before the actual trial and details the discussions that the four powers had about the trial - what the scope of it would be, which countries would be represented, what the charges would be, who would fund it etc... The actual pre-trial preparation was such a mammoth task and this book helps the reader appreciate the difficulties facing the judges, lawyers and administrative staff.

After this introduction, we get a view of the prosecution and defence teams and the judges. The Tusas have done an excellent job by bringing us behind the scenes of the actual trail and getting us up close and personal with the 'stars' at the trial. They help us understand where the judges are coming from and how the different systems make it difficult for them to agree on certain aspects of the trial - very accessible to those who aren't lawyers.

What is the more interesting part of this book is the character studies of the various defendants. The Tusas have succeeded in making these men come alive. I was reminded of the movie Nuremburg with Alec Baldwin when I read the description of Goering and Speer. (Incidentally that would be an excellent movie to watch after reading this book.). The cases against these men are explained both from the prosecution and the defence side. Heavy sarcasm lightens the mood especially when some of the heinous crimes are described; it is amazing the blatant lies that some of these 'leaders' told when faced with their crimes.

There is a short section on the case against Organizations; the SS, SA, Gestapo etc... which is followed by the verdicts and the executions. I think that this book is fairly unbiased and factual (there are references at the end of each chapter and it's from the BBC J ) I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the second world war and especially the part that the Germans played in it.

This book was fascinating from the first page until the last. Mr.Kunen has a way with words that will grip the reader as he did me. The intimate details of the crash and the lives of the young victims will bring a tear to your eye. And how Ford Motors was defeated in the end will have you cheering in a bittersweet way. A masterpiece. I have read hundreds of books and this book tops my list to this day even though I first read it 6 years ago.

I happen to know the grandparents (both sets) of one of the students killed in this crash. The book has a big impact on me, not only for the tragedy itself, but that it has a personal meaning also. I had a hardcopy of this book in the library in which I worked and now I want my own copy.

My math teacher was on the bus when it crashed and allowed me to read one of his two copies of this book, 3 of his friends were killed and if it was n't for his other friend he would have died too for he was sitting 3 rows from the front and saw the youth director get blown up when the explosion occured.

I had seen a road sign in Kentucky referring to a bus crash, but didn't know anything about it. One day I saw Mr. Kunen's book at a local bookstore and realized it was the same thing. When I started reading the book I couldn't put it down. Up until that day it was a road sign; afterwards it was a tragic memorial to the death of the innocent.

Although I get the impression that the ABA choose this book for the general reader in order to cast some illumination on the criminal justice system, as a practicing prosecutor who enjoys this genre but finds little time to read it, I enjoyed this story very much and recommend it to the guild of prosecutors, especially assistant district attorneys. It is more in the style of Turow rather than Grisham, it is relatively short for the busy reader, and it treats the drug trial accurately, for I myself have tried drug possession cases and have dealt with the issue of knowing possession before a jury. I am going to recommend it to all my fellow prosecutors in my office.

The Shadow of Justice is a tantalizing beginning for a new author. One can hardly wait to turn the pages to find out what happens next to Judge Clark and his cohorts in the Miami legal scene. The interspersing of cultural nuances that are so mandatory to the flavor of the city only whet one's appetite for the story to follow. Full of surprises, this book had me interested from the beginning to the end. Can't wait for the next book.

Hirsch has written a wonderful legal thriller. In The Shadow of Justice, a Miami judge must confront the incomprehensible, violent crime of one dear friend and the awful corruption of another. The intelligent narrative works as an exceptionally fast-paced suspense novel and an excellent primer on criminal law. It's not often one gets an inside look into the seamy side of Miami from such a literate storyteller, one who quotes Tennyson and Proverbs with equal finesse. A terrific read!

A terrific novel. The main characters - the Miami trial judge who writes the first person narrative, a criminal defense lawyer whose moral ambiguity conflicts with his lawyerly competence and obligations, and a police officer (who, though dead as the novel begins, is brought to life through the recollections of the judge and attorney) - are as well crafted as the apparently simple plot, which leads to a complex moral dilemma and an unexpected, but understandable outcome. Equally well depicted are the tension between what law requires and justice demands, the scruffy not-quite-dignity of Miami's trial courts, and the course of a brief, "routine" drug possession trial, the intersection where the book's characters and themes collide. The book's lawyer-author clears away the resulting wreckage with skill and insight, while leading the reader to ponder what he would have done, had he been in the place of each of the three main characters as they chose the paths that the book has them follow.

Prof. Colaiaco teaches in the Great Books program at NYU. His experience teaching high-level undergraduates shows in this book, which is very accessible to the educated non-specialist who wants to know why Socrates is so important.

The book is organized chronologically, following the events of the trial as they are presented to us in the dialogues of Plato. The style is clear and concise. There are copious footnotes, 670 of them in 227 pages, but they are all pertinent and they do not interfere significantly with the narrative flow. There is an extensive bibliography, almost as valuable as the narrative itself, for those interested in pursuing further study of Socrates.

Prof. Colaiaco deeply admires Socrates, holds him up as the first example of principled opposition by the individual to arbitrary state power. He is disappointed by Socrates' provocation of the jury into sentencing him to death, and in Socrates' refusal to accept exile as an alternative. Yet Colaiaco shows that the outcome was inevitable, given the desperate political situation of Athens at the time, and Socrates' stubborn lifelong mission to save the souls of his fellow citizens.

Colaiaco notes that the jury was obligated to make a decision that was in the best interest of the Athenian polis, not in the best interest of justice. This illustrates just how different Athenian legal and political ideas were from our own, even though Athens was a democracy. Under the Athenian legal system, the law was whatever the Athenian jury, chosen by lot, said it was on the day it rendered its verdict, and there was no appeal. Our concept of justice as "equality before the law" did not come into existence until some generations later, and then not in Athens, but in Rome.

I was disappointed that Prof. Colaiaco didn't comment on Socrates' last words, telling Crito to sacrifice a cock to Aesclepius. Socrates was no doubt being ironic, as always, but what did he mean? That his soul had been healed? That he was "cured" finally of the "illness" of life?

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to understand the sources of the Western tradition we all share.

Related reading:

Gregory Vlastos: "The Historical Socrates and Athenian Democracy" in his book "Socratic Studies". This is aimed at the specialist, is more demanding than Colaiaco, but just as interesting.

I do not recommend I.F. Stone's book on Socrates [...] If you must read Stone, read Colaiaco and Vlastos first.

A.E. Taylor's "Socrates" is [...] dated, but still interesting.

This book is an excellent study of the trial of Socrates in its historical and cultural context. Unlike other studies, this book presents both sides of what the author conceives to be a tragic collision of values between the philosopher and Athens. The book is distinguished by excellent prose, clear and insightful analysis, and cogent arguments. This book is invaluable for anyone who wants to better understand Plato's APOLOGY and CRITO, which are dramatic re-creations of Socrates' trial, condemnation, and imprisonment. The author succeeds in transporting the reader back into the world of ancient Athens.
This book is suitable for the general reader as well as scholars. Many works, designed primarily for scholars, depict Socrates as a series of abstract arguments, depriving him of the humanity and passion that made him a great philosopher. Having read I.F. Stone on the trial of Socrates, which distorts the philosopher, presenting him as an authoritarian anti-democrat, I welcome Colaiaco's book for its presentation of a more objective view.
Unlike other studies which take either the side of Socrates or Athens, the author's approach is a balanced one. The reader is led to respect Socrates, the philosopher as hero who maintained his integrity until the end, and at the same time understand why the Athenians were threatened by his radical critique of their fundamental values. A glance at the table of contents will reveal that the book offers an enlightening intellectual history of Athens during the decline of its glory.
This book makes excellent reading for anyone interested in better understanding one of the greatest trials in history.

A graceful guide containing valuable historical and cultural description of Socrates' Athens, James Colaiaco's well informed and sometimes provocative exploration of an ancient conflict between democracy and dissidence evokes the scene and sense of the great philosopher's trial. It is a welcome addition to the literature on Socrates' trial and imprisonment that will enliven the modern debate over civil disobedience.

The main thing about philosophy in ancient Greece is that it produced the ultimate account of the case which is the subject of SOCRATES AGAINST ATHENS by James A. Colaiaco. It has the Notes, Selected Bibliography, and Index of a scholarly work, and the last page of the Index shows more pages listed for Leo Strauss than for I. F. Stone. There are even more entries in the Index for Friedrich Nietzsche than for Stone and Strauss, which shows an awareness of the larger philosophical questions involved. All the information in this book is an outstanding background for understanding what Nietzsche was trying to explain in Section 340 of THE GAY SCIENCE, called, "The dying Socrates." Nietzsche was impressed by the last moment of Socrates' life.

`Whether it was death or the poison or piety or malice--something loosened his tongue at that moment and he said: "O Crito, I owe Asclepius a rooster." '

Colaiaco puts so much emphasis on "the moral claim that one's duty to obey God is superior to one's duty to obey the state" (pp. 1-2) that the final words of Socrates must seem much more sarcastic after reading this book than for anyone who has merely shared I. F. Stone's interest in Athens as an origin of judicial process, democracy, and free speech. I. F. Stone's THE TRIAL OF SOCRATES (1988) hardly mentions Nietzsche and Gregory Vlastos, but his knowledge of Greek language and culture provide an interesting political background for understanding Stone's imaginative chapters, "How Socrates Easily Might have Won Acquittal," and "What Socrates Should Have Said."

In fact, the trial put so much emphasis on Socrates' failure to observe the customs of ordinary Athenians, having his last words call for a sacrifice to the god of health might seem to be a continuation of the point Socrates was making in the conclusion of his argument at his trial. "Surely, he presumes, unable to resist one final barb against his accusers, philosophers would not be executed for critical activity in the underworld." (Colaiaco, pp. 184-185). Colaiaco accepts Socrates' willingness to participate in a death sentence as the ultimate triumph of philosophy over the judgments of this world, though his own acceptance of this judgment is hedged by the comment, "Significantly, he omits any mention of a possible encounter with Achilles, the Homeric warrior-hero whom he, as philosopher-hero, superseded." (p. 184). On the scale of truth in philosophy and politics, this could be some indication of why modern politicians have so little expectation of being confronted by philosophers, as Hitler hardly ever heard anything from Martin Heidegger.