Customer Reviews

Defending Everybody

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While written as a companion book to the PBS broadcast of the same name it stands alone as an adequate, spritely written review of the ACLU's history. Like a skipping stone, it moves over their troubled waters, briefly touching upon both the high and low points of their past eforts. Not meaning to represent itself as a complete analysis of the ACLU, Garey, none the less, has written an entertaining and thoughtful book. It will serve as an excellent introduction to the complex entity the ACLU has become.

Garey's history shows the ACLU's most magnificnent victories as well as the organization's most inglorious warts. This book makes history of civil liberties in America come alive. The stories are gripping. The writing sparkles.

This book was done by Diane Garey, whose creative roots are in film not as an author. I think she has compiled an excellent book as a companion to the PBS film and agree with another reviewer that this book is also excellent on its own.

As a card carrying member of the ACLU I sometimes cannot praise the ACLU enough, while other times, I cannot wrap my mind around why they take some positions that seen in diametrical opposition to what I want them to. This book gives a great explanation of how and why the ACLU has been viewed as a savior and a villian, and why we are all better off for their existence.

You can only admire a group of people who defend the bill of rights. It isfashionable to defend the ten commandments, but if you defend the billof rights, you are called every namein the book. I salute the ACLU andanybody else who defends the rights ofAmerica.