Roe V. Wade: And the Fight over Life and Liberty (Historic Supreme Court Cases) [Library Binding]

Nancy Tompkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1996 | Series: Historic Supreme Court Cases

Examines the individuals and the issues involved in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case which legalized abortion.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up. An informed yet accessible account of the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case. The first and last chapters profile Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote the majority opinion; Sarah Weddington, the attorney who argued the case; and Norma McCorvey, the young, pregnant, unmarried woman who sought an abortion at a time when it was illegal in Texas. Intervening chapters discuss the events that led to the Roe decision, later reactions within the pro-choice and antiabortion movements, and the judicial and legislative interpretations that have followed up to the present time. Possible future ramifications of the more wide-spread use of the compound RU-486 in the United States are also given. D. J. Herda's Roe v. Wade (Enslow, 1994) is similar, but by focusing on the personalities behind the legal struggle, this volume does a better job of clarifying the complexities of this social issue.?Janet Woodward, Franklin High School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. Comparisons between this book, the latest entry in the Supreme Court Cases series, and Stevens' recent The Case of Roe v. Wade are inevitable. Stevens' is the more vibrant and historically comprehensive, invoking names and events stretching back to the nineteenth century. Tompkins also draws on the past, but she centers her discussion largely on events surrounding the case itself and the controversy the decision has fostered. Although she gives a less fragmented view of the major players in the situation than does Stevens, she supplies less context (for example, she mentions McCorvey's change of opinion about abortion with little explanation). She also gives a less balanced view of abortion's detractors than does Stevens. What stands out most here is the clear description of the courtroom maneuvering, which Tompkins buttresses with smoothly integrated, judiciously chosen, well-documented (Stevens' book loses out on this score) quotes and excerpts. She clearly defines the difficulties of making a case to "protect a right that has never before been recognized" and also gives readers an idea of how laws change to reflect the times. Stephanie Zvirin

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Library Binding: 160 pages
• Publisher: Franklin Watts (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531112861
• ISBN-13: 978-0531112861
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,610,988 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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