Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$16.99

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.99
with membership

Hardcover
$27.56

Paperback
$12.79

$12.79 with 42 percent savings

List Price: $22.00

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

to get FREE delivery Tuesday, November 5. Order within 1 hr 11 mins

Or Non members get FREE delivery Friday, November 8 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Select delivery location

In Stock

$$12.79 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2025

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2025

For the 2024 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$9.91

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

Used book in good and clean conditions. Pages and cover are intact. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Ships directly from Amazon. Used book in good and clean conditions. Pages and cover are intact. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Ships directly from Amazon. See less

to get FREE delivery Wednesday, November 6. Order within 1 hr 11 mins

Or Non members get FREE delivery Friday, November 8 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Select delivery location

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$12.79 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by ZBK Wholesale and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (89) from $6.06 & FREE Shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the authors

The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court Paperback – Illustrated, July 1, 2005

by Bob Woodward (Author)

4.5 469 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$12.79","priceAmount":12.79,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"79","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2F6uRsuJ2RpBLGbLZX2%2Fkgzhs0b47YixHZfyWxM%2BdxiOemgdFPSwliU62rgW4eJWqZtCOjFb06qtJZrX%2FQFCCeJJNAXxQ1I9TrxxDBYQYm7TdX%2BCd39r34iAei7pT%2BLenZCRAepU%2FfRc%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.91","priceAmount":9.91,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"91","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2F6uRsuJ2RpBLGbLZX2%2Fkgzhs0b47YixHaerK3pLgRQUb2J8oqhQssxGDHF8p%2FNkpBGN0KgR9MuswAM3fn6cYos6T%2BR8t5gg3kZ8ViuTDh%2B84HOfeAUESO%2Be7QTkkzvdwf3TRJkt30TRp7h0mzP7g%2BZstMB3RbS9zvsfYAHkl96fTBkjJfWN2%2FHfJ7o%2ByNN29","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The Brethren is the first detailed behind-the-scenes account of the Supreme Court in action.

Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong have pierced its secrecy to give us an unprecedented view of the Chief and Associate Justices—maneuvering, arguing, politicking, compromising, and making decisions that affect every major area of American life.

Print length

608 pages
Language

English
Publication date

July 1, 2005
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.8 x 8.44 inches
ISBN-10

9780743274029
ISBN-13

978-0743274029
See all details

This item: The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court

$12.79

Get it as soon as Friday, Nov 8

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

$10.99

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

Sold by Distinctive Products and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.

+

Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices

$12.79

Get it as soon as Friday, Nov 8

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Total price: $00

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Explosive...The most controversial book on the Supreme Court yet written."
-- Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Fascinating. The pace is swift, with details that rivet the attention."
-- The Washington Post Book World

"A provocative book about a hallowed institution...It is the most comprehensive inside story ever written of the most important court in the world. For this reason alone it is required reading."
-- BusinessWeek

"It is to the credit of Woodward and Armstrong that they were willing -- and able -- to shatter this conspiracy of silence. It is certainly in the highest tradition of investigative journalism."
-- Saturday Review

"One hell of a reporting achievement."
-- The Village Voice

"The year's best political book."
-- New York Post

About the Author

Bob Woodward is the author of three consecutive #1 New York Times bestsellers on President Trump—Fear (2018), Rage (2020), and Peril (2021) with Robert Costa—and an audiobook of 20 interviews with Trump. He has authored 22 bestselling books, 15 of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, covering every president from Nixon to Biden.

Scott Armstrong is executive director of the Information Trust. A former reporter for The Washington Post, he founded the National Security Archive and was a senior investigator for the Senate Watergate Committee.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0743274024
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster; Reissue edition (July 1, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 608 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780743274029
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0743274029
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.8 x 8.44 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #54,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4 in Courts & Law
- #16 in United States Judicial Branch
- #34 in General Constitutional Law

Customer Reviews:
4.5 469 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Bob Woodward
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Bob Woodward is an associate editor of The Washington Post, where he has worked since 1971. He has shared in two Pulitzer Prizes, first in 1973 for the coverage of the Watergate scandal with Carl Bernstein, and second in 2003 as the lead reporter for coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
He has authored or coauthored 18 books, all of which have been national non-fiction bestsellers. Twelve of those have been #1 national bestsellers. He has written books on eight of the most recent presidents, from Nixon to Obama.
Bob Schieffer of CBS News has said, “Woodward has established himself as the best reporter of our time. He may be the best reporter of all time.”
In 2014, Robert Gates, former director of the CIA and Secretary of Defense, said that he wished he’d recruited Woodward into the CIA, saying of Woodward, “He has an extraordinary ability to get otherwise responsible adults to spill [their] guts to him...his ability to get people to talk about stuff they shouldn’t be talking about is just extraordinary and may be unique.”
Gene Roberts, the former managing editor of The New York Times, has called the Woodward-Bernstein Watergate coverage, “maybe the single greatest reporting effort of all time.” In listing the all-time 100 best non-fiction books, Time Magazine has called All the President’s Men, by Bernstein and Woodward, “Perhaps the most influential piece of journalism in history.”
In 2018 David Von Drehle wrote, “What [Theodore] White did for presidential campaigns, Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward has done for multiple West Wing administrations – in addition to the Supreme Court, the Pentagon, the CIA and the Federal Reserve.”
Woodward was born March 26, 1943 in Illinois. He graduated from Yale University in 1965 and served five years as a communications officer in the United States Navy before beginning his journalism career at the Montgomery County (Maryland) Sentinel, where he was a reporter for one year before joining the Post.
Photos, a Q&A, and additional materials are available at Woodward's website, www.bobwoodward.com.
See more on the author's page
Scott Armstrong
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

469 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the content interesting, useful, and eye-opening. They describe the writing quality as well-written, easy to read, and accessible. Readers also mention the pacing is excellent, riveting, and vivid. They find the personalities of the justices clearly defined.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Insight Writing quality Pacing Personality Humor

30 customers mention "Insight"30 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, useful, and educational. They describe it as eye-opening, thought-provoking, and the best book on the inner workings of the US Supreme Court.

"...Anyway, I found the book a wonderful eye into the hidden workings of the Supreme Court. Just one comment...." Read more

"...if you enjoy history about the Supreme Court during a specific era, this is good." Read more

"Great book. Helped me understand the workings of the Supreme Court." Read more

"Fascinating, fast paced and full of insights, it's easy to see why The Brethren remains in print decades after its originally release, and why it..." Read more

20 customers mention "Writing quality"16 positive4 negative

Customers find the book well-written and easy to read. They say it's a terrific read with a great balance.

"First of all, Bob Woodward is a tremendous writer and his style kept me engaged the whole time I was reading The Bretheren...." Read more

"Well written book, maybe a lot more detail for the average reader...." Read more

"...It is a little dated, but still a fun and well-written insider's story of the workings of the U.S. Supreme Court...." Read more

"...This book is worth reading for the fascinating back story of how Roe v. Wade got decided, but on top of that it provides gives us fascinating..." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive0 negative

Readers find the pacing of the book riveting, vivid, and engaging. They also say the structure and pace are excellent.

"...of all, Bob Woodward is a tremendous writer and his style kept me engaged the whole time I was reading The Bretheren...." Read more

"...and Armstrong's writing covers significant ground, the structure and pace are both excellent and the injection of humour and the personalities of..." Read more

"...Though published in 1979, The Brethren is still a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how the Supreme Court of the US really functions...." Read more

"...It's easy to read, funny and thoughtful. I loved it." Read more

5 customers mention "Personality"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the personalities of the justices clearly defined, with their individual warts and halos exposed. They also say the individuals are extremely interesting.

"...I also find the individual justices extremely interesting...." Read more

"...a slow read because of the dryness of the material, but the characters are well defined and it is an inside look at how the Court functioned at the..." Read more

"An eye opening look behind the vale. The personalities of the justices are clearly defined with their individual warts and halos exposed...." Read more

"It gave you an insight into the personality, politics, and feelings of the various justices...." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book amusing and enlightening. They say it's easy to read and well-written.

"...It is a little dated, but still a fun and well-written insider's story of the workings of the U.S. Supreme Court...." Read more

"...personalities and proclivities of the justices are both amusing and enlightening...." Read more

"...It's easy to read, funny and thoughtful. I loved it." Read more

"Fast and entertaining read..." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Bart Baker

An eye opening account of how the court operates

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2023

Verified Purchase

First of all, Bob Woodward is a tremendous writer and his style kept me engaged the whole time I was reading The Bretheren. I am not an expert on the Supreme Court but have read several books on it's history. I also find the individual justices extremely interesting. I never realized before how much "lobbying" occurs among justices trying to get other justices to see (and perhaps join) in their opinions on a particular case. It is also wonderful to see how (in particular cases) the power lies not in the extreme right or left of the court but somewhere in the middle (i.e. John Paul Stevens, Potter Stewart, Luis Powell and, at times, Byron White.) My biggest concern with Woodward is this-- was Warren Burger really that much of a fool? His ineptitude seems unbelievable and was such that even his fellow justices made fun of him and the other clerks many times seem to hold him in contempt. I think that Burger's main problem is that he forgot where the political realm stopped and the role of the judiciary began (esp. when it came to Nixon's White House.

Anyway, I found the book a wonderful eye into the hidden workings of the Supreme Court. Just one comment. One reviewer wrote that "no justice was interviewed for this book." If she (Jean) had read in very beginning, the authors state that information was based on interviews with several justices, so she is wrong. I wish that people who contributed gave correct information in their reviews- it would be more helpful for people in their choice of reading.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Grandmom in Arizona

Good Book

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024

Verified Purchase

Well written book, maybe a lot more detail for the average reader. However if you enjoy history about the Supreme Court during a specific era, this is good.

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2024

Verified Purchase

Great book. Helped me understand the workings of the Supreme Court.

Helpful

A. Spence

Fascinating & full of insights; a vivid and still engaging account of the events and personalities of America's peak court

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2013

Verified Purchase

Fascinating, fast paced and full of insights, it's easy to see why The Brethren remains in print decades after its originally release, and why it continues to earn praise to this day. Woodward and Armstrong exemplify the highest standards and efforts of investigative journalism, conveying a vivid account of the events and personalities of America's peak, and usually secretive, legal institution, during a period of significant political and social upheaval.

Their account begins with the closing days of the Warren court, hailed as a liberal period for the court's jurisprudence. In the White House, Richard Nixon sees Chief Justice Earl Warren's retirement as an opportunity to begin hosing down what he perceives as rampant, bleeding-heart liberalism, appointing Warren Burger as Chief. Subsequent Nixon appointments would strengthen the conservative wing of the Court, but as The Brethren reveals, not all goes according to plan. The book traces then traces the first six and a half years of the Burger Court. Along the way their account is one of a Chief who more often follows than guides the court, of processes within the court that raise serious questions about the carriage of justice and of politics and personalities playing a greater a role than perhaps many realised.

Woodward and Armstrong's writing covers significant ground, the structure and pace are both excellent and the injection of humour and the personalities of the various justices along the way speaks not only to their talent in writing this book, but also to the fine detail captured in their research for it.

Accounts of the Supreme Court remain rare, and accounts of this quality rarer still. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend The Brethren

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Adam D.

Great Timeless Book

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2005

Verified Purchase

This book might seem dated: it describes the machinations of the court from 1969 to 1976, which included, among other things, Roe v. Wade and the Watergate tapes case. However, it is far from obsolete. The Brethren is a still-unprecedented look into the Supreme Court, the most secretive top-level branch of government. Although the faces (save one) and the cases are different, the way in which cases are decided by this body has likely not, plus it is a look at a tumultous time in ours as well as the Court's history.

The focus of the story is Chief Justice Warren Earl Burger, who replaces Earl Warren after his retirement. The irony of the names is unexplored, but it is appropriate, because Burger becomes progressively preoccupied with trying to match Warren's legacy. Unlike Warren, though, he allows political concerns and vanity to influence his judgment and, bit by bit, erode the confidence of his colleagues, to the point where the late William Rehnquist, then a young conservative on the Court, makes fun of him behind his back. Although this book is unflattering to some of the justices, such as Thurgood Marshall, who is noted as lazy and uninvolved and Byron White, who is noted to be unlikeable, Burger is the biggest loser here. The book was published in the early 80s, only a few years before Burger left the court, and the image of him as a pompous, preening, intellectually deficient and generally clueless politician cost him, big time. In spite of the landmark rulings his Court made, he was unable to reverse the Warren Court's liberal activism (as he had hoped to do). His "Minnesota Twin", Harry Blackmun, would drift further away from him, both politically and personally, until finally becoming the most liberal justice after the departure of Thurgood Marshall in 1991. Burger's Macchiavellian strategizing to assign opinions caused such a backlash that, at one point, William Brennan decides to vote for whatever side of a case puts him in the minority so that Burger won't be able to assign him another crappy oppinion.

Ultimately, Burger had good intentions, but his blunders dominate the book. He is a fascinating character, almost as bad a manager and as delusional as David Brent from the recent BBC TV Series The Office. Some of the principals come out looking good: Potter Stewart, for example, and Brennan also. But Rehnquist comes out best, in spite of some scheming and obfuscation. Burger, though, is front and center, and he's a reminder of how we're to seriously we all should take the business of the Court.

27 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Michael P. Maciuk

An Eye Opener

Reviewed in Canada on December 27, 2011

Verified Purchase

The Brethren covers the Supreme Court of the United States of America from 1969 to 1975. It is evident that the authors Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong did secure their information from former unnamed clerks of the court as well as others as there is no supporting documentation contained in this publication. There is no doubt in my mind that there was a great deal of exhaustive research conducted prior to publishing this book.

The Brethren is really a historic look and examination of the inner-workings of the Supreme Court of the United States of America and covers such areas as inner conflict amongst the judiciary, inner-politics, personalities, abilities of the judiciary, competence of the judiciary, government influence, political influence on decisions of the court, conference voting, assignments of majority opinions of the court, judicial strategy, judicial idiosyncrasies, judicial behaviour and respect towards each other, judicial compromises and deals and the ideological make-up of the court not seen by the average citizen.

The book also addresses areas that are not normally made public such as the role of moderates of the court, voting compromises amongst the judiciary, the writing of court opinions, how the judiciary advance their own ideology and beliefs in their decisions, how written opinions are often amended and why, concerns of the judiciary about new appointments to the court, personal lives of the judiciary, influence of law clerks on the judiciary, the inner workings of the law clerks, the role and influence of the Chief Justice, constitutional arguments and the true workings and operations of the 14 Justices of Supreme Court of America during the late 1960's and early 1970's.

The Brethren affords the reader to view the workings of the Supreme Court of America from the inside out rather than from the outside in!

One person found this helpful

Klytanous

Bob can write.

Reviewed in Canada on June 17, 2019

Verified Purchase

Love the insight.

CDM

Very Good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2013

Verified Purchase

Fantastic read, very useful in an academic evaluation of the role of the US Supreme Court and Civil Rights. Also, a very interesting book for general knowledge.

Eve-Marie Bouchard

The Brethren

Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2013

Verified Purchase

The book is amazing, but the copy I received was not in good shape. The cover was dirty. Very disappointing.

See more reviews

Return this item for free

Return this item for free

Image Unavailable

Follow the authors