
Amazon Prime Free Trial
FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button and confirm your Prime free trial.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited FREE Prime delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Supreme Anecdotes: Tales from the Supreme Court Paperback – October 14, 2024
Purchase options and add-ons
Discover the hidden personalities behind the Supreme Court's most pivotal decisions in this captivating new book. Through vivid anecdotes and intimate stories, readers are introduced to the justices not just as legal minds, but as individuals with distinct characters and quirks. From Chief Justice John Marshall's conviviality and his clever rule to enjoy wine only when it rained, to the tragic tale of John Rutledge's struggle with mental health and public perception, the book brings to life the human side of the Court. Experience the wit and wisdom of justices like Joseph Story, who found a way to please Marshall's love for Madeira, and the resilience of Charles Evans Hughes, whose extraordinary memory left little to be debated during conferences.
Venture into the lives of justices who, despite their influential roles, faced personal battles and societal challenges. Learn about the financial woes of Justice James Wilson, the haunting ailment of John Blair, and the dependence on painkillers that nearly tarnished William Rehnquist's legacy. Discover the humorous yet humble encounters of justices mistaken for tourists or elevator operators, underscoring their relative anonymity despite their significant impact. This book offers a fresh perspective on the Supreme Court, providing an enriched understanding of the justices' thought processes and the institution's political nature through these compelling and often surprising anecdotes.
- Print length316 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherRand-Smith LLC
- Publication dateOctober 14, 2024
- Dimensions6 x 0.71 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101950544532
- ISBN-13978-1950544530
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Editorial Reviews
Review
"I cannot think of another book on the Supreme Court that I enjoyed reading more or that I learned more from. Robert Peck and Anthony Champagne have written a magnificent book presenting anecdotes about the justices, both the famous and the obscure. Most of all, the book shows us the human beings in the robes and reminds us that the law is a product of who is on the bench." -Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
"The history of the Supreme Court traditionally has been treated as a long train of legal doctrines made by dour and serious justices taking the law, and often themselves, entirely too seriously. Peck and Champagne reveal, through a series of anecdotes and stories, that from the beginning, justices of the Supreme Court are anything but dour-indeed they were people of flamboyant personalities who led interesting lives. This book not only will give the reader an appreciation of the history of the Supreme Court from the days of John Jay to the present Roberts Court but will also induce a chuckle a page. Readers will, not so accidentally, gain an appreciation for the honor and wisdom of people who have served but also endure puns about basketball games played on 'the highest court in the land.' Warning-put aside a couple of hours when you open this book because you won't be able to set it down!" -James Riddlesperger, Jr., Professor of Political Science, Texas Christian University
"An apt anecdote can reveal the character of a prominent person. That is especially the case for judges robed in neutral black. This charming book peeks beneath those robes at the foibles, follies, and the occasional withering wit of the Supremes who have populated the most solemn branch of government, proving that justices are human." -Royce Hanson, Research Professor, George Washington University Institute of Public Policy
"The authors paint a refreshing and unprecedented portrait of the men and women who have profoundly shaped American history through their service on the Court. Superbly researched, evocative, and inspiring, Supreme Anecdotes is a must read for all who care about the majesty and frailty of the rule of law." -Hon. Wallace B. Jefferson, former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court
"SUPREME ANECDOTES shows the reader a very different side of the Justices, including the fact that many of them did not come close to fitting our ideal of members of our Highest Court." -Alan B. Morrison, Lerner Family Associate Dean for Public Interest and Public Service Law, George Washington University Law School
About the Author
Anthony Champagne is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. In 1990-91, he served as a Supreme Court Judicial Fellow (as did Robert Peck). He is the recipient of three university teaching awards and one University of Texas system teaching award. Champagne's teaching and research focused on the Supreme Court, Congressional leadership, and Texas politics.
Product details
- Publisher : Rand-Smith LLC (October 14, 2024)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 316 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1950544532
- ISBN-13 : 978-1950544530
- Item Weight : 1.02 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.71 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,141,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #95 in Judicial System
- #301 in Courts & Law
- #39,521 in United States History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
Customer reviews
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star5 star70%0%0%30%0%70%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star4 star70%0%0%30%0%0%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star3 star70%0%0%30%0%0%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star2 star70%0%0%30%0%30%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star1 star70%0%0%30%0%0%
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2024In bite-sized stories, every justice to serve on the Supreme Court is covered with often hilarious anecdotes that give a vivid sense of their personalities and an inside look at how the Supreme Court actually operates.


