{"product_id":"independent-journey-the-life-of-william-o-douglas-9780060140427","title":"Independent journey: The life of William O. Douglas","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe first major biography of Justice William O. Douglas presents a vital  human portrait of the most controversial man to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court in its 191-year history. The book is based on three and a half years of research and interviews with Douglass friends and enemies  his children and wives  and Douglas himself.  Throughout his record 36 years on the Court  Douglas promoted the causes of human dignity and enrichment in his judicial opinions and produced books on his world travels and crusades to save the natural environment. James F. Simon probes behind the public image of Douglas  the generous libertarian  to find a man of personal insecurities and fascinating contradictions. His book traces Douglass life from his early days as a three-year-old afflicted with polio and aware of a country doctors prediction that he would die by the age of 40  to his climb to health and  later  national prominence on the U.S. Supreme Court. Along the way  Simon describes Douglass fears as a youngster  his bitter feud with Felix Frankfurter  his enigmatic role in behind-the-scenes drama in the case of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and his challenge to the imperial presidency of Richard Nixon.  His causes so offended conservative members of Congress that  on four separate occasions  they tried to impeach him. They also disapproved of his private life  particularly his four marriages  the last occurring when the Justice was 67 years old and his bride 23. Simon also writes of Douglas  the famous humanitarian  who could be cruel to his wives  callous to his children  indifferent to his colleagues and brutal to those who worked for him. Independent Journey: The Life of William O. Douglas presents and insightful and intimate portrait of Douglass generosity and pettiness  his genius and intellectual laziness  his personal problems and public greatness. It also accurately portrays the nations highest court.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45276520480821,"sku":"ByrdShop_0060140429","price":65.16,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780060140427.jpg?v=1780554351","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/independent-journey-the-life-of-william-o-douglas-9780060140427","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}