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Out of Order
- Stories from the History of the Supreme Court
- Narrated by: Sandra Day O'Connor
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
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Publisher's summary
From Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court, comes this fascinating book about the history and evolution of the highest court in the land.
Out of Order sheds light on the centuries of change and upheaval that transformed the Supreme Court from its uncertain beginnings into the remarkable institution that thrives and endures today. From the early days of circuit-riding, when justices who also served as trial judges traveled thousands of miles per year on horseback to hear cases, to the changes in civil rights ushered in by Earl Warren and Thurgood Marshall; from foundational decisions such as Marbury vs. Madison to modern-day cases such as Hamdi vs. Rumsfeld, Justice O’Connor weaves together stories and lessons from the history of the Court, charting turning points and pivotal moments that have helped define our nation’s progress.
With unparalleled insight and her unique perspective as a history-making figure, Justice O’Connor takes us on a personal exploration, painting vivid pictures of Justices in history, including Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., one of the greatest jurists of all time; Thurgood Marshall, whose understated and succinct style would come to transform oral argument; William O. Douglas, called "The Lone Ranger" because of his impassioned and frequent dissents; and John Roberts, whom Justice O’Connor considers to be the finest practitioner of oral argument she has ever witnessed in Court. We get a rare glimpse into the Supreme Court’s inner workings: how cases are chosen for hearing; the personal relationships that exist among the Justices; and the customs and traditions, both public and private, that bind one generation of jurists to the next - from the seating arrangements at Court lunches to the fiercely competitive basketball games played in the Court Building’s top-floor gymnasium, the so-called "highest court in the land".
Wise, candid, and assured, Out of Order is a rich offering of inspiring stories of one of our country’s most important institutions, from one of our country’s most respected pioneers.
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- By Marshall on 11-17-18
By: Jon Meacham, and others
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A People's History of the Supreme Court
- The Men and Women Whose Cases and Decisions Have Shaped Our Constitution
- By: Peter Irons, Howard Zinn - foreword
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 28 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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A comprehensive history of the people and cases that have changed history, this is the definitive account of the nation's highest court.
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Really enjoyed this book
- By Paul on 02-19-20
By: Peter Irons, and others
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Impeached
- The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy
- By: David O. Stewart
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1868 Congress impeached President Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, the man who had succeeded the murdered Lincoln, bringing the nation to the brink of a second civil war. Enraged to see the freed slaves abandoned to brutal violence at the hands of their former owners, distraught that former rebels threatened to regain control of Southern state governments, and disgusted by Johnson's brawling political style, congressional Republicans seized on a legal technicality as the basis for impeachment - whether Johnson had the legal right to fire his own secretary of war, Edwin Stanton.
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Highly recommended
- By Eric on 12-12-19
By: David O. Stewart
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Louis D. Brandeis
- A Life
- By: Melvin I Urofsky
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 35 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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The first full-scale biography in 25 years of one of the most important and distinguished justices to sit on the Supreme Court - an audiobook that reveals Louis D. Brandeis the reformer, lawyer, and jurist, and Brandeis the man, in all of his complexity, passion, and wit. As a lawyer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he pioneered how modern law is practiced.
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a Listen to Louis D. Brandeis
- By J on 07-11-10
By: Melvin I Urofsky
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Unexampled Courage
- The Blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the Awakening of President Harry S. Truman and Judge J. Waties Waring
- By: Richard Gergel
- Narrated by: Richard Gergel - introduction, Tom Zingarelli
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Richard Gergel’s Unexampled Courage details the impact of the blinding of Sergeant Woodard on the racial awakening of President Truman and Judge Waring and traces their influential roles in changing the course of America’s civil rights history.
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Well-paced political-legal history woven around the intersecting stories of the 3 title characters
- By Courtney J. Corda on 03-07-19
By: Richard Gergel
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Salmon P. Chase
- Lincoln's Vital Rival
- By: Walter Stahr
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
- Length: 27 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Salmon P. Chase is best remembered as a rival of Lincoln’s for the Republican nomination in 1860—but there would not have been a national Republican Party, and Lincoln could not have won the presidency, were it not for the groundwork Chase laid over the previous two decades. Starting in the early 1840s, long before Lincoln was speaking out against slavery, Chase was forming and leading antislavery parties. He represented fugitive slaves so often in his law practice that he was known as the attorney general for runaway negroes.
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Very inspiring and insightful
- By Mike Haverty on 06-20-23
By: Walter Stahr
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Eisenhower vs. Warren
- The Battle for Civil Rights and Liberties
- By: James F. Simon
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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In Eisenhower vs. Warren, two-time New York Times Notable Book author James F. Simon examines the years of strife between them that led Eisenhower to say that his biggest mistake as president was appointing that "dumb son of a bitch Earl Warren." This momentous, poisonous relationship is presented here at last in one volume. Compellingly written, Eisenhower vs. Warren brings to vivid life the clash that continues to reverberate in political and constitutional debates today.
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A Great Review of the Fight for Civil Rights
- By Jean on 07-01-19
By: James F. Simon
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Supreme Power
- Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court
- By: Jeff Shesol
- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 23 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Beginning in 1935, in a series of devastating decisions, the Supreme Court's conservative majority left much of Franklin Roosevelt's agenda in ruins. The pillars of the New Deal fell in short succession. It was not just the New Deal but democracy itself that stood on trial. In February 1937, Roosevelt struck back with an audacious plan to expand the Court to fifteen justices - and to "pack" the new seats with liberals who shared his belief in a "living" Constitution.
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Excellent Book and Naration
- By Nostromo on 07-04-10
By: Jeff Shesol
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The Supreme Court
- The Personalities and Rivalries That Defined America
- By: Jeffrey Rosen
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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A leading Supreme Court expert recounts the personal and philosophical rivalries that forged our nation's highest court and continue to shape our daily lives. The Supreme Court is the most mysterious branch of government, and yet the Court is at root a human institution, made up of very bright people with very strong egos, for whom political and judicial conflicts often become personal.
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Overruled!
- By Stephen McLeod on 08-23-08
By: Jeffrey Rosen
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What Kind of Nation
- Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, and the Epic Struggle to Create a United States
- By: James F. Simon
- Narrated by: Patrick Cullen
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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In this dramatic and fully accessible account of these titans of the early republic and their fiercely held ideas, James F. Simon brings to life the early history of the nation and sheds new light on the highly charged battle to balance the powers of the federal government and the rights of the states. A fascinating look at two of the nation's greatest statesmen and shrewdest politicians, What Kind of Nation presents a cogent, unbiased assessment of their lasting impact on American government.
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Interesting but a bit too biased for me
- By Diana Black Kennedy on 03-01-18
By: James F. Simon
What listeners say about Out of Order
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Cynthia
- 03-09-13
History from and by a First among Firsts
I was determined to listen to “Out of Order” as soon as I saw Sandra Day O’Connor interviewed on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show”. I interrupted the book I was listening to when this came out, and I am glad that I did.
I was sworn into practice before the US Supreme Court five years ago (John Roberts was Chief Justice, and Justice O’Connor had already retired) and the experience was more moving than I ever expected. The grandeur of the building was intimidating, and the courtroom seemed heavy with hundreds of years of important lawmaking.
It was hard to imagine the US Supreme Court as anything but what it is now, but Justice O’Connor’s book discusses how it started out as a group of six men, in borrowed space in New York, making few but crucial rulings that established its authority as a co-equal branch of government based on what was a radical experiment – the US Constitution. She discusses key decisions throughout its 222-year history (it first convened in 1791, 2 years after the Constitution was ratified) in a way that points out the important findings, without getting tangled in minutia that would only be of interest to lawyers and constitutional scholars.
The book has some amusing stories, and a discussion of some “larger than life” Justices – although not all of the stories are about admirable Justices. At least one was loathsome.
This isn’t a tell-all book by any means. Anyone looking for a discussion of current personalities on the Supreme Court should read or listen to Jeffrey Toobin’s, “The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court."
Justice O’Connor narrates the book herself, and sometimes, charmingly, you can hear paper rattle as she turns a page. She does sound like a law professor from time to time, which does not make for an exciting narration – but there is no one else I would have wanted to listen to reading this book.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Kate M.
- 06-20-13
Interesting topic, but not covered very well
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes because the topic was interesting and novel.
I did find that it was not well edited however. There were some topics that were repeated in different parts of the book that seemed a bit out of place.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Sandra Day O'Connor?
YES--I love her speeches (she spoke at my law school graduation) but her voice was terrible for the narration. There were times when I heard papers rustling as she spoke.
I have listened to hundreds of books and I have a rule--unless it is a memoir, you should not read your own book unless you are a comedian (Adam Carolla) or a humorist (David Sedaris). They have irritating voices but they work with the material.
Do you think Out of Order needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No, I think the material was adequately covered.
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- Jean
- 03-07-13
Fascinating
Sandra Day O'Connor reads her own book which in a way adds more to the book. The books chapter are dividend into topic relating to the court. O'Connor chose items that had a major effect on the future course of the court. Such as how the appointment of John Jay as the first Chief Justice effected the court and without him the court may become insignificant. She also told stories about key justices that had major effects good or bad on the court as well as court cases that add to the role or power of the court such as Marbury vs Madison. She told about the justices that were the first like her being the first women, Thurgood Marshall, the first black and L. Brandeis, the first Jewish justice and so. She also pointed out that not all justice were good such as McReynolds who was of the old fashion white southern gentelman. She said he led the court in the most descents and was a races and anti semite and was against every bill FDR put up for the new deal. I found the last section on what the justices did after retirement interesting. They service on the circuit courts and O'Connor rotates around the country serving on the various circuit courts. I also found it interesting what she pointed out about, that at times the dissenting opinion eventually became the law. Great to learn about the court from someone who was on the inside and could provide that little extra insight.
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12 people found this helpful
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- Helen
- 03-26-13
Love anything to do with the Supreme Court!
Totally enjoyed this book! It was simple to learn a bit more about the Court thorugh this light presentation.
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- GH
- 03-07-13
A Historical Account of the Supreme Court
Right up Front, Justice O’Connor informs you that her book is a celebration of the Supreme Court and its history. This is not a tell-all book or a behind the scenes justification of her record either positive or negative. She introduces the court in a way one might talk about a beloved Uncle to a group of friends who you have never met. She has divided the book into sections of interest: the early years, silver tongued devils, presidential clashes, etc.
I like that she personally narrates the book. It lends a great amount of authenticity. I have read numerous historical novels that touch on many of the points she makes. John Adams by David McCullough, What Kind if Nation by Simon F. Simon and Truman and 1776 by McCullough, Thomas Jefferson by Joyce Appley and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow – all fine works. Justice O’Connor’s accounts fit nicely with overlapping accounts by these historians. Yet, she introduces new information about the court and it struggles over the centuries.
If you have an interest in the Supreme Court, history, or government; this is a very worthwhile seven hours. If you are looking for dissention or scuttlebutt, look somewhere else.
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14 people found this helpful
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- Fylynne
- 09-03-17
Supremely Educational!
I really enjoyed Out of Order. Justice O'Connor explains how the Supreme Court works and its history. She was conversational and easy to listen to. I was slightly amused when she started a new chapter because instead of saying the chapter number, she would say "next chapter"! I also enjoyed the reading of the Declaration of Independence at the end of the book.
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- scooter
- 07-22-13
great stories about the Supreme Court
Where does Out of Order rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Great storytelling by Justice O'connor. She brought to life stories about the history of the court and the court's justices that are not readily available in other histories of the court.
What about Sandra Day O'Connor’s performance did you like?
She is a great reader.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I enjoyed the moment where she recounted the story of Justice Field. It was also interesting to hear the personal background and life stories on several of the justices.
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- Michael
- 08-05-13
An Introduction for a General Audience
For those looking for second helping of O'Connor's "The Majesty of the Law" you will be disappointed. There are two important differences:
(1) Majesty was a discussion of the law and public policy. Out of Order is an introduction to the Supreme Court as an institution, and a particularly short introduction at that. Although some of the stories are interesting and even funny, on the whole the book reads more like a high school civics course than the work of a supreme court justice.
(2) Majesty was written for an educated audience. Out of Order was written for those with little or no understanding of the legal system or the functioning of the government. Now, the cynics among you may be snickering and thinking "well that's most of the population," and considering she may be trying to reach the broadest possible audience with this book, that may be a valid observation. But just a fair warning that the two books are written for different audiences.
In Short: if you are looking for an intellectually stimulating book and you have more than a cursory understanding of the Supreme Court, this book will offer you very little. For those completely ignorant of the Judicial Branch and its inner workings, this will be a good introduction.
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- Kendra
- 03-26-13
One thing after another
This book is full of tidbits. Lots of short stories, easy reading with good humor. It is not a bad book, but it is not a good one either. There isn't anything linking this book together. The chapters could be read randomly and the listener wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Chapter titles are things like 'Supreme Court firsts' and 'Customs and traditions of the Court'. These are topics that really could be interesting, but somewhere along the way they just turn into a really long list. The anecdotes here would certainly be found in a good book on the history of the supreme court, but this book is not it.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Beth
- 05-23-13
I'm really sorry, Sandy..... :/
... Your book just wasn't that great. I wanted to like it, I really did, but let's face it, I really don't care about the exact wording of each oath that every single justice was sworn in with. I really don't care to hear a list of names of justices from the early 1800's that mean nothing to me. I was somewhat excited to get to the part about "humor from the bench"... but, well, it just wasn't even remotely funny.
I got this book because I had so much enjoyed The Oath. I wanted more.
You let me down, Sandy.
You are a great pioneer for women and I have always admired you, but.. you let me down.
For a while I felt an obligation to keep plowing through it, but after a while, I just couldn't.
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