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Five Chiefs: A Supreme Court Memoir Audiobook
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(3.01) - 361 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When he resigned last June, Justice Stevens was the third longest serving Justice in American history (1975-2010) -- only Justice William O. Douglas, whom Stevens succeeded, and Stephen Field have served on the Court for a longer time.
In Five Chiefs, Justice Stevens captures the inner workings of the Supreme Court via his personal experiences with the five Chief Justices -- Fred Vinson, Earl Warren, Warren Burger, William Rehnquist, and John Roberts -- that he interacted with. He reminisces of being a law clerk during Vinson's tenure; a practicing lawyer for Warren; a circuit judge and junior justice for Burger; a contemporary colleague of Rehnquist; and a colleague of current Chief Justice John Roberts. Along the way, he will discuss his views of some the most significant cases that have been decided by the Court from Vinson, who became Chief Justice in 1946 when Truman was President, to Roberts, who became Chief Justice in 2005.
Packed with interesting anecdotes and stories about the Court, Five Chiefs is an unprecedented and historically significant look at the highest court in the United States.
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"A calm, comfortable, even-handed look at a life spent in law, and experiences on the Supreme Court under five Chief Justices, as well as history of the twelve Chief Justices who came before. It's accessible to those who don't know a great deal about the Supreme Court, and may spark even more interest for those who do."
— Rory (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“An informative and appealing new memoir of life on the Supreme Court…Stevens not only shows extraordinary respect for the Court as an institution, but does the same for his former colleagues—even those with whom he often disagreed…[It’s] classic Justice Stevens: understated and generous to those he differs with, but absolutely clear on where he believes justice lies.”
— Time -
“A gentle memoir by a decent and accomplished public servant. Stevens opts not for jabs or evening scores but rather for reminiscences…Laced with observations on the court’s architecture, traditions, and even its seating arrangements, it is the collected ruminations of a man who has served his country in war and peace, across the decades…His memoir is as gracious as its author and a reminder that Stevens is more than a longtime member of the nations’ highest court. He is a national treasure.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Coming from the last of a dying breed of jurists who genuinely believe you can learn something from everyone if you just listen hard enough, it is a lesson in how, at the Supreme Court, civility and cordiality matter more, even, than doctrine.”
— Washington Post -
“Five Chiefs is a 248-page bow-tie; like its dignified author, and his famous sartorial flourish, an unpretentious but important addition to American history…At its core, the book is not just another memoir from yet another judge. It marks instead the end of an era on the Supreme Court and in the broader swath of American law and politics…Stevens’ focused eyes gives way to a hundred or so smaller points, some densely legal, some historical, some even funny…Five Chiefs is the right book at the right time.”
— Atlantic -
“Engaging…The pleasure of Stevens’ writing is the way in which he relates the broader dialogue of the development of law to the individuals who deliberations and discussions have shaped it.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Gregory Itzin captures Stevens’ dignified unassuming manner while matching the book’s tonal shifts…Passionate and candid. Itzin’s rendering of the author’s memories of Thurgood Marshall and his civil rights legacy are particularly poignant…A compelling listen.”
— Publishers Weekly (audio review)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Five Chiefs Listener Reviews
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" Honestly, I gave up on this one. I couldn't follow it when he jumped around between people and years. Maybe it's just an inability to focus lately.... "
— Amanda, 2/20/2014 -
" Very honest account of Stevemns' interactions with the Chiefs. As a legal history geek, found it fascinating. Could have been a bit more in depth and appending the text of the Constitution was lame b "
— Tom, 1/24/2014 -
" Interesting history, but the book lacked cohesion. "
— Alyssa, 1/11/2014 -
" Interesting but not always compelling. The focus on the cases decided in the terms was an interesting framing device but the information was often too compacted to get a true understanding of the impact of the cases and a read on the Chiefs who presided over them. "
— Chris, 1/10/2014 -
" Great insight into the mind of Justice Stevens. Also, a good history of the Supreme Court. "
— Dave, 1/9/2014 -
" I had pretty high expectations for this book, I liked the concept and I have a lot of respect for JPS. Unfortunately the book felt rushed, directionless, and dry. Some of it was interesting, of course, but I felt as though it was poorly put together. "
— Nelly, 1/2/2014 -
" A brief, quirky memoir that flows with Justice Steven's warmth. Partly on the inner workings of the court, some on his views on jurisprudence (you certainly learn his thoughts on the 11th amendment!), and a fair bit on his assessments of the chief justices. Not groundbreaking, and no surprises, but still an enjoyable tour of his thoughts on the last fifty years of the Court. "
— Stuart, 12/29/2013 -
" Easy read except sometimes following his opinions was hard. He dissented from the majority opinion that over turned a judgement that invalidated etc. That was too many negatives for me. I liked the historical view and the look into the workings of the court. "
— Conchetta, 12/27/2013 -
" 2012. I had high hopes for this book. It is just not as interesting as I hoped it would be. I've always liked the Steven's opinions even when I didn't agree with his ruling. I found myself extremely bored with this book. "
— Marcelus, 12/19/2013 -
" A great view into the supreme court! "
— Matt, 12/10/2013 -
" Parts of this book were interesting but it wasn't necessarily an easy read. I learned alot though! "
— Jessica, 11/29/2013 -
" Provided some interesting insights as to how the Supreme Court functions and how some cases were decided, but didn't explain the legal issues as well as I'd hoped. "
— Mary, 11/10/2013 -
" academic and dull, didn't finish "
— Larry, 7/29/2013 -
" A good, quick read, but it never completely delivered for me. I think I may have been hoping for too much dirt! "
— Jim, 4/11/2013 -
" Bore "
— Heidi, 1/12/2013 -
" Not necessarily a bad book, but just one I wasn't very interested in. It's full of discussions of constitutional issues in much more detail than I was interested in, and not very much about personalities. "
— Jack, 11/3/2012 -
" Terrific book. Easy to read, clear explanation of complex cases; amazingly clear. Lots of insight into Justice Stevens, and a nice history of the court. "
— Al, 6/11/2012 -
" Interesting - didn't understand 10% of the cases he was talking about or the decisions, but interesting takes on personalities "
— George, 4/17/2012 -
" A look behind the robes. Stevens adds a touch of humanity to the Supreme Court. "
— Mary, 3/27/2012 -
" The book focuses on the five Chief Justices that Justice Stevens had met, but also provides a short bio on all Chief Justices of the United States. The book gives a nice, behind the scenes look at the Supreme Court. "
— Michael, 3/15/2012 -
" Too much of an 8th grade history lesson. "
— Annette, 1/25/2012 -
" This is a terrific book about Justice Stevens' dealings with Chief Justices. It contains some legal analysis, a good deal of discussion of the daily workings of the Supreme Court, and a little gossip. "
— John, 11/18/2011 -
" I enjoyed this book, but then I like books like this and Rehnquist's The Supreme Court. I would recommend this to anyone also interested in the topic. It should be noted that Stevens uses a lot of legal language. "
— Amy, 11/7/2011 -
" I had pretty high expectations for this book, I liked the concept and I have a lot of respect for JPS. Unfortunately the book felt rushed, directionless, and dry. Some of it was interesting, of course, but I felt as though it was poorly put together. "
— Nelly, 10/18/2011 -
" Enjoyable book, although it felt like Stevens wanted to reiterate why he voted as he did on cases he felt were wrongly decided rather than write an objective history. "
— Leonard, 10/17/2011
About the Authors
John Paul Stevens served as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1970–1975. President Ford nominated him as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, and he took his seat December 19, 1975. Justice Stevens retired from the Supreme Court on June 29, 2010.
Robert Petkoff is an actor and audiobook narrator who has won a prestigious Audie Award and multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. He has appeared on Chappelle’s Show, Law & Order, and Quantum Leap. His Broadway credits include Sir Robin in Spamalot, Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof, and Tateh in Ragtime.