Customer Rating:  
Summary: Fascinating Autobiography
Comment: I rarely read autobiographies, especially of recent or current figures under the assumption history has not had time to judge the value of the person. I made an exception for Clarence Thomas and I am quite glad I did. The story of his life is fascinating and educational. His upbringing in the segregation of Savannah to his time in college and law school to the early parts of his career in Missouri are fascinating. Justic Thomas' insight into his views of the world and how they were formed add to the book and provide a rare insight into a person who sits on our highest court.
His later career, and the expression of opinions and views different from prevailing wisdom is especially interesting at this time when prevailing wisdom may threaten those with dissenting views. In some cases he may be right and in some he may be wrong, but the courage with which he approaches and maintains his views in this book and in his actions as head of the EEOC, as a judge and as a justice have built my respect for him. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who disagree with some of Justice Thomas' decisions.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not at all what I expected
Comment: Not at alll what I expected. I felt he dealt too much on the racial profiling. I never bother to care regarding someone's color or culture; but this book was too obvious.
Customer Rating:
Summary: My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas
Comment:
This was given as a gift and the recipent said it was truly a wonderful book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Prompt delivery
Comment: This book arrived first of the four I had ordered. A very prompt and speedy delivery.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Interesting read, I suppose...
Comment: I picked up this book after reading the scores of positive reviews on Amazon and was looking for something to give me a little more depth into Clarence Thomas' character. I admit that I was drawn to look for more only after reading Randall Kennedy's book, "Sellout" and having my interest piqued by an entire chapter devoted to the popular notion of Clarence Thomas being the quintessential "Sellout." (Please note this is NOT the position of the author, Kennedy, merely an observation that he dedicates roughly a chapter to in his book.)
I have to say that the book was an engrossing read, but almost in the way that McDonald's is an engrossing meal - that is to say, I worked my way through it engaged and interested, but left with a little bit of discomfort after finishing it. I acknowledge that the book gives the reader a very clear lens through which to understand Clarence Thomas the man and his own construction of race relations, having grown up in difficult circumstances in a de facto "Segregated South." I was, however, perhaps a little more disappointed that all of his life experiences amount to little more than a bitterness that the advent of affirmative actions led to the questioning of all of his own achievements by his white, liberal peers despite his own hard work. He comes across as a fiercely intelligent and hard working, but a mean, petty jerk and what is clear is that this meanness pervades his own perceptions of white reactions to his accomplishments. By the end of the book, it becomes difficult to parse out how much of his narrative is a deliberate personal ideology and how much of it is simply the musings of a man with the world's biggest chip on his shoulder. This of course, is not the fault of the writing, which was well executed and a pleasure to read.
For what it's worth, I have read quite a few of Thomas' opinions and find them to be weak to average (compared to other justices') at best, and I do not consider him to be one of the great legal minds of the court. I would have to say that my opinion of him remains generally unchanged through the reading of this memoir, but I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for insight into this cryptic, quiet justice.
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