Taking the Stand

“The list of legal issues and controversies that bear Dershowitz’s thumbprints is breathtaking. That one man involved himself in the Pentagon Papers case, the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, Kennedy’s Chappaquiddick investigation, Sharansky’s release from a Soviet prison, the O.J. trial, Bush v. Gore, the Mike Tyson rape case, the Woody Allen-Mia Farrow custody dispute, the Julian Assange WikiLeaks investigation and the public debate over Trayvon Martin, reflects not just the breadth of Dershowitz’s experience but also its depth and duration. Love him or hate him, Dershowitz has lived a life that matters, hugely and enduringly. He is a man in full at a time when most of us aspire to be little more than a presence on Twitter.”—The New York Times Book Review“Dershowitz commands the stage… . He fills his book to overflowing with fascinating and funny vignettes involving his cases and clients, and probing and provocative insights into contemporary legal controversies, ranging from censorship to civil rights, national security, sexual harassment, rape, abortion, the separation of church and state, and the use of scientific evidence in murder cases. Whether he is discussing people or policies, he leaves no doubt about where he stands.”—Glenn C. Altschuler, The Boston Globe“Riveting, compelling, touching, and tender.”—The Jewish Voice“One of the most distinguished lawyers of his generation reflects on his life and extraordinary career… . Dershowitz has become an important voice with an active role in the evolution of American law, touching on an astonishing breadth of issues, including capital punishment, affirmative action, pornography, national security, academic freedom and human rights. An engaging recounting of a life of serious purpose and splendid flair.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“From his experience on the front lines of so many pivotal cases in recent history, Professor Dershowitz made the law real for his students. He effortlessly translated how our most basic philosophical principles are alive and well in the modern justice system. In doing so, he underscored not just a commitment to equity and integrity, but a deep faith in the power of the law to make our country more honest and fair.”—Congressman Joe Kennedy III “I loved this book. If I could trade lives with anyone, Dershowitz would be high on my list, minus the death threats and tchotchkes.”—Larry David “Alan Dershowitz’s real life use of science to win murder cases rivals anything on CSI and any other fictional drama. Cheers for a riveting autobiography.”—Ted Danson“Alan Dershowitz’s autobiography is a page-turning story of a special life. It exposes and explains as only he can important events of the last fifty years of The American Experience. Dershowitz has been a player contributing to the national conversation for half a century. Everybody takes his calls.”—Stephen Trachtenberg, president, George Washington University

Alan Dershowitz is one of the most famous and celebrated lawyers in America. He is the youngest full professor in school history at Harvard, where he is now the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law. The author of numerous bestselling books, from Chutzpah to The Best Defense to In Defense of Israel to Reversal of Fortune, Dershowitz has advised and defended many of the most famous legal cases of the past fifty years.