THE TRANSITION
Praise For THE TRANSITION
LINDA GREENHOUSE
Author of Justice on the Brink
"As the country continues to search for the true meaning of equality, this compelling dual portrait of the first two Black Supreme Court justices shows how what was a noble vision for one became a bitter burden for the other. There is irony and even tragedy in Daniel Kiel's account of the transition not only from one justice to another but to a new and troubled chapter of the American story."
LINDA GREENHOUSE, AUTHOR OF JUSTICE ON THE BRINK
KIMBERLY JENKINS ROBINSON
Editor of A Federal Right to Education
"Daniel Kiel has told a compelling story about how the schooling of these two figures and the schools' cases that they've worked on as justices reflect foundational tensions within the American experiment. Readers will better understand the forces that shaped the interpretation of the constitution today."
KIMBERLY JENKINS ROBINSON, EDITOR OF A FEDERAL RIGHT TO EDUCATION
DEREK
BLACK
Author of Schoolhouse Burning
"Beautifully written, expertly argued, carefully considered, The Transition forces us to evaluate Justices Marshall and Thomas on their own terms and in the process nudges us to acknowledge our biases. The world and its most important issues, race so often foremost among them, are never so simple as headlines or judicial holdings would make them. The Transition helps us see the ways in which both men were trapped by and transcended their experiences."
DEREK BLACK, AUTHOR OF SCHOOLHOUSE BURNING
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"[A]n intriguing examination. Kiel reveals some surprising similarities between [Marshall and Thomas], including a shared distrust of institutional authority, while never losing sight of their fundamental differences. The result is an enriching and nuanced study of the debates over how best to promote racial progress in America."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
MARTHA MINOW
Author of In Brown's Wake: Legacies of America's Educational Landmark
"Thurgood Marshall desegregated the U.S. Supreme Court; the successor to his seat―Clarence Thomas―used his position to reject view after view advanced by Marshall. How these two historic figures came to their roles and their views and what their work means for America, law, and justice receive needed illumination in Daniel Kiel's valuable and fascinating account."
MARTHA MINOW, AUTHOR OF IN BROWN'S WAKE: LEGACIES OF AMERICA'S EDUCATIONAL LANDMARK
MICHELLE ADAMS
Author of The Containment
"In The Transition, Daniel Kiel argues that Justices Marshall and Thomas are both thoughtful and intelligent jurists, yet they have been underestimated - largely because of their race. Kiel wants to change that. The author does a wonderful job of mining each man's biography to situate their later development as intellectuals, lawyers, and ultimately as jurists. The book will be illuminating to anyone with an interest in constitutional law, anti-discrimination law, the Supreme Court, and legal history."
MICHELLE ADAMS, AUTHOR OF THE CONTAINMENT
CHOICE REVIEWS
P. Lermack, Bradley University
"In The Transition, Daniel Kiel argues that Justices Marshall and Thomas are both thoughtful and intelligent jurists, yet they have been underestimated - largely because of their race. Kiel wants to change that. The author does a wonderful job of mining each man's biography to situate their later development as intellectuals, lawyers, and ultimately as jurists. The book will be illuminating to anyone with an interest in constitutional law, anti-discrimination law, the Supreme Court, and legal history."
MiCHELLE ADAMS, AUTHOR OF THE CONTAINMENT
