Alito

From an award-winning journalist, the authoritative—and explosive—inside story of Justice Samuel Alito and his powerful role in shaping the Supreme Court 

Justice Samuel Alito, the unflinching author of the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, is so influential that many now refer to the “Alito Court.” But his powerful role, long overlooked, has aroused the ire of activists outraged by the emergence of a cohesive conservative majority on the court.

In this first comprehensive study of Alito, Mollie Hemingway explains how his common sense and prosecutorial experience, combined with fearless intellectual rigor, have shaped the man and the jurist. Through the lens of Alito’s judicial career, Hemingway provides a fresh perspective on the political, social, and legal battles that have unsettled the Supreme Court and the nation.

From menacing mobs encamped outside the justices’ homes to senators bellowing violent threats on the steps of the court itself, Alito offers a captivating insider account of the Supreme Court under unprecedented attack in a polarized age.

Few would have predicted that the modest and reserved judge who joined the high court with little fanfare two decades ago would lead the originalists to their astonishing ascendancy, but Hemingway’s compelling portrait reveals an intellect and character that make such leadership seem inevitable.

• “Smart observers have long recognized that Justice Alito is one of our most consequential Supreme Court justices. As promised, Mollie Hemingway tells the riveting, behind-the-scenes history of Justice Alito’s time on the Court. But more than that, she also lucidly explains how why his unique legal philosophy of ‘practical originalism’ is more influential than ever. If you want to know where American jurisprudence is headed, you need to pay attention to Alito—both the book and the man.”
  Mike Lee, U.S. Senator
• “Court watchers of all stripes acknowledge that Justice Alito is a brilliant judge, a sharp writer, and a fierce questioner at oral argument. Many would also recognize that he’s a leader on the Supreme Court, the intellectual architect of many major developments in American law. But because he’s incapable of attention‑seeking or self‑promotion, few realize that his generosity and humility are as astonishing as his clarity of mind. This superb book paints the picture that no one outside the justice’s orbit sees in full and no other source provides.”
  Sherif Girgis, Notre Dame Law School
• “Samuel Alito does not call attention to himself or seek the limelight. Yet, when all is said and done, he will be remembered as among the most consequential—and accomplished—Supreme Court justices of our time. Mollie Hemingway’s Alito explains why.”
  Robert P. George, Princeton University