Nature's justice : writings of William O. Douglas / edited by James O'Fallon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980.

Contributor:

O'Fallon, James.

Series:

Northwest readers

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980.

Douglas, William O.

United States. Supreme Court--Biography.

United States.

United States. Supreme Court.

Judges--United States--Biography.

Judges.

Natural areas.

History.

Natural areas--Northwestern States--History.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

x, 310 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Corvallis : Oregon State University Press, 2000.

Summary:

As the longest serving Justice in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court, William O. Douglas was known for writing a host of dissenting opinions. He was also a prolific writer off the bench, a man whose work was as much concerned with nature as with law.

This collection brings together writings that represent the wide range of Douglas's interests. It includes selections from his autobiographical and political books, and opinions from landmark cases -- all reflecting not only his love of justice but also his roots in the Pacific Northwest and his lifelong commitment to the environment.

Several selections from Douglas's book Of Men and Mountains portray his abiding love of the outdoors -- particularly the Northern Cascades -- and the rugged people who live there. These personal writings warmly recall events of his youth and celebrate the power of the mountains to renew the human spirit.

Other selections evoke Douglas's professional activities: as a New Deal insider and Supreme Court Justice, a champion of civil liberties and the rights of minorities, a strong internationalist, and an unflagging supporter of environmental issues. These latter writings include passages from My Wilderness and his dissenting opinion in Sierra Club v. Morton arguing that trees have legal standing to bring lawsuits.

These writings demonstrate that Douglas never shied from controversy -- whether over interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment or the choice between flies and bait for trout fishing -- and offer inspiration for both environmentalists and all who yearn for a more just society. Whether extolling the joys of the wild or defending the rights of citizens, Douglas shows in this work that he truly was Nature's Justice -- and one of a kind.

Contents:

Part 1 At Home in the Mountains 21

"Foreword" (from Of Men and Mountains, 1950) 23

"The Cascades" (from Of Men and Mountains, 1950) 27

"Sagebrush and Lava Rock" (from Of Men and Mountains, 1950) 43

"Coming of Age in Yakima" (from Go East, Young Man, 1974) 57

"Fly vs. Bait" (from Of Men and Mountains, 1950) 71

"Roy Schaeffer" (from Of Men and Mountains, 1950) 88

Part 2 New Deal Judge 111

"The New Deal" (from Go East, Young Man, 1974) 113

"Brandeis and Black" (from Go East, Young Man, 1974) 137

"Contending Schools of Thought" (from The Court Years, 1980) 150

"Franklin D. Roosevelt" (from The Court Years, 1980) 163

Part 3 Civil Libertarian 181

"Mr. Lincoln and the Negroes" (excerpt, 1963) 184

Free Speech Cases

Terminiello 199

Dennis 201

Beauharnais 208

"The Right to Be Let Alone" (from The Right of the People, 1958) 211

Griswold v. Connecticut 216

"Points of Rebellion" (excerpt, 1970) 220

Part 4 Internationalist 237

"Vietnam

Nation in Disintegration" (from North from Malaya, 1953) 238

"Vietnam" (from The Court Years, 1980]) 253

Part 5 Conservationist 269

"Pacific Beach" (from My Wilderness, 1960) 270

"Middle Fork of the Salmon" (from My Wilderness, 1960) 283

Sierra Club v. Morton 293.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 297-298) and index.

ISBN:

0870714821

OCLC:

43953895