The Supremes: Essays on the Current Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.

• Author: Baker, Thomas E.

"THE SUPREMES": ESSAYS ON THE CURRENT JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. By Barbara A. Perry. (1) Peter Lang Publishing. 1999. Pp. 159. $24.95.

Having pulled this book down off the shelf, I was at something of a loss. For it is all about Supreme Court Justices, With nary a word about Diana Ross. Berry Gordy had Supremes in threes, Diana, Mary, and Flo were first and last came Susaye. Barbara Perry's book has each of the current nine, And each one gets his of her own brief essay. All the old biographical facts are here, And some new ones are added for good measure. The essays line up the Justices in seniority, For your reading pleasure. William H. Rehnquist sits in the center chair. In Swedish, his surname translates "mountain goat." Going from "Lone Ranger" to "Chief Justice" Makes you wonder if gold stripes are simply his way to gloat. John Paul Stevens wears a trademark bow tie, To match his judicial idiosyncrasy. He would never utter a word on George Carlin's list, But to flag-burners shows an uncharacteristic hostility. Sandra Day O'Connor dated a fellow named Rehnquist And after law school was asked to be a legal secretary. Years later, she and her partner Lewis Powell Would be the first two "Brethren" to dance at a court ceremony. Antonin Scalia was a conservative fetus who grew up a Frankfurtian. D.C. Circuit law clerks nicknamed him "the ninopath." He is as original a stylist as an originalist can be, But colleagues who disagree with him often read his wrath. Anthony M. Kennedy was Ronald Reagan's third choice As a conservative swing voter. But lo and behold, the bespectacled Californian was confirmed...