Review by Choice Review
In a work equally suitable for academics, lawyers, and lay persons, attorney Wirenius reminds us of the importance of the First Amendment and the significance of the numerous attacks against it at the beginning of the 21st century. He begins by examining the corruption of First Amendment doctrine by the judiciary's categorization of speech as high or low value and, thus, more or less deserving of protection. In a comprehensive discussion, he analyzes the major First Amendment cases that have led to this state of disarray and disparate speech tests. In response to that analysis he offers his own "unified field theory" of the First Amendment by suggesting a "verbal act" test similar to Justice William 0. Douglas's "speech brigaded with action" concept. In subsequent sections he then applies that test and finds it remarkably useful in a wide variety of contexts. For this reviewer the most outstanding portion of the work is Wirenius's defense of free speech and his reasoned criticism of those, such as Catharine McKinnon, Andrea Dworkin, and Owen Fiss, who argue that more government control over expression is necessary. Case and subject indexes are especially helpful, although a bibliography would have added to the book tremendously. Recommended at all levels. M. W. Bowers; University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
