SKU: 10010252235

The Great Dissent: How Oliver Wendell Holmes Changed His Mind--And Changed the History of Free Speech in America

Sale price$19.88 Regular price$22.09
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $5.52 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Sep 20 - Sep 25

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

The Great Dissent: How Oliver Wendell Holmes Changed His Mind--And Changed the History of Free Speech in AmericaNo right seems more fundamental to American life than freedom of speech. Yet well into the twentieth century that freedom was still an unfulfilled promise, with Americans regularly imprisoned merely for speaking out against government policies. Indeed, free speech as we know it comes less from the First Amendment than from a most unexpected source: Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. A lifelong skeptic, he disdained all individual rights,

No right seems more fundamental to American life than freedom of speech. Yet well into the twentieth century that freedom was still an unfulfilled promise, with Americans regularly imprisoned merely for speaking out against government policies. Indeed, free speech as we know it comes less from the First Amendment than from a most unexpected source: Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. A lifelong skeptic, he disdained all individual rights, including the right to express one's political views. But in 1919, it was Holmes who wrote a dissenting opinion that would become the canonical affirmation of free speech in the United States.

Why did Holmes change his mind? That question has puzzled historians for almost a century. Now, with the aid of newly discovered letters and confidential memos, Thomas Healy reconstructs in vivid detail Holmes's journey from free-speech opponent to First Amendment hero. It is the story of a remarkable behind-the-scenes campaign by a group of progressives to bring a legal icon around to their way of thinking and a deeply touching human narrative of an old man saved from loneliness and despair by a few unlikely young friends.

Beautifully written and exhaustively researched, "The Great Dissent" is intellectual history at its best, revealing how free debate can alter the life of a man and the legal landscape of an entire nation."

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Picador USA
Published: 09/09/2014
ISBN: 9781250058690
Pages: 322
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.00w x 1.00d

Review Citations: New York Times Book Review 10/19/2014 pg. 28

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 10010252235

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.2 ★★★★★
Based on 22 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
C
Verified Purchase
CG
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 4
Awesome
Format: Paperback
Like most of the canon comics this one has excellent art and a compelling story. I just wish it was 2-4 issues longer!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2020
M
Verified Purchase
mary wise
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
awesome comic
Format: Paperback
an awesome comic .highly recommended to people who like star wars and kylo ren
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025
R
Verified Purchase
Richard Hardy
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Excellent Story
Format: Paperback
Charles Soule is without a doubt one of the greatest Star Wars authors around. With this comic he keeps the reader on their toes making it hard to set the book down. It is a definite page turner and easily one of the best comics Marvel has out out under the Star Wars name. An intriguing story, unforgettable moments, and packed with lore, Star Wars fans are sure to love The Rise of Kylo Ren.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2021
T
Verified Purchase
Tiff
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Ben Solo’s fall is tragic
Format: Paperback
We don’t know much about Ben Solo’s past, but this comic explains a little bit more about why he is the way he is. It also explains that he didn’t do all the things he himself implies in TLJ. It’s a story of a young man who is lost because those he is supposed to trust betray him, which is exactly what Snoke/Palpatine want. It shows he didn’t really have a choice in the path he took and it makes his redemption at the end of the saga powerful, even if the last movie itself destroys the myth of Star Wars. I love knowing that Rey and Ben have always had a connection and I hope that is something explored more deeply in Episode X when they bring Ben back.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2020
M
Verified Purchase
Maekar's Mark
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Answers a lot of questions
Format: Kindle
I enjoyed this story. This fills in a lot of gaps left open from the sequel trilogy, and the artwork was pretty cool. Excellent coloring and layout.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2023

recommand products