Reviews for The Trial in American Life

The average rating for The Trial in American Life based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-08-28 00:00:00 George P Dodge IV This is a study, not of the actual trials or procedures themselves, but of the effect the case had on popular American culture--opening with the Scopes trial (which is so buried by Inherit the Wind that most people have no idea what the verdict and appeals actually were, or how it all ended) and then dealing with Aaron Burr, John Brown, Mary Surrat, the Haymarket Defendants and the Rosenbergs before a round-up chapter of the televised trial circuses including Gilmore, Pederson, Bobbit, Simpson (civil and criminal, although published too early to include the subsequent round of trials), Smith and the Menendez brothers. Ferguson ably points out that more people wanted to watch the William Kennedy Smith trial than the much more significant televised prosecution of Noriega and examines why certain defendants catch the focus of the media, as well as inspire subsequent works (Hale's "Man Without a Country" after Burr, Doctorow's "Book of Daniel" for the Rosenbergs).

Review # 2 was written on 2018-03-05 00:00:00 Brian Harlan The Lucas Gusher at Spindletop, January 10, 1901, made Texas an oil state. Spindletop attracted big names and big money. The Mellon family invested over five million. Oil giants Gulf and Texaco started at Spindletop. Howard Hughes Sr. began his billion dollar oil-tool dynasty after drilling at Spindletop! This is the most informative book on the area i've ever read! It explains the land grants from Mexico and how the spelling of a name can change everything!