Speaking Freely: Trials of the First Amendment

The rights guaranteed by the First Amendment are among the fundamental touchstones of our democracy. From the conflicts between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams to those of today, freedom of expression has been the subject of some of the most contentious, fervent and dramatic debates in our nation's history. In the past few decades, these issues have increasingly been fought in the courts, with judges and juries passing judgment on the degree to which the sweeping promises of freedom in the First Amendment would be kept.

In Speaking Freely, Floyd Abrams, who for over thirty years has been our most eloquent and respected advocate for uncensored expression, shares some of the major cases of his remarkable career-landmark trials and Supreme Court arguments that have involved key First Amendment protections. His cause has placed him at the center of many memorable legal battles, including the famous Pentagon Papers case, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's attempt to shut down the Brooklyn Museum, and most recently, the constitutional challenge to the controversial McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation. With adversaries as diverse as Richard Nixon and Wayne Newton and allies as unlikely as Kenneth Starr, Abrams takes readers behind the scenes to explain his strategies, the ramifications of each decision and their long-term significance, presenting a clear and compelling look at the law in action.

Speaking Freely offers an extraordinary look at an eminent lawyer at work, and conveys the dramatic immediacy of the trials and appeals in which First Amendment law has been created, as well as the continuing importance of resolutely upholding our most cherished rights as citizens.