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A review by mattnixon
Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Damned by John A. Farrell
4.0
Exhaustively researched and compelling biography of a fascinating and complex man. Farrell does a great job of focusing his story on what the reader would likely care most about: Darrow's work and cases. He is masterful at keeping the early life history brief, only really providing the depth and detail needed to understand the man and put his public and private life in an meaningful context.
To borrow from Whitman, Darrow contained multitudes. Farrell paints a potrait of the man and his often conflicting traits. The Darrow that emerges from the page is rounded and more fully-formed because of those conflicts instead of in spite of them.
The book end rather abruptly (to me), as I could have used a few pages of summary to contextualize Darrow's life and legacy. What did Darrow's life work mean for the social issues he tirelessly championed? What did his mastery of and techniques in the courtroom mean to the leagl profession? How did his understanding of the need for winning and controlling the court of public opinion mean for American society and the media going forward. These are just some of the themes that I wish Farrell would have explored. That said, throughout his telling of Darrow's life, Farrell never stopped to editorialize or explain what certain events, etc. Capital M "mean" so I can understand why he didn't do so at the end--it wasn't the book Farrell aimed to write. Fair enough. Farrell is content to let Darrow's public and private words and actions speak for themselves. A rich, compelling and truly American story those words tell. The battles Darrow fought and the ideals he fought for are incredibly resonant today.
Informative and inspirational, I would recommend Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Damned.
To borrow from Whitman, Darrow contained multitudes. Farrell paints a potrait of the man and his often conflicting traits. The Darrow that emerges from the page is rounded and more fully-formed because of those conflicts instead of in spite of them.
The book end rather abruptly (to me), as I could have used a few pages of summary to contextualize Darrow's life and legacy. What did Darrow's life work mean for the social issues he tirelessly championed? What did his mastery of and techniques in the courtroom mean to the leagl profession? How did his understanding of the need for winning and controlling the court of public opinion mean for American society and the media going forward. These are just some of the themes that I wish Farrell would have explored. That said, throughout his telling of Darrow's life, Farrell never stopped to editorialize or explain what certain events, etc. Capital M "mean" so I can understand why he didn't do so at the end--it wasn't the book Farrell aimed to write. Fair enough. Farrell is content to let Darrow's public and private words and actions speak for themselves. A rich, compelling and truly American story those words tell. The battles Darrow fought and the ideals he fought for are incredibly resonant today.
Informative and inspirational, I would recommend Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Damned.