Monday, January 26, 2009

"History on Trial" Named One of Five Best Books on Legal Trials by Alan Dershowitz in Wall Street Journal

Alan Dershowitz, asked by the Wall Street Journal [January 17th], to list his pick of of five best books on momentous legal cases has included History on Trial, in his pick .

This is what he had to say about History on Trial.
History on Trial

By Deborah E. Lipstadt

Ecco, 2005

"History on Trial" is Deborah E. Lipstadt's compelling first-person account of her experience as the defendant in a libel suit brought in 1996 by British author David Irving, who was unhappy that she had described him in print as a Holocaust denier. As I wrote in an afterword for the book, the trial was a rare instance in which "truth, justice and freedom of speech [were] all simultaneously served." What was at stake in the case transcended Lipstadt's reputation and fortune. Her antagonist sought to put the Holocaust itself on trial. This worried survivors, concerned that their history was being subjected to a judicial test, with standards of evidence and proof that did not always produce truth. Moreover, under British law, truth was not necessarily a defense to defamation. Through the determination of Lipstadt and the brilliant legal work of her lawyer, Anthony Julius, especially his devastating cross-examination of Irving, the court ruled that she had written the truth -- Irving is indeed a Holocaust denier -- and that he had not been defamed. The verdict also helped to expand the right of truthful free speech in Britain.

The other four are The Leo Frank Case by Leonard Dinnerstein [Columbia University, 1968], Summer for the Gods by Edward J. Larson [Basic Books, 1997] on the Scopes trial, The Rosenberg File by Ronald Radosh and Joyce Milton [Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1983], and Until Proven Innocent by Stuart Taylor Jr. and KC Johnson [Thomas Dunne, 2007] on the Duke Lacrosse team.

4 comments:

Izgad said...

"Simmer for the Gods by Edward J. Larson"

Summer

Toby said...

Let me add my congratulations. I'll go and get the book, maybe the others also.

There is something about courtroom dramas that makes them, well, naturally dramatic.

I have seen the Leo Frank case dramatised, "Inherit the Wind" is a famous dramatisation of the Scopes case, the Rosenberg has (I am sure) been dramatized.. at least the Alger Hiss case was! How long before the TV people come knocking on your door? Who would you like to play you?

David Ben-Ariel said...

Is there a standard definition for "holocaust denier"? Is one who denies there were 6 million Jewish victims, but maybe 2-3 million Jewish victims (not to mention all the others), a "holocaust denier"? I heard about the court case concerning David Irving but didn't pay attention.

Unknown said...

Prof. Dershowitz might be reminded that it was not in fact Anthony Julius doing the cross-examination of Irving, but that equally fascinating character, Richard Rampton.