"Freedom For the Thought We Hate" summarizes and puts in historical context the Supreme Court's main First Amendment cases in the 20th century. One chapter deals with press freedoms, another with privacy, another with freedom of association, and so forth. The writing is clear, the book is short, and pre-law students or other undergrads looking for an introduction to this area of law couldn't find a better place to start. But the book ain't "Gideon's Trumpet" or "Make No Law," where Lewis picks apart one epochal Supreme Court case. Here, no case gets more than 4 or 5 paragraphs of text. Doctrinal subtlties get short shrift, as do historical and biographical details. At its best, the book is a stirring defense of free speech. At its worst, it reads like potted summaries of court opinions.

This book is one sweet read. It goes quickly and provides a wonderful reminder of the importance of the First Amendment in our nation's history. Lewis tells the story of our freedom to THINK --- note that he realizes it's not just about the press, or about speech, but about what we will be able to THINK. He knows that telling the story as one of real people, the plaintiffs, the defendants, the judges and the lawyers makes the whole tale almost jump off the page....too much fun to pass up for anyone who cares about this issue at all.

Studying the First Amendment can be a daunting task for those who wonder where to get on. This book is the answer. Written in a lucid, straightforward and engaging style (Lewis covered the Supreme Court for the NY Times for many years, winning a Pulitzer in the process, and then wrote a Times column for years after that), it presents not only the history of freedom of speech and the press, but also its current controversies: should we crack down on free speech to combat terrorism? Where do we draw the line on press disclosures of national security issues? What are the values we need to preserve in the 21st century? A thoroughly expert, educational and thoughtful work by a first-class writer.