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Citizen Justice: The Environmental Legacy of William O. Douglas―Public Advocate and Conservation Champion Hardcover – September 1, 2022

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 31 ratings
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2023 Rachel Carson Environment Book Award First Honorable Mention

U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas was a giant in the legal world, even if he is often remembered for his four wives, as a potential vice-presidential nominee, as a target of impeachment proceedings, and for his tenure as the longest-serving justice from 1939 to 1975. His most enduring legacy, however, is perhaps his advocacy for the environment.

Douglas was the spiritual heir to early twentieth-century conservation pioneers such as Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir. His personal spiritual mantra embraced nature as a place of solitude, sanctuary, and refuge. Caught in the giant expansion of America’s urban and transportation infrastructure after World War II, Douglas became a powerful leader in forging the ambitious goals of today’s environmental movement. And, in doing so, Douglas became a true citizen justice.

In a way unthinkable today, Douglas ran a one-man lobby shop from his chambers at the U.S. Supreme Court, bringing him admiration from allies in conservation groups but raising ethical issues with his colleagues. He became a national figure through his books, articles, and speeches warning against environmental dangers. Douglas organized protest hikes to leverage his position as a national icon, he lobbied politicians and policymakers privately about everything from logging to highway construction and pollution, and he protested at the Supreme Court through his voluminous and passionate dissents.

Douglas made a lasting contribution to both the physical environment and environmental law—with trees still standing, dams unbuilt, and beaches protected as a result of his work. His merged roles as citizen advocate and justice also put him squarely in the center of ethical dilemmas that he never fully resolved. Citizen Justice elucidates the why and how of these tensions and their contemporary lessons against the backdrop of Douglas’s unparalleled commitment to the environment.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Potomac Books
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1640123008
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1640123007
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Citizen Justice is a] carefully written and researched book."—Jed S. Rakoff, New York Review of Books Published On: 2023-05-25

"McKeown effectively demonstrates that Douglas was a citizen justice, and her portrait of his western upbringing, passion for nature, and maverick personality is compelling."—Mark Harvey, Western Historical Quarterly

“A magnificent portrayal not only of a heroic and brilliant yet nonetheless flawed justice but of the conservation movement of the second half of the twentieth-century in which Justice Douglas played a surprisingly central role. Judge McKeown’s highly engaging and richly detailed account underscores the enormously positive impact Douglas had on preserving the nation’s landscape.”—Richard J. Lazarus, professor of environmental and constitutional law at Harvard Law School

“We remember Justice William O. Douglas as the brilliant, irascible, much-married Supreme Court dissenter—but this fascinating and highly readable book makes the persuasive case that this unusual man was, above all, one of the great environmentalists of the twentieth century. Those of us who love the American landscape and its remaining wild places, as he did, are in his debt.”—Linda Greenhouse, author of Justice on the Brink: The Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Rise of Amy Coney Barrett, and Twelve Months That Transformed the Supreme Court

“William O. Douglas was chronically controversial, frequently cantankerous, sometimes conniving, and often cavalier about judicial ethics. But whether on the bench or on the trail, he toiled tirelessly and creatively to protect the wilderness he held so dear. This colorful and compelling book secures his rightful place in the pantheon of environmental champions.”—David M. Kennedy, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945

“Justice Douglas was a complicated figure, and his record is far from spotless. But with his hiking boots on, he brought things to American governance and jurisprudence that hadn’t been there before: a clear-eyed love for the world around us and a sense of the threats it faced. If he seems to us like a figure from another era, there were ways in which he was well ahead of his time.”—Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

“Citizen Justice is a fiercely intelligent look at how William O. Douglas, America’s longest-serving Supreme Court justice, became the gold-standard conservation activist from the 1930s to the 1970s by promoting wilderness values and public lands preservation from Arctic Alaska to the Allagash of Maine. . . . This is environmental history at its monumental best. Highly recommended!”—Douglas Brinkley, author of Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America

“From one distinguished federal judge of the twenty-first century, a revealing and inspiring look at one of the great judicial and public figures of the twentieth century. Our lives and decisions are guided by examples of what is possible. Through its story of William O. Douglas’s achievements as an environmentalist, Citizen Justice will equip others to care for the planet and their communities.”—James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic and coauthor of Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America

“Great women and men achieve immortality through the ideas that influence those who live after them, but William O. Douglas also achieved a more tangible and rarified immortality: protected wilderness—from the Brooks Range in Alaska, to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, to the William O. Douglas Wilderness in Washington State. Citizen Justice captures Douglas’s odyssey in a fascinating and poignant way.”—Rick Ridgeway, mountaineer, environmentalist, and author of Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the Edge of the Map

“A fascinating and engaging book exploring the story of iconoclastic Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas and the dual role he played on and off the court in the world of conservation and the environment.”—Rose Marcario, former CEO of Patagonia

About the Author

M. Margaret McKeown has served almost twenty-five years as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an affiliated scholar at the Center for the American West at Stanford University, and jurist-in-residence at the University of San Diego School of Law. As a former White House Fellow, she served as special assistant at the White House and as special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. A Wyoming native, she serves on the board of Teton Science Schools and was a member of the first American expedition to Mt. Shishapangma in Tibet.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Potomac Books (September 1, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1640123008
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1640123007
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
31 global ratings
Justice Douglas...pioneering planetary stewardship
5 Stars
Justice Douglas...pioneering planetary stewardship
Citizen Justice is a meticulously researched work by Appellate Court Judge M. Margaret McKeown that documents the audacious conservation advocacy of William O. Douglas. The author distills decades of Douglas’ unrelenting work in Washington DC to help shape early environmental policy victories. She does so in a comfortable and agreeable way.I have personally interviewed dozens of people with firsthand experiences with Justice Douglas and he is often referred to by ordinary citizens, accomplished lawyers, writers, and environmental leaders as “one of my heroes”.With concise examination Judge McKeown corroborates this sentiment, as well as the reflections of Supreme Court Justice William Brennan when he stated “…commenting on public affairs, Bill Douglas always insisted that he had a 1st Amendment Right like any other American citizen and he intended to exercise it and he did.”Anyone concerned in the history of and the imperative need for planetary stewardship will welcome this valuable work.John ConcilloWilliam O. Douglas Film Project
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Top reviews from the United States

Wallify
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and timely work regarding environmental and wilderness protection
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2022
Verified Purchase
For anyone attuned to climate and environmental issues in the USA and the world, Citizen Justice is an important book.

In an admirably-brief and well-written volume, Judge MeKeown captures the environmental-leadership work of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas (WOD) of Yakima, Washington during the middle decades of the last century.

Judge McKeown's exhaustive research is on full display throughout. But her painstaking scholarship does not interfere with the easy readability of her account of WOD's court work and of his mulitifaceted, always-energetic life.

The book concentrate on WOD's far-ranging and enduring environmental work . It's an excellent and entertaining way to understand better how we've managed to hold on to what we still have, as well as the types of efforts and strategies that will be necessary going forward..

Justice Douglas' life and work are already the subject of many books, are are certain to draw more attention going forward, especially as the current Supreme Court gleefully shreds the longstanding fabric of American constitutional and other important law.

Citizen Justice is a timely reminder of past environmental-protection efforts in the USA, as well as of the stakes and risks we humans all face going forward..

Citizen Justice contains many wonderful nuggets, such as WOD's response to a young court clerk who, with awareness of WOD's inspiring rapid progression from obscurity to fame and influence, asked for career advice. The response--perhaps my favorite WOD quote--was something like: "Jump into the stream of history, and swim as fast as you can."

As an unofficial member (our highest rank) of the Pacific Northwest William O. Douglas Society--and thereby as authorized as anyone to communicate our verdict on this book--it's:

A++!

If you're in any doubt, but serious about the subject matter, I suggest that you get the book (very modest price for the value), and be inspired by and learn from it. And recommit to the sort of work it describes, and to the prodigious efforts that remain to be made.

Thanks for considering.

Mike in Seattle
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Carol Poole
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific read, important topic
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2023
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"Citizen Justice" is a fantastic book. I am a writer and presenter of Northwest history for Crosscut.com and KCTS9 in Seattle. A reader recommended this book, which I somehow missed last fall. It fills in an important segment of Douglas' life and is so well-written. I was an admirer of Douglas. As a 15-year-old I wrote him a letter praising his book Points of Rebellion, and he wrote back. What a thrill for a young teen to get a little envelope from W.O.D in Goose Prairie. I learned so much about his environmental legacy. I am truly appreciative of the author's work on this. It is also timely as we consider judicial "activism" on the Supreme Court and the current state of court ethics.
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DJ
4.0 out of 5 stars Good topical biography
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2022
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This is a mostly well-written book about the career of William O. Douglas mostly through the focused lens of environmental advocacy and judgments. As I knew little about Douglas, this was probably not the best, first biography for me to read, and only through reading the book did I learn how extensive are the materials available on his life (including his own autobiographical books). Still, good enough, and I was in fact interested in his environmentalist legacy.

My only complaint about the writing is that it was occasionally repetitive, particularly when recounting the Douglas approach to advocacy, especially since such an approach is now standard and professionalized. And I would have appreciated just a bit more detail on how he accomplished such a rapid rise, from outsider to law school to Presidential confidante in only a few years.

I gleaned a number of insights about the relationship of the current Supreme Court to that of earlier days. There is probably no better example of "activist judge" than Douglas.
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A. Shopper
5.0 out of 5 stars Engagingly presented
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2022
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When I started reading this book, I thought this is some good fiction, as whose life might encompass all of this, and then to know that it was painstakingly written to be the authentic account of this man’s life, I wondered how someone might be able to combine both an engaging story with such accuracy. This book is written by someone who clearly cares about telling the story well and with precision.
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petya g
5.0 out of 5 stars fine portrait of very usual person
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2022
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Vivid account of a vivid person. We wont see his like again . Unusual valuable person , fought for great things, Lots of talents, interesting and admirable. author provides a high readable story that draws you into him along with his ideas; We've become so specialized its hard to image a Supreme Court Justice behaving like this. Perhaps it is that we have an absurd view of the Justices as being super neutral and objective. They are not. great Read
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Michael D. Hawkins
5.0 out of 5 stars A different look at a Supreme Court Justice.
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2022
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Excellent writing and research.
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Brooks D. Groves Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars Important read
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2023
Was such a great book. I am for the Pacific Northwest, and it was such an honor to learn more about the man that created many lasting legacies that we enjoy today. Still so much more work to do. I would highly recommend this book!!
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KGE
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2023
This well-written and compelling story of Justice Douglas' work for environmental causes is a must-read for anyone interested in how change actually happens in our democracy. Universally respected for his intellect and work ethic, Justice Douglas was not the most collegial person to sit on the Supreme Court. He is primarily known for his work as a judge. This book describes how Douglas's most important successes on behalf of the environment were not achieved through written court decisions, but from his personal time and effort directed at saving specific natural treasures, most famously the C&O Canal.
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