Taking Liberties: Four Decades in the Struggle for Rights

Rating:
Summary: Bunch of books in one
Review: A bunch of books in one as we see the turbulent litigation of the 60s and 70s from an insider's point of view, then the growth of Human Rights Watch and the important work done in Central America and elsewhere to George Soros' occasionally transformational efforts in former Soviet countries. Refreshingly honest, such as the part where Neier admits that the ACLU's mental health litigation asking for the mentally ill to be released from institutions unwittingly contributed to the homeless crises which continues to this day. I have never heard a liberal admit this, though it is probably true (it's important to admit mistakes to avoid them in the future). The book would have been better with more about Neier's personal life and his personal feelings about triumphs and defeats, but all in all a great insider view of civil liberties litigation, NGO politics, and human rights strategy.