THE REHNQUIST CHOICE The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment that Redefined the Supreme Court

Chief Justice William Rehnquist has been singularly influential in steering the Supreme Court away from the activism of the Warren court to the strict constructionist position it takes today. But his appointment to the bench by President Richard Nixon was a surprise. He was, after all, an assistant attorney general, not a trial or appellate judge. John Dean, later to become infamous as the president's counsel in the Watergate affair, de-scribes how this long-shot appointment, which Dean championed, came to be. The book is written in the first person, but the tape is read ably in third person by audio veteran Boyd Gaines. Dean reads those passages that are clearly personal. Also, the editors have included actual White House tapes of key conversations. In all, it gives the book the sound of a documentary and makes for enjoyable listening. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 02]