The Strange Alchemy of Life and Law
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.46 (586 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0199605777 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-10-04 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Law's Elvis At a recent retirement dinner for Justice Albie Sachs of the South African Constitutional Court, one of his colleagues remarked that Sachs is universally known as "Albie," even in the stuffy world of constitutional lawyers. "Not many judges are instantly recognizable by their first names," the speaker said. "Albie is like Elvis."This book shows why. Comprised of autobiographical snippets, reflections on judging, and excerpts from judicial opinions, the book's a lot like Sachs himself: wise, funny, humane, eloquent, and committed to the project of building a new South A. L. K. Brown said Lois. Amazing book which explains revolutionary legal and constitutional concepts in post-Apartheid South Africa and how they are applied by the court. Written by a judge who was part of the ANC struggle against Apartheid. Section on Truth and Reconciliation is heart-wrenching.. Really enjoyed it Was beautifully written
From a young age Albie Sachs played a prominent part in the struggle for justice in South Africa. Rejecting purely formal notions of the judicial role he shows how both reason and passion (concern for protecting human dignity) are required for law to work in the service of justice.. With rare candour he tells of the difficulties he has when preparing a judgment, of how every judgment is a lie. Over the course of his fifteen year term on the Court he has grappled with the major issues confronting modern South Africa, and the challenges posed to the fledgling democracy as it sought to overcome the injustices of the apartheid regime. As a result he was detained in solitary confinement, tortured by sleep deprivation and eventually blown up by a car bomb which cost him his right arm and the sight of an eye. His experiences provoked an outpouring of creative thought on the role of law as a protector of human dignity in the modern world, and a lifelong commitment to seeing a new era of justice established in South Africa. As his term on the Court approaches its end, Sachs here conveys in intimate fashion what it has been like to be a judge in these unique circumstances, how his extraordinary life has influenced his approach to the cases before him, and his views on the nature of justice and its achievement through law. By juxtaposing life experiences and extracts from judgments, Sachs enables the reader to see the complex and surprising ways in whic
He is the author of Soft Vengeance of a Freedom Fighter (1991), Justice in South Africa (1974), The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs (1966), and The Free Diary of Albie Sachs (2004).. Albie Sachs was a Justice on the Constitutional Court of South Africa from 1994-2009
This book sheds an entertaining light into the workings of a fine judicial mind and is a useful reminder of the importance of what we do." --Mary Stacey, employment judge, Judicial Studies Board Spring 2010"There is no more heroic, compassionate, or creative lawyer than Albie Sachs, and his book offers the gift of his vivid and humane first-hand account of serving as a judge, interpreting South Africa's post-apartheid Constitution, and pursuing justice on and off the bench." --Martha L. I am sure it would improve their understanding of what the job really involves and what justice is about." --Lord Woolf, from the preface"The Strange Alchemy of Life and Lawis Albie Sachs' fascinating and honest account of how his own thinking, emotions and experiences contributed to some of the most startling, original, adventurous, far-reaching and moving de