John Wilkes: The Scandalous Father of Civil Liberty

By Arthur H. Cash

Book Overview

A highly entertaining biography of the incredible John Wilkes, champion of liberty and irrepressible libertine. "It is difficult to believe that John Wilkes, a notorious womanizer and scandal-monger,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300108710
• ISBN13: 9780300108712
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.4" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

One of the best histories I have read

I ordered this book to help me fill in some gaps in my research on the history of the Fourth Amendment. Because Wilkes and his litigation are constant subjects of discussion whenever the origins of the Fourth Amendment are discussed, I thought I should know a good bit more about this once famous individual. I must say that Mr. Cash's book kept me up several nights and was a real page-turner. Fascinating history, and very well written. The details provide a great sense of the atmosphere of this amazing period. My hat is off to Mr. Cash.

Scandalous Father of Civil Liberties

Arthur Cash's biography of John Wilkes, the 18th century English political figure, provides a fascinating view of the social and political world of the 1760s, a time when English radicals under the "Wilkite" banner challenged the authority of the King's Ministry to control the press. It is astounding to realize to what extent Wilkes, by his lampooning publications in the "North Briton", personally took on the establishment of the time. Rights he was instrumental in securing include "habeas corpus", freedom of the press, freedom from search and seizure without a specific warrant, and the right of people to choose their representative. Just as interesting is his personal life as a libertine and devoted father to his daughter Polly and illegitimate son "Jack Smith". He knew everyone who was anyone and was a renowned wit.

Absolutely mesmerizing

John Wilkes was one of the most fascinating figures of the 18th century, both politically and personally. We in the U.S. owe many of the principles in the Bill of Rights to Wilkes, yet how many Americans have heard of him? Especially now (2006), when so many of our civil liberties are being eviscerated, this is an important book. Wilkes was also a colorful character -- to say that he loved wine, women, and song is an understatement. This was a guy who squeezed every drop he could out of life, all the while fighting for a free press, protection against unwarranted search and seizure, and free speech. Arthur Cash has given us a rich historical portrait of a true hero (along with some unforgettable Wilkes quotes). If you've never heard of North Briton No. 45, what are you waiting for?!

A Product of the 60's!

John Wilkes could be considered a "flower-child of the 60's". The 1760's, that is. As I read this magnificent telling of JOHN WILKES: THE SCANDELOUS FATHER OF CIVIL LIBERTY by Arthur Cash, I couldn't help but wonder how this free spirit would be accepted today. I was reminded of countless modern day examples of people who resemble this man they probably never heard of. Cash captures the essence of his subject in an erudite fashion seldom found. We Americans owe a great deal to Wilkes, and yet, he ranks but a footnote in the pages of our history. Wilkes encompassed the American spirit of independence and if known today, would be a folk hero of the highest regard. Perhaps Cash's work can help put the name of John Wilkes in its rightful place. John Wilkes had to compensate for his less than dashing looks, and he did so quite well with his wit. He was cross-eyed and had a most prominent jaw, almost to the point of deformity. By the time he was forty, he had lost his teeth and spoke with a very heavy lisp. His wit can be illustrated by his comment to Lord Sandwich who told Wilkes he would either die of the pox or at the gallows. Wilkes retorted, "That depends, my Lord, on whether I embrace your wife, or your principles." Wilkes pushed the bounds of the "free press" with his publication, the North Briton, which at one point, won him a week in the tower. In the end, however, Wilkes' incessant attack on pushing the boundaries of the free press would eventually make his name synonymous with liberty. We picture those stuffy men of the late 18th century sitting in Parliament with their starched collars, their powdered wigs, and their staunch expressions and I'm sure many of them fit that very description. But this parliamentarian, writer, freedom fighter and part time pornographer will shock readers with just how "anti-establishment" he was, and for the most part, got away with. Arthur Cash has composed a delightful, though lengthy read about someone we all should get to know a little better. Monty Rainey www.juntosociety.com

Wilkes and Liberty!

A superior biography of an Englishman who had a great impact on the advancement of liberty, both at home and, by example, in the colonies that were to become the United States. Today's readers will find this life of John Wilkes deserving of attention for a multitude of reasons. Professor Cash gives clear background on many of the political and judicial terms of that age, many of which are still in use today. The evil that was embedded in general warrants, the beginnings to a right of privacy, freedom of the press, and the start towards universal suffrage are all part of this story. As well as the private worldly pleasures of an unorthodox gentleman who never met a debt or woman he could refuse. One of the best books, if not the best, I have read this past year. If you are a fan of James Boswell or Voltaire I wager that you will enjoy this worthy effort by the accomplished author Arthur H. Cash.