No Island of Sanity: Paula Jones V. Bill Clinton: The Supreme Court on Trial

By Vincent Bugliosi

Book Overview

" One would like to think that the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest Court in the land, is the one island of sanity still remaining. But if what you folks are about to read is any indication, we've all got a lot to worry about. The question that presents itself is whether the near pathological dizziness and irrationality in our society has so invaded this nation's marrow that, like a wild-infectious virus, even the Supreme Court is not immune."
--from NO ISLAND OF SANITY

Now, in the powerful premiere of the Library of Contemporary Thought, Vincent Bugliosi takes a timely swipe at the Supreme Court's decision in Paula Jones v. Bill Clinton. Famed as the prosecutor of Charles Manson and author of the classic bestseller HELTER SKELTER, Bugliosi argues that the high court has rarely been proved so wrong, so fast.

NO ISLAND OF SANITY is only the beginning of an ongoing dialogue with some of the most original writers working today. Each month, the Library of Contemporary Thought will bring you a different voice on a hot-button topic in American life, politics, and culture. From Mickey Mouse to Tiger Woods, from how we age to how we read, no subject is too controversial or too unlikely for these powerful and provocative books.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345424875
• ISBN13: 9780345424877
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.2" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Better than six months of law school

This book is a treasure. I read it when it came out, and was floored at how well-reasoned, commonsensical and spot on it was. To me, the "30-page rant" at the beginning of the book, disparagingly mentioned in the editorial review, was truly brilliant. The book's title is "No ISLAND of Sanity." An island is a piece of dry land in an ocean. Before one describes the submerged island, one must discuss the ocean, the context surrounding the island. That is why Buugliosi had to first discuss the insanities of present-day society, the better to place in context the insanity of the Supreme Court's decision in Jones vs. Clinton. What the author accomplishes is masterful: He analyzes the opinion from a constitutional law, a statutory law, an appellate advocacy, a commonsense, and a legal scholar's point of view. He looks at the opinion from a low-brow, mid-brow and high-brow perspective. He rightfully skewers the justices of the Supreme Court, as well legal pundits and newspaper editorial boards, in ten different ways. This book is so refreshing, because it deals with an issue that has political overtones in a most apolitical manner. Bugliosi is an insighful legal commentator who has brilliantly exposed the justices of the Supreme Court as emperors without clothes.

From the rear cover:

"...one would like to think that the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, is the one island of sanity still remaining. But if what you folks are about to read is any indication, we've all got a lot to worry about. The question that presents itself is whether the near-pathological dizziness and irrationality in our society has so invaded this nation's marrow that, like a wildly infection virus, even the Supreme Court is not immune." "Vincent Bugliosi received his law degree in 1964 from UCLA Law School. In his career as a prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, he won 105 out of 106 felony jury trials. His most famous trial was the Charles Manson case, which became the basis of his classic bestselling book, 'Helter Skelter'. Both 'Helter Skelter' and his subsequent 'Till Death Us Do Part' won Edgar Allan Poe Awards for best true-crime book of the year. His next true-crime book, 'And the Sea Will Tell' was #1 on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list, as was his most recent book, 'Outrage: The Five Reasons Why O. J. Simpson Got Away With Murder'. This is a Library of Contemporary Thought publication, Ballantine Publishing Group, NY.

Scathing Analysis of an Erroneous Supreme Court Decision

Aside from the legal precedent established by Paul Jones v. Bill Clinton, Bugliosi is obviously distraught about this and many aspects of our current culture, and the book honestly portrays this raw emotion that is attributable to the fast track publishing offered by this "Library of Contemporary Thought" series. While much of this emotion would have been eased through the traditional and more lengthy editorial process, the core message Vincent Bugliosi provides is a critical analysis of the Supreme Court decision in Paula Jones v. Bill Clinton.He accurately critizes a decision that apparently was made on a political, rather than legal, basis. In the zealousness with which his critics have been out to "get" Bill Clinton, this decision establishes a dangerous legal precedent -- that a sitting President can be subjected to a civil lawsuit. Bugliosi's principal argument is that for this decision, the Office of the Presidency should have been separated from the person holding the office at any given time. This core message is an important one that was severely neglected by the traditional media, who used to have some sort of "journalistic integrity" that distinguished them from the tabloids.This argument extends to the entire manner of the Kenneth Starr investigation, and now that his report has been sent to Congress, it will be entirely appropriate to examine his tactics and political motivations. We can only hope that Bugliosi will do so, although without the emotional outbursts that detract from his stellar legal career.As this review is being written, further disgrace to the Office of the Presidency is being inflicted by Starr and the Congress by their decisions not to allow the President time to review the report before it is made public.Furthermore, another review of this book "Poorly veiled partisan deceit" is typical of the hypocrisy of Clinton critics. In this highly partisan critique of Bugliosi, the author completely ignores the crux of Bugliosi's argument (as stated above). That this author, the Republican party, and vast portions of the media are disrepectful of the Office of the Presidency is shameful; that the Supreme Court could unanimously be so is a national disgrace.

Vincent Bugliosi voices a minority opinion... again.

Bugliosi approaches the Paula Jones decision by the Supreme Court as he approaches everything: with an open mind, open eyes, a willingness to do his homework, and an arrogantly brutal honesty in stating his unconventional conclusions. Very thought provoking and very entertaining.

Bugliosi has done it again. A terrific book.

Vincent Bugliosi has done it again. This is another remarkable book from the same guy who gave us Helter Skelter and Outrage. I've read everything Mr. Bugliosi has ever written and he's as great now as he ever was. It's nice to see that someone cares about the sanctity of the office of the President.