Book Notes

The Trial of Henry Kissinger, by Chritopher Hitchens (Verso: New York, 2001)

With Miloslovic in the dock and Pinochet indicted, the author marshalls the evidence to hold Henry Kissinger accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracies for murder. In addition to interviews, a good deal of the information has been made available under the Freedom of Information Act. The author challenges the Congress to establish a Truth Commission.

Democracy's Constitution: Claiming the Privileges of American Citizenship, by John Denvir (University of Illinois Press, 2001)

Professor Denvir calls for constitutional protection for the opportunity to earn a decent living, the right to a first-class education and a vote that counts. The vehicle for these rights is the 14th Amendment's privileges and immunities clause that was marginalized by the U.S. Supreme Court in the nineteenth century "slaughterhouse case."