This book looks at the legacy and impact of one of the most influential supreme court justices. It looks at how he was criticised by the left and lauded as principled by the right. It is a wonderful character study of a brilliant legal mind of our time.

First of all this is not a biography of Antonin Scalia, this book is a portrait of his judicial philosophy focusing on his use of originalism and textualism. Hasen does an excellent job outlining these two facets of constitutional interpretation. This book is also not a comprehensive catalog of Scalia's opinion issued from the bench. What this book does do is critically evaluate the rigor of Scalia's application of originalism and textualism and the pitfalls which occur from their application. The writing is of a nature that anyone who is even mildly interested in the actions of the SCOTUS will be able to grasp. The book moves at a quick pace and is a quick read. It ends with some analysis and speculation on the direction which originalism will take the judiciary in the future and the possible direction Justice Gorsuch will have in replacing Scalia. If your interest is in courts, politics, law, or American government this book is highly recommended.