A sophisticated legal thriller that plunges readers into the debate within the US government surrounding the imprisonment of thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
When the news broke about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Caswell “Cash” Harrison was all set to drop out of law school and join the army… until he flunked the physical. Instead, he’s given the opportunity to serve as a clerk to Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. He and another clerk stumble onto a potentially huge conspiracy aimed at guiding the court’s interests, and the cases dealing with the constitutionality of the prison camps created to detain Japanese-Americans seem to play a key part. Then Cash’s colleague dies under mysterious circumstances, and the young, idealistic lawyer is determined to get at the truth. His investigation will take him from the office of J. Edgar Hoover to an internment camp in California, where he directly confronts the consequences of America’s wartime policies. Kermit Roosevelt combines the momentum of a top-notch legal thriller with a thoughtful examination of one of the worst civil rights violations in US history in this long-awaited follow-up to In the Shadow of the Law.
Kermit Roosevelt is a professor of constitutional law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Born in Washington, DC, he attended Harvard University and Yale Law School. Before joining the Penn faculty, he clerked for DC Circuit Judge Stephen F. Williams and Supreme Court Justice David Souter, and practiced law in Chicago. His experiences clerking and practicing law informed his first novel, the national campus bestseller In the Shadow of the Law (FSG, 2005).
Allegiance 4.3 out of 5based on
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Anonymous
More than 1 year ago
I am fascinated by world war II accounts. This novel blends facts with fiction and brings out an understanding of war injustices, our reactive fears, the inevitable profiteering and rollicking politics. It is a convoluted thriller and a page turner, the language and musing quite often poetic. It is a thought provoking read and I am enthralled by it. Highly recommended
LoisLong
More than 1 year ago
This is a brilliant book. Written in lyrical prose, it’s a powerful story that stays with you long after you’ve read the last page and changes you in a profound way. While it’s a book of historical fiction and the author masterfully recaptures America in the 1940s, it’s relevant to the world we live in today and makes us rethink who we are and who we want to be. Inspiring. The main character, Cash Harrison, immediately draws you into his world and keeps you turning the page as the story unfolds into a mystery that’s packed with surprises and astonishing events that are actually true. Cash begins as a young idealistic lawyer who’s given the opportunity to clerk for Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a time that very much parallels post 9/11 America. Compelled to serve his country, he leaves his home and girlfriend in Philadelphia to go to Washington, DC where he ultimately finds himself caught in a maze of murder, lies, and corruption. He’s alone in his journey to get to the truth; his girlfriend is unsupportive and pressures him to come home, those of his inner circle are not to be trusted, and danger lies at every turn. Cash finally discovers a government conspiracy surrounding Japanese American internment --when FDR gave the order to imprison 120,000 U.S. citizens (most of whom were innocent) because of their ethnicity – and his idealistic view of Washington, DC and the Supreme Court is forever changed. Those of his privileged inner circle put personal gain before principles and law – and he seems to be the only person in power who cares enough to stop the devastating injustice. How far will he go to stand by his principles? Will he be loyal to those of his inner circle or be true to his belief in fairness and equal justice for all? Roosevelt’s research is impressive: he brings Hugo Black and J. Edgar to life and astutely examines Supreme Court cases and the inner workings of government in a way that’s eminently readable to all. It’s as much a legal thriller as it is a thoughtful reflection on American ideals and moral goodness – a masterpiece that you’ll want to read again and again. Allegiance is a true American story with an unforgettable hero. Suspenseful – illuminating --and transformative – Kermit Roosevelt is one of the great writers of our generation.
Anonymous
More than 1 year ago
... but it started to drag for me. Author is really good at developing characters.
Anonymous
More than 1 year ago
Good / exciting historical accuracy with little time wasted on love interest crap -
Anonymous
More than 1 year ago
ReadersFavorite
More than 1 year ago
Reviewed by Natasha Jackson for Readers' Favorite
Allegiance is the story of law student Caswell “Cash” Harrison. He has aspirations of joining the military to help America win World War II until a failed physical dashes those hopes. But it turns out that he will play an important role in matters of war and peace as a clerk for a Supreme Court Justice. Through this opportunity he learns what justice in America really means, and how cases are ultimately decided. Kermit Roosevelt’s Allegiance explores the constitutionality of the internment camps and when Cash and a colleague begin digging deeper, what they find will have deadly consequences.
As a fan of history and historical fiction I was immediately intrigued with the premise of this novel and Kermit Roosevelt did not disappoint. At first glance we move through the foundation and buildup of the story of Cash’s life. Allegiance is a political and legal thriller through and through. But it is a multi-layered story of class in main line Philly, of love and of justice, making sure there’s something for everyone to love here. The meat of the story is the murder-mystery and the fight between war and justice over the imprisoned Japanese-Americans. At times the main conspiracy gets lost, but overall, the author does a fantastic job of giving us a feel for wartime personalities as well as the way these historical figures would have conducted themselves at the time. What Roosevelt does best here is blend fact with fiction in a cleverly gripping novel that I just couldn’t put down.
Anonymous
More than 1 year ago
I
Anonymous
More than 1 year ago
As a history buff and someone with an interest in the Supreme Court and its impact on history, I found the details fascinating and all the twists and turns enough to keep my interest
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