B O OKS
TO READ
Hidden gems every lawyer
should take the time to read
4
A Testament of Hope: The Essential
Writings and Speeches of Martin
Luther King, Jr. edited by James Melvin
Washington. There is so much more
than “I have a dream” worth considering.
Much, much more.
8
Georgia Odyssey, 2nd Edition by James
C. Cobb. An eminently readable and
entertaining history of the state.
5
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
by John Berendt. The book takes place in
Savannah with commentary on society,
especially the workings of lawyers, that
can by applied universally. The story of the
Williams trials is masterfully written.
1
The Evidence of Things Not Seen by
James Baldwin. Baldwin took on the child
murders that plagued the city from 1979
to 1981, four years after the conviction of
Wayne Williams, detailing significant flaws
in the case, a momentous argument now
that the case is being re-opened.
2
Elbert Parr Tuttle: Chief Jurist of the
Civil Rights Revolution by Anne Emanuel.
An outstanding biography of one of the
people who transformed the way the
country perceived civil rights, this book
documents the life of not just great lawyer,
but a great Atlantan.
9
Long Time Leaving: Dispatches from Up
South by Roy Blount, Jr.. Blount grew up in
Decatur. He discovered that you can’t exactly
leave the South by moving North. This book
delightfully contrasts the two regions.
6
And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of
Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo
Frank by Steve Oney. The murder of Mary
Phagan and the subsequent lynching of
Leo Frank. The crime marks what some
say is one of the lowest points in Atlanta
history.
10
Atlanta Noir edited by Tayari Jones. The
Atlanta edition of Akashic’s Noir series
features short stories depicting every part
of the city. Kenji Jasper's "A Moment of
Clarity at the Waffle House" is a scattered,
smothered, covered, and chunked piece of
writing.
7
The Temple Bombing by Melissa Fay
Greene. The dynamite blast at The Temple
resulted in a fusion of black and Jewish
leaders that enabled the civil rights
movement in the city.
3
Slavery by Another Name: The Re-
Enslavement of Black Americans from
the Civil War to World War II by Douglas
Blackmon. A detailed and disturbing
examination of the convict lease system
that rebuilt a good part of Atlanta post-
Sherman, Blackmon demonstrates that
slavery did not end with the adoption of
the 13th Amendment.
MICHAEL JABLONSKI
Law Office of Michael Jablonski
[email protected]
Not only do lawyers have to keep up with changes in the law, but they must develop an
understanding of the cultures with which they work. A major component of persuasion, if
not advocacy in general, includes the realization that not everyone thinks in the same way, or
acts consistently, or possesses the same view of history.
We set about to list books that we feel are essential reading for anyone practicing law in
Atlanta. The list is by no means exhaustive. We welcome suggestions of additional titles that
should be included in future lists. Each list will include 10 new selection of titles - the order
in which a book appears in the list does not necessarily indicate a preference.
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association THE ATLANTA LAWYER
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