- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Warner Books (Sep 23 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0446530204
- ISBN-13: 978-0446530200
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 15.7 x 3.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 567 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,109,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Snyder recalls that, shortly after she began working as an assistant prosecutor in Manhattan, "I began to understand that there was, indeed, pure evil in this world." Although she now serves as a trial court judge, that early insight continues to temper her approach to her work. As she matter-of-factly puts it, criminals and their attorneys should be prepared for her to mete out tough sentences when circumstances demand it and in most of the cases recounted here, they do. Snyder's 30-year career highlights how criminal law, and women's role in it, have evolved. As a prosecutor, Snyder was disheartened by the legal obstacles to proving rape; she and others successfully lobbied for revisions to the rape statute that eliminated these hurdles. Snyder also recounts her more colorful experiences presiding over drug, mob and murder trials. She can't be accused of sentimentalizing defendants: readers will look in vain for a story about an innocent man caught up in the justice system. By her own admission, her heart lies with the prosecution, and the rulings that she recounts (e.g., one to allow suppression hearings outside the presence of defense counsel) reflect that. This is not a law review article, though, but a book of legal "war stories," ("Judge, there's a hit team on the way from Los Angeles to kill you," the court officer announced one day) recounted vividly by a judge who has been at the center of Manhattan's criminal justice system for many years.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
New York Judge Snyder, known among criminal defendants in New York City as the "Ice Princess," "Princess of Darkness," and "25 to Life" for her long sentences in drug cases, has written a blunt, fascinating account of her work as a prosecutor, defense lawyer, and judge. The extremely bright Snyder entered Radcliffe College at 16, earned a law degree in Cleveland, and became a lawyer with a top New York firm. Bored, she quit civil practice and became a Manhattan prosecutor. Here, she recounts in detail her cases and achievements as the first female homicide prosecutor and the originator of the Manhattan District Attorney's Sex Crimes Division. Judge Snyder does an excellent job of describing the work of prosecutors and gives her unvarnished opinions of weak judges, shifty defense lawyers, and evil criminals. In her concluding chapter, she opposes the legalization of drugs, promotes more drug education for children, and advises readers to commit time to public service. A forthright and provocative book; recommended for all collections.
Harry Charles, Attorney at Law, St. Louis
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Harry Charles, Attorney at Law, St. Louis
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
It was a weekday, just before Christmas of 1988, and I was working at the job I loved, being a judge on New York State's highest criminal trial court, the supreme court. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
It was a weekday, just before Christmas of 1988, and I was working at the job I loved, being a judge on New York State's highest criminal trial court, the supreme court. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
not exactly enlightening,
By A Customer
This review is from: 25 To Life (Hardcover)
The best biographies (and autobiographies) are those that do more than catalog their subjects' achievements -- they chronicle some inner struggle that makes the story interesting on a human level. Reading this book, you wonder why it was written. There seems to be no personal revelation, nothing below the surface. The author sees everything in black and white, and there doesn't seem to be anything more going on than a chronicling of local legal issues that have little relevance to anyone but a few insiders. Snyder's "interior" struggle seems to be her understanding that other people are bad. I guess she has always been perfect. This may be true, and if so I congratulate her, but it just doesn't make for interesting reading.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Inspirational Woman!,
By Global Citizen (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: 25 To Life (Hardcover)
This book is more than meets the eye. I found it so intriguing that I read it non-stop over the weekend. Snyder chronicles the steps she took to get to where she is today. Her position of priviledge and honour weren't handed to her on a silver plate. She earned it, with a combination of grace, dignity, intelligence, and tenacity. Given her relatively low salary, especially in comparison to the defense attorneys in private practice, it is a wonder that she continues to work in such a demanding, yet thankless job, especially so when she and her family find their lives constantly threatened by the thugs that she protects society from. It is a gripping tale of how criminals run rampant and destroy the lives of innocent bystanders, and how Snyder does more than her part in ending their tyranny. You might expect a book about law to be dry. Think again! 25 TO LIFE is a gripping outline of Snyder's exciting career. I would compare this woman to Rudolph Guiliani in her leadership abilities. She is a role model to all, especially young women. (It's too bad she practices in NY. We could definately use somebody of her calibre here in Canada, to clean up the urban crime). Great book from a fabulous member of society.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Bell-Ringer,
By A Customer
This review is from: 25 To Life (Hardcover)
This is such an incredible story, I could not put the book down... how could any one person take on the mob, the druggies, and some of the most vicious murderers ever seen in New York City? And while, much of the time, under death threat to her self and family by these creeps who had been getting away with their murders for years... To label her just a Conservative is ridiculous -- she is also liberal, feminist, family, but above all, AMERICAN. New York City and State, and America, owe her a tremendous debt. However, as I neared the end of her incredible odyssey, I wondered why she did not give a solution for the overall "War on Drugs," obviously a losing proposition. But she does! There are hidden powers in high places that should be doing everything possible to save America from this Drug Hell that has engulfed the nation. Time to wake up, folks...
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
