So Ordered

Justice Samuel A. Alito elaborates on his judicial philosophy and reflects on the roles of the law, the Constitution, and the courts in preserving America’s spirit of liberty.

“So Ordered reveals Justice Samuel Alito as a jurist of rare balance: deeply principled yet resolutely practical.” ―Yuval Levin, author of American Covenant

Samuel A. Alito has quietly become one of the most influential Supreme Court justices in recent history. In this surprisingly personal book, he vigorously defends his “originalist” approach to the Constitution, identifies the threats to our liberties, and reflects on faith, the nature of law, and American culture.

Twenty years on the high court have given Justice Alito a unique perspective on the country’s fiercest legal and constitutional battles. As America’s culture wars unfolded, one side harnessed the power of the judiciary to impose its agenda, abetted by judges scornful of constitutional constraints and untroubled by doubts about their own infallibility. The response was a legal movement devoted to originalism and textualism, which found its most effective champion in Justice Alito.

The battles, of course, are far from over. Free speech and religion, in particular, are frequently under fire. Justice Alito offers a compelling vision of the courts’ role in defending these and other fundamental liberties.

In So Ordered, one of our greatest jurists celebrates the complexity and brilliance of the American Constitution.

• “So Ordered reveals Justice Samuel Alito as a jurist of rare balance: deeply principled yet resolutely practical. He treats judging not as the application of grand theoretical abstractions but as a craft, shaped by experience, restraint, and respect for constitutional limits. Drawing on deep learning and hard-earned wisdom, it illuminates a core American insight—that order, more than power, is what secures liberty.”
  Yuval Levin, author of American Covenant
• “This wonderful volume displays the powerful intellect, deep knowledge, careful craftsmanship, and wry wit that have marked Justice Alito’s two decades of stellar work on the Supreme Court.”
  Ed Whelan, Antonin Scalia Chair in Constitutional Studies, Ethics and Public Policy Center
• “Some books by Supreme Court justices about who they are and what they do are quite lively, whereas other such books are quite serious. This book is both. It manages to entertain and edify at the same time—no easy thing. And for baseball fans, a special treat awaits. You’ll never think the same way about the cliché that judges just call balls and strikes.”
  Akhil Reed Amar, author of Born Equal
• “Samuel Alito is best known as a Supreme Court justice, but he is so much more—a man of faith who loves his family, his country, and, for good measure, the Phillies. In So Ordered, you meet the man in full. The same fierce and brilliant insight that distinguishes his jurisprudence animates his political and cultural commentary. It’s a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of America.”
  Mollie Hemingway, author of Alito