Civitas Outlook published my review of Senator Ted Cruz’s biography about Justice Clarence Thomas. The introduction sketches why I think so highly of Cruz’s book, and why I think not-so-highly of other Supreme Court books.
Three general types of books about the Supreme Court exist. First, most books are based entirely on publicly known information. These books, often written by academics, rely primarily on the author’s opinion and analysis. Second, some books provide inside information about the Court that largely comes from anonymous sources. These books, usually authored by journalists, are intriguing but are impossible to verify because unnamed sources have unknown biases. Third, few books deftly blend public and private information, most of which is directly attributed to named sources. With these tomes, readers learn directly from the principals, and there is no speculation about anonymous sources. This final category, usually an authorized biography, is the rarest and most useful because few authors have earned such trust at the Court.
Senator Ted Cruz’s new biography about Justice Clarence Thomas, Going Further, is a must-read contribution to this third genre of Supreme Court books. Indeed, Cruz is uniquely qualified to write this book because he has observed the third branch from three perspectives over three decades: as a law clerk to Chief Justice Rehnquist, as a Supreme Court litigator in public and private practice, and as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Most importantly, Cruz has earned the trust of Clarence Thomas. If “somebody else was asking,” Thomas said, “I would say no. But if it’s you writing, I’m glad to do it.” In late 2025, Cruz visited the Thomas chambers six times over six months, compiling nine hours of on-the-record interviews. Justice Thomas did not speak “on background” like other Justices trying to improve their reputation. Thomas was an open book.
Often, when I read a book about the Supreme Court, there is little new material. Indeed, you can safely skip most books in the first category unless you find the author’s perspective agreeable. And when I read a book in the second category, I am usually titillated, but left to wonder, “How accurate is this information?” But I could not put Cruz’s book down, because virtually every attribution is backed up by one of his sit-downs with the Justice. Moreover, as Cruz acknowledges, “some of what Justice Thomas said surprises me.” Ditto. I hope that the full or partial transcripts of those interviews might be published in the future.
The conclusion, I think, sums up who Justice Thomas is:
Since President Trump’s re-election, some conservatives have called on Justice Thomas, as well as Justice Alito, to retire. These entreaties fell on deaf ears. As Justice Thomas has said many times, he doesn’t care what people write about him. But a resignation would go against everything Thomas stands for. As Thomas told Cruz, “If you collapse at the end of this, you’ve lived a noble life.”
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