“We associate truth with knowledge, with seeing things fully and clearly, but it is more correct to say that access to truth always depends on a very precise admixture of knowledge and ignorance. This is nicely captured by the traditional figure of justice, a blind-folded woman holding a scale. With her balance she can assess certain things, with her eyes closed she cannot see certain other things. True justice depends as much on her blindness as on her ability to discern.” (Page 82)

This book has received very mixed reviews, with many critics noting that the author used bloated language and was scornful of his follow jurors. More than one critic suggested that he should have taken the time to interview his fellow jurors after the trial.

I disagree. This book is about one person’s experience of being on a jury. The author portrays his own perception of this experience and in doing so, reveals all of his doubts, prejudices and intellectual warts. Far from finding him pompous, I thought that the told his story simply and without fanfare. I liked his writing and found the book easy and enjoyable to read. Through the book, I found myself speculating about what it would be like to be on a jury, how I might act, what preconceptions and predjudices I might bring into such an experience.

Let me be clear: the author is snobbish and dismissive as only a Princeton professor can be. But he is upfront about his flaws. For example, he admits that he tried to sway the group (indeed, every member of that jury took a turn at trying to sway the others) and states clearly that he came into the deliberations having already made up his mind.

Interestingly, the author reveals how it ended – the jury’s verdict – before he tells the story. I think it might have been more interesting had I not known the outcome. The trial itself is interesting, but not compelling enough to carry the book. What carries the book is the descriptions of the scene inside the jury room. The author’s own struggles and how his perceptions of his fellow jurors change over time are intriguing.

In the end, I don’t necessarily like the author. But I found his experience and the lens through which he views the world very compelling.