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BookReportExampleInContemptBookReportBookWrittenbyChrisDardenThisreportisbaseduponthebookInContempt,writtenbyChristhopherA.DardenwithJessWalter.ThisbookispublishedbyReganBooksanimprintofHarperCollinsPublishersandiscopyrighted1996byChristopherA.Darden.IntroductionoftheAuthorThebookInContemptwaswrittenbyChristopherA.Darden.ChrisDardenisfamousforbeingoneoftheprosecutingattorneysinthecourtcaseThePeoplevs.Simpson.Hehasworkedhardhiswholelifetoreachthestatushehasnowachieved.HeprovedtoAmericathateventhoughhewasn'tahigh-pricedprivatelawyerthathecouldpresentawell-thoughtoutandplannedcaseunderthetremendouspressureheandtheotherprosecutorshadtoendureduringtheSimpsoncase.SummaryIfoundthisbooktobeverywellthoughtoutandwellwritten.Mostpeoplewouldassumethatthisbookwaswrittenwiththeintentionsofmakingaquick-buckoffthemisfortuneofNicoleBrownSimpsonandRonaldGoldman.I,however,donotbelievethistobetrue.Thewaythattheauthorspeaksofthevictimsinthebookandthewayhespokeofthembeforeandafterthetrialshowsthathereallycaredaboutthelivesofthesepeoplethathedidn'tevenknow.Heevenwentasfarastosayinthebookthatthiswasthefirstcasethataffectedhimpersonallyandemotionally.Asonemayexpect,themajorityofthisbookistakenupwiththeSimpsoncase.Chapterstwothroughsixdetailhislifefrombirth,hischildhoodinaworkingclassdistrictofRichmond,CaliforniaandhisbecomingadistrictattorneyofLosAngelesin1981.Chapterstwoandthreemostlyconsistofstoriesofhimandhisbrother,Michael,stealingfromlocalstoresorhisbrothers’drugdeals.WhenMichaelhithismid-teenshestartedsellingmarijuanaoffthefrontporchofthehouseandChriswashislookout.Inreturn,hewastoldthathewouldbecutinontheactionbutneverwas.Nomatterwhat,MichaelalwaystoldChrisnevertousedrugs.ThroughoutthebookChrisDardenreferstohisbrotherasagoodrolemodelforhimnomatterwhathedid.IfeelthepurposeofChrisDardenwritingthisbookistotrytoshowthehardshipshehadtogothroughasablackmantryingtobecomealawyer.AlsoIfeelthatheistryingtorevealthetruthbehindwhatwashappeningintheSimpsoncase.BodyoftheReviewThisbookisfunnyandatothertimesthemoodismoreserious.Thefewchaptersinthebeginningwerethefunnyones.InthesechaptershewritesabouthischildhoodandworkshiswayforwardtowhenhestartstoworkintheDistrictAttorney'sOffice.SpecificallyhetellsabouthowhewascaughtstealingaHostessFruitpieatthecornerstore,sneakingcrackersfromhishousepantry,andbeingteasedabouthavingfalseteethasachild.Ashewritesandtalksaboutwhenhegetsolderthemoodchangesandgetsmoreserious.Hewritesalotabouthisbrotherwhowasabiginfluenceonhimwhenhewasyoung.Dardenretellsstoriesofhowheandhisbrother,Michael,wouldsalvageold,brokenradiosfromthetrashandrepairthemandthensitonSaturdaynightslisteningtothelocalRandBstation.HisbrotherwouldalwayscommentonhowtheTemptationswerethebestbandever.Also,hetellsofthetimewhenhisbrotherwassmokingajointintheirbedroomwhentheirfathercameburstingintotheroom.Thinkingquickly,Chris'brotherswallowedthestilllitjoint.Hisfathersmelledthemarijuanabutneverfoundanyevidenceofthejoint.Ashetellsabouthischildhood,heremembershowhisgrandmotherwouldaskhimwhathewantedtobewhenhegrewupandasfarbackashecouldrememberhewouldsaythathewantedtobealawyer.ChristopherDardengrewuplikealotofblackfamiliesofthattimeperiod,poor.Theydidhaveenoughmoneytobuya30,000houseandtheyalwayshadapantryfulloffood.Notmanypeoplefromhisneighborhoodevermademuchofthemselvesbuthealwaysbelievedinhimselfandhisgrandmotheralwaysbelievedthathecoulddoanythingthatheputhismindto.Shewastheonlypersonthatbelievedhecouldbealawyerandalwaysintroducedhimasafuturelawyer.InhighschoolChrisfollowedinhisbrother'sfootstepsandjoinedthetrackteam.ThiswouldbehistickettoascholarshipatBerkeleyUniversity,andthestarttohislawcareer.Aftercompletingcollege,heappliedforajobintheDistrictAttorney'sOffice,andsurprisinglygotthejobattheLosAngelesDistrictAttorney'sOfficein1981.Throughtheyears,heworkedhiswayupthroughtheranksoftheD.A.s'Officeandbecameaveryprominentlawyer.Heworkedfor14yearsbeforetheSimpsoncasewasbroughtbeforehim.Heneverexpectedtoworkthecasebutsometimesstrangethingshappen.HeworkedhardtoprovethatSimpsonwasguiltybutjusticewasneverfound.Outofthe20murdercasesthatDardenhadworked,theSimpsoncasewastheonlyonehelost.Afterhelost,hevowednevertoworkinlawagain.ConclusionIdidn'tfindthisbookparticularlyuseful,butitwasaverygoodbooktoreadanditgavememoreinsightastowhathashappenedinChrisDarden'slifeandwhathewentthroughduringtheSimpsoncase.WhenIgotthebookIapproacheditlikemoststudentsdowhentheyhaveabookreporttowrite.Ididn'twanttoreadthebookbuthadtoinordertogetagoodgrade.AsIstartedtoreadthefirstchapter,whichwasabouttheSimpsoncaseIrealizedthatthebookwasn'tjusttheboringdrivelyouwouldexpectfromalawyer.Itwasintelligentlywrittenandhadamusingstoriesfromhischildhoodandfraternitydays.AlthoughIdidn'twanttoreadit'itwasn'tasbadasIhadexpected,andIfoundittobeenjoyableandinformative.