The Progeny: Justice William J. Brennan's Fight to Preserve the Legacy of New York Times v. Sullivan

New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, credited with defining the "central meaning" of the First Amendment, has protected the freedom of expression for the past 50 years. This book focuses on "the progeny" of that decision—examining how Justice Brennan nurtured and developed the constitutional law of defamation and related claims from this important milestone.

Told largely from Brennan’s perspective, and based on his previously unreported papers and interviews with his biographer, the authors …