In this book the author's approach to the Supreme Court differs from that of most political scientists. The book is not about what the Court does, but rather about what the Court is and, ultimately, where it is in the American polity's system of authority. Brigham observes that the Supreme Court occupies a preeminent position for other governmental institutions, the legal profession, academics, journalists, and—no less important—the public. This is so because the Court's pronouncements on the Constitution have, in practical terms, become the Constitution. Acknowledging the voice of former Attorney General Edwin Meese in dissent, Brigham argues that “we have come to speak of the Constitution as ‘what the justices say it is’ and we look for ‘it’ in their opinions. Their words are no longer authoritative gloss on the thing itself; they have become the thing itself” (p. 31).

Today, the original indigenous peoples of Australia comprise but one percent of the total population, numbering less than a quarter million. Living in rural communities, religious reserves and shanty towns, the greatest number are found in Queensland. However, in the Northern Territory, the subject of The Yolngu and their Land, the Aborigines make up twenty-five percent of the population.

In their book entitled, When Teenagers Work, Greenberger and Steinberg argue that to be meaningful, jobs for adolescents need to impart skills or knowledge valuable for adult life, contribute to the financial need of the family, and create interaction with adults who have a stake in preparing them for adulthood. These elements tend to be missing in the current adolescent workplace. As a consequence, this book questions the popular view that teenage involvement in the world of work is positive.