Christopher Hitchens, the journalist and author who died recently, is known for his vibrant expression of strong and contrary opinions on a range of topics, including that towering giant of American law, Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Most of us in the law revere Holmes, and with good reason. We first meet him in our course on constitutional law and never forget him. Civil War hero, philosopher, jurist, Holmes lived a full and active life that inspires us. We still read his crisp, penetrating, memorable judicial opinions with pleasure and admiration. His vibrant personality, his deep reading, his intellectual tolerance, and his astonishing way with words make Holmes a brilliant legal beacon and, to many of us, one of the greatest judges in American history.
