. Was Clarence Darrow a hero or a jury tamperer?

· Was the "evolution" taught in the Scopes "monkey" trial really disguised racism?

· Did the Nuremberg trials free more Nazi war criminals than they convicted?

· Was Mike Tyson really guilty of rape?

Great trials not only make great headlines, but also hold the keys to the passions and struggles of their times. In this fascinating and provocative survey, renowned defense attorney and bestselling author Alan M. Dershowitz aims a startlingly fresh spotlight on many of the most significant (and still controversial) cases in our nation's history, from the Salem witch trials to the "witch-hunting" trials of the McCarthy era...from the impeachment of Andrew Johnson to that of Bill Clinton... from the Dred Scott decision to Brown v. Board of Education...from Sacco and Vanzetti to the Rosenberg...from the Lindbergh kidnapping to the McMartin day care scandal...from Lizzie Borden to Jean Harris...from the Nuremberg defendants to the detainees in Guantanamo Bay. And he reexamines the high-profile trials of recent decades in which he himself participated:  the Pentagon Papers, the Chicago Seven, Claus von Bulow, O.J. Simpson, Mike Tyson, and Bush v. Gore.

Through his eyes, we begin to understand how these trials-with their drama and profound legal implications-tell us much about where we as a nation have been, and where we are going. With both the authority of a preeminent legal scholar and the iconoclasm of a celebrated courtroom strategist, he shows how our constitutionally guaranteed rights are often flouted by even the highest courts of law. Defending these rights, sharing his unique insider perspective, and offering insights into both the human condition and the evolution of America through these trials, Alan M. Dershowitz once again is certain to arouse debate and controversy.

Ultimately, AMERICA ON TRIAL goes far beyond the legal. It reveals what America-and, in turn, Americans-are truly about.