Taking Liberties: Four Decades in the Struggle for Rights

In this unflinching memoir of his 40 years of working for human rights, noted activist Neier brings to light his many successes as well as his ""mistakes and errors in judgment""; with 20/20 hindsight and refreshing honesty, he even describes some of the stances he's reconsidered. The volume's three sections recount Neier's tenures at the ACLU (1963-78), where he rose from field director to executive director; as a founding member of Human Rights Watch (1978-93); and his current post as head of the Soros Foundations and the Open Society Institute (1993-present). Each section is divided into chapters about specific crusades against such wide-ranging evils as police brutality in New York, military abuses in El Salvador, and genocide in the former Yugoslavia. Throughout, Neier also weighs in on current affairs and, unsurprisingly, criticizes the Bush administration, which can sometimes muddle the narrative; the brief analyses of recent events that end many chapters feel tacked on. The book is also marred by patches of unimportant details, immoderate praise of Neier's associates and disconcertingly frequent references to September 11, some of which seem uncalled for. Neier's accomplishments and passion deserve respect, but his prose is too often wordy and dry. His skills as a writer, unfortunately, don't quite match his talents as an advocate.