Q&A with Richard Michelson

 

 

 

 

Richard Michelson is the author of the new children's picture book biography What Louis Brandeis Knows: A Crusader for Social Justice Becomes a Supreme Court Justice. Michelson's many other books include One of a Kind. He lives in Massachusetts. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write a children’s picture book biography about Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis (1856-1941)?

 

A: Hello Deborah, lovely to be back on your blog!

 

Six years ago, I was contacted by the editor of Brandeis University Press. They were thinking of adding a line of illustrated books and asked if I had any ideas I wanted to pursue. 

 

There were lots of Ruth Bader Ginsburg books coming out at the time, and Bryan Collier had just finished Thurgood, with Jonah Winter, so I suggested it was only natural that the press begin with a Brandeis biography.

 

In the end, the University decided not to move into the picture book market, but by that time I was already reading about Brandeis’s life, and I was hooked. I admired both his presence and prescience. 

 

Gorsuch and Kavanaugh had recently been appointed to the Supreme Court, and Coney Barrett was on deck. I could not believe how far we had fallen as a country. Brandeis fought for the citizens, not for the corporations, or the executive branch. 

 

Q: What would you say are some of the most common perceptions and misconceptions about Brandeis?

 

A: Frankly, I don’t think the public has many perceptions or misconceptions one way or another. Brandeis has mostly dropped out of the conversation, which is a shame since his views are more important than ever.

 

In a country where the richest 1 percent of our citizens hold more wealth than the bottom 90 percent, we should be paying attention to a justice who warned us that “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we cannot have both.”

 

Q: The Booklist review of the book says, “Notable episodes in the personal and professional development of Louis Brandeis, a groundbreaking lawyer, show how his upbringing and lived experiences fueled his ascent to the Supreme Court, as its first Jewish justice...” What do you think of that description?

 

A: Thanks, Booklist! When a figure I admire has the courage to stand up for the rights of others, I am most interested in how their childhood fueled the person they became. And that is why I write the books I write.

 

Q: What do you think Stacy Innerst’s illustrations add to the book?

 

A: Let’s pile up the adjectives: Gorgeous, child friendly, sophisticated, clever. Stacy helps the narrative to flow and provides easy entry into the story. Brandeis was called a “Crusader for Social Justice,” and Stacy turns those black judicial robes into a super-hero cape. Brilliant.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: As you know, this has been a busy year for me with four titles in 2025 (This is the third. I hope to visit you again next month)! Mostly I am working on my next adult poetry collection, doing PR for my children’s books, and trying to plan the 36th annual illustration celebration at R. Michelson Galleries.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Yes, don’t despair. Brandeis said, “The most important political office is that of the private citizen.” We can take our country back!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Richard Michelson.