Poetic Justice (2011) Memoir by Byron Johnson

In this engaging memoir, former Idaho Supreme Court Justice Byron Johnson (1937-2011) reveals a story of life in Idaho politics, law, and literature, taking us from his Boise High School graduation in 1955, to Harvard (where he pitched baseball on the University team), the 1968 Democratic Convention, a run for the U.S. Senate , raising a family in the 1960s and 70s, his appointment to the Idaho Supreme Court in 1988, an unsuccessful climb up Mt. McKinley, a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, and ultimately his devotion to poetry to explore more deeply the human truth of a time, a place, and a life.

Originally penned for his family alone to read, Poetic Justice is for anyone interested in contemporary history and a memorable era in Idaho politics to which many look back upon nostalgically.

Written with great candor and clarity, Byron Johnson weaves a tale of larger-than-life figures on the local and national stage, offering a unique addition to the canon of memoirs, biographies, and stories of the 20th century, Idaho.

“Byron Johnson has written a candid, insightful memoir packed with a lifetime of experience as a lawyer, political candidate, civil rights activist, and poet. Anyone interested in Idaho politics and the state’s legal community will find Byron’s story fascinating. This is a very good read.” --Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus