Since 1993, the Summer Author Series has brought award-winning biographers to The Mount. This year’s Series explores lives and ideas that have challenged convention. From unsung heroes to innovators, these talks invite us to reflect on how acts of courage—large and small—have challenged assumptions and expanded our collective imagination.
Revenge for the Sixties is a timely and illuminating biography that traces Samuel Anthony Alito Jr.’s path from a working-class, Catholic immigrant family to the center of a decades-long conservative legal movement. Award-winning journalist Peter S. Canellos examines the personal convictions, political grievances, and institutional forces that shaped Alito’s judicial career and culminated in his authorship of Dobbs v. Jackson, the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. With clarity and depth, Canellos shows how Alito’s worldview has driven transformative rulings on religion, gun rights, affirmative action, and the limits of government power—and why understanding Alito’s story is essential to understanding the future of American law and democracy.
IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION:
- This one-hour talk takes place in The Mount’s Event Tent, an open-air, 400-seat tent adjacent to the parking lot. Please be mindful of the weather and plan accordingly.
- In the event of extreme weather, such as excessive heat or severe thunderstorms, this program may be moved indoors to The Mount’s Stable Auditorium, which has a limited capacity. All ticket holders will be notified by email at least two hours before the scheduled start time if a venue change is necessary. General admission tickets are valid for outdoor events only. If the program is moved indoors, General Admission tickets will be automatically canceled, and a full refund will be issued.
- If you have concerns about the weather, we recommend selecting the Rain or Shine Ticket option (a $5 add-on) at the time of purchase. Rain or Shine Tickets guarantee admission, whether the program takes place outdoors or is moved indoors.
- Seating for all programs at The Mount is first-come, first-served. If you have seating preferences, we recommend arriving fifteen minutes early.
- Accessible seating is available. To discuss arrangements, please contact us by phone: 413-551-5111 x5; or email: programs@edithwharton.org. For more information about accessibility, review The Mount’s accessibility webpage.
- A book signing will follow this talk. Books can be purchased at the event from The Mount Gift & Bookstore or in advance via Bookshop.org
- Questions? Email: programs@edithwharton.org; or phone: 413-551-5111 x2
Peter S. Canellos is the author of The Great Dissenter: The Story of John Marshall Harlan, America’s Judicial Hero, and the editor of the bestselling Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy. In a 30-year journalism career, he has been POLITICO’s executive editor, leading the newsroom during the 2016 presidential coverage; and the editorial page editor of The Boston Globe. He has also been a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a recipient of the American Society of Newspaper Editors award in 2011 for excellence in editorial writing along with the 2022 George Polk Award, Robin Toner Award, and News Leaders Association Batten Medal for his writing about the Supreme Court.
