American Privacy is the fifth book by Frederick S. Lane, an author, attorney, expert witness, and lecturer, and was launched at a panel discussion and book signing held at the Old State House on November 4. The event, entitled "A Knock at the Door: Three Centuries of Governmental Search and Seizure," was hosted by The Bostonian Society.
"American Privacy is a deeply-informed discussion of the history and present state of a fundamental American value," craigslist founder Craig Newmark said. "Frederick Lane's detailed account of the attacks against our basic right to privacy is chilling."
In addition to introducing his book, Lane moderated a discussion on the relationship between general writs of assistance and current domestic surveillance programs. Joining him was Prof. John Bell, a specialist in Revolutionary history; Prof. John McEtterik, a law professor at Suffolk University, who is an expert on the general writs of assistance issued by the British crown; and Kurt Opsahl, Senior Staff Attorney with the Electronic Freedom Foundation, and one of the key players in the litigation regarding the secret domestic wiretapping program by the National Security Agency.
American Privacy has received early praise from a wide range of scholars and privacy activists, including Geoffrey R. Stone, author of Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime: From the Sedition Act of 1798 to the War on Terrorism.
"Frederick Lane offers a thoughtful and insightful biography of the right to privacy in American law from the Puritans to the War on Terror. In an illuminating account of the evolution of the right, Lane shows how various threads of the right have emerged over time in our ever more complex society," Stone said. "This is a fascinating read for any American who wants a deeper understanding of one of the most important and contentious issues of our age."
American Privacy, along with Lane's other books, can be ordered online from Beacon Press.