Janet Reno

The long-awaited biography of the first woman to serve as United States attorney general, written with exclusive access to the personal archives of Reno and her family and based on over 40 interviews with Reno’s friends and colleagues In this first full biography of former United States attorney general Janet Reno (1938–2016), Judith Hicks Stiehm describes the independent and unconventional life of a woman who grew up on a rural South Florida homestead and rose to occupy one of the top positions in the United States government, whose ethics and example served as inspiration for women in law and politics across the nation. In telling Janet Reno’s story, Stiehm incorporates personal details from her full and exclusive access to family papers and photos, as well as inside information from Reno’s own materials and interviews with over 40 of Reno’s personal and professional acquaintances. Stiehm begins by tracing Reno’s free-range childhood, her college years at Cornell and experience at Harvard Law School as one of 16 women in a class of over 500, the challenges she faced as a woman lawyer launching her career in 1960s Miami, and her 15 years as Miami-Dade state attorney. In 1993, Reno was appointed to serve in Washington as United States attorney general in the Clinton administration, the first woman to occupy the position in the history of the nation. Stiehm tells how Reno engaged with the East Coast elite as an outsider, seen by many as outspoken and eccentric—yet scrupulous, uncompromising, and immune to influence. Stiehm explores the reasons behind Reno’s decisions in cases she handled during her tenure, including the siege of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas; Kenneth Starr’s Whitewater investigation; the Oklahoma City bombing; and the Elián González controversy. Janet Reno’s life was an illustration to many that it is possible to hold high office while consistently speaking and acting on principle. This biography examines the guiding forces that shaped Reno’s character, the trails blazed by Reno in her professional roles, and the lasting influence of Reno on American politics and society to this day.

From the day she arrived in Washington to head the Justice Department, Janet Reno established herself as a tough, candid leader--easily one of the most intriguing people in the Clinton administration. Here, for the first time, is a riveting political biography of America's first woman Attorney General.

Presents biographical profiles of American women leaders and activists, including birth and death dates, major accomplishments, and historical influence.

A biography of the first woman attorney general in American history.

Follow the life United States Attorney General Janet Reno, from her childhood near the Florida Evergaldes through her years at Harvard Law School, to the present.

Mike Thompson, Florida's nationally acclaimed "Mr. Conservative, " unfolds a serious, insightful and witty comparison of conservative and liberal politics, history, language, ideas and culture.

Reno's early years & her time in college & law school are outlined with black-and-white photographs. Timeline & index. Part of the Picture-Story Biographies series.