A Life in My Hands: An Autobiography

New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. Very Good+ in Poor dj. (c.1965). First Edition. Hardcover. [mild shelfwear to book, light spotting to bottom of text block, a couple of tiny ink marks in the text of the first chapter; the jacket is a real mess -- heavily edgeworn, with a large chip at the top of the spine, both flaps detached (held in place by crude tape repairs and the mylar jacket protector), several tears, creasing, etc. and etc.] (B&W photographic endpapers) Autobiography of one of the most famous criminal defense attorneys of his day, whose clients (many of them celebrities) ran the gamut from world-famous actors to petty crooks. Although based in San Francisco, through his association with Jerry Giesler he was involved in a number of high-profile cases in Hollywood, notably the Aexander Pantages statutory rape trial, Errol Flynn's and James Mason's divorce cases, and the trial of Jennings Lang (for shooting Walter Wanger). His other clients included drummer Gene Krupa and singer Billie Holliday (both for drug possession), kidnapper and rapist Caryl Chessman, and stripper Sally Rand. In his book, "Mr. Ehrlich proves himself to be a veritable Scheherazade as he relates and relives some of his famous courtroom dramas, and other public battles involving life, liberty, fortune and honor. [In addition] his outspoken views on law and lawyers, capital punishment, censorship, politics, business, reform and a multitude of other matters help to make this an immensely readable and meaningful book." (Speaking of censorship, one of his most notable cases was the 1957 obscenity trial of Lawrence Ferlinghetti and his City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, for the publication and sale of Allen Ginsberg's "Howl." Actor Jon Hamm played Ehrlich in the 2010 film about the case, also entitled HOWL.) .