In “Spotlight Finds Eminent Domain Crusader,” the New York Times profiles Susette Kelo, the name behind the infamous eminent domain decision Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469 (2005), and the subject of a recent book about the case, Little Pink House – A True Story of Defiance and Courage, by Jeff Benedict (Grand Central Publishing 2009) (available from Amazon here).
The journey from courtroom to bookstore was not instant, however. Amazingly, although the case, a classic David and Goliath story, was widely discussed, no authors followed up in a timely fashion with a book proposal. Mr. Benedict himself had been busy with other projects. (He has written several books and had a brief fling at politics, losing the Democratic nomination in a run for the House of Representatives from Connecticut’s Second District.)
When he knocked on Susette Kelo’s door without an appointment, he girded himself for a cold reception. Mr. Benedict introduced himself and said he was an author. She stared at him and said: “I know who you are. What took you so long?”
Read the whole story here.