we are published this evening to have adam liptak to be in conversation with robert. all of you who read the new york times will recognize adam as a papers supreme court correspondent a post he is held for 11 years. himself to practice law for 14 years for joining the times in 2002. ladies and gentlemen please turn me and welcome both robert and adam. [applause] >> hello. we are here to celebrate and explore what you've heard a very interesting provocative book. i want to ask robert to help set the groundwork a little bit and unpacked the concept that we heard about. maybe the easiest way is to assess question, there's equality and there's practical equality, what's the difference? >> that's a big question. first of all, i want to thank everybody for coming to this event it is been a dream of mine to write a book that is worthy of being kept on the shelf here. politics and prose is an important independent bookstore in a national treasure. i wanted to call you for being here and the books are for having me and i want to think adam for being in my conversation partner.