the buzz log

It's not often that buzz gets all high and justice-minded. So when searches on Justice Clarence Thomas (+97%) started to rise, we passed a swift judgment. Something salacious must be going on! Turns out, we prejudged the situation. Thomas' new biography (+69%), "My Grandfather's Son," is the real reason for the searches.

Served up with a $1.5 million advance, Thomas' book is stirring more than new searches—it's also opening up old wounds in the case of his "mediocre employee" Anita Hill (+18%), the woman who accused Thomas of sexual harassment 16 years ago. She's by no means sitting idly by as Thomas finally recounts his version of his senate confirmation hearings, as her recent op-ed in the New York Times bears witness. Other related searches in the Buzz include "supreme court justices" (+31%) and "thurgood marshall" (+22%), who Thomas replaced in 1991.

Still, the book's release means it's Thomas' moment in the spotlight. For his conservative fans, now may be the time for the judge to get the respect he deserves. For critics, Thomas' memoir offers a deeper look inside the man they love to hate.