Amal Clooney is writing a book. This is mentioned in her Vogue cover story, released today:

For the past couple of years, Clooney has been writing a book with Philippa Webb, her Hague officemate, now on the faculty of King’s College London. The book is called The Right to a Fair Trial in International Law—“a real page-turner!” she says—and is ambitious: It seeks to synthesize a full canon of international court literature to create a sort of practical manual for lawyers and judges across the world. Clooney and Webb have collaborated on 

“A real page-turner!”

That’s the key to processing this profile – this is the WHY of this profile. Because certainly she could have done an interview with another publication. But would the content have reached the kind of people she means to reach? That would be me, by the way. 

If I’m honest, I came here for the clothes and the gossip. And Amal definitely delivers on both. But that was the sugar to get to the main event. Which is her work, of course, and who she’s working for. Part of the interview is done with Nadia Murad, a Yazidi refugee. Her family was murdered by ISIS. She was held for months as their slave, tortured and violated repeatedly. She has written a book about her experiences and, with Amal, she has taken her story to the UN where Amal has urged the international community to not only pursue and prosecute these assholes, but put in place measures that prevent further victimisation. This is what Vogue readers are getting in this piece, alongside details about the Clooney twins and, before that, the courtship. And all of that is who Amal Clooney is. As she says, “There’s no reason why lawyers can’t be fun—or actresses can’t be serious.” This Vogue profile of her is both. It’s a great dishy read (George wooed her with emails written in his dog’s voice) and it’s an informative read. It’s about the borderline tacky art that they collect (which is looked down upon by arty edgy types – Justin Theroux? LOL) and the research she’s been gathering to continue pushing for human rights. It’s about where George and Amal entertain (they prefer London and Como over LA) and working on a book on human rights that she’s writing with her colleague at the Hague in the pool house. What I like most is that there’s nothing sheepish about it either. Yes, there are other young legal activists around the world who are not being featured in Vogue. Yes, she has a higher profile than they do because of who her husband is. These are facts. Amal Clooney is not here to deny the facts but she’s also not here to apologise for them. You know why? Because it’s not a good use of her time. 

So, yeah, I like her. A LOT. I especially like this response, which mirrors George’s attitude, about fame and its attendant downside: 

“We definitely do more things in our home to ensure privacy in a context where we can’t otherwise get it,” Clooney concedes. “But that whole side—invasions of privacy and paparazzi, all of that—has happened because of something so happy and so important in my life.”

That’s a great answer that most professional celebrities can’t come up with. 

Click here for more on Amal in Vogue. 

Also attached - Amal leaving her home in New York today.