The Pursuit of Justice: A Personal Philosophical History is a collection of renowned scholar and philosopher James P. Sterba’s finest works - essays spanning the full spectrum of his illustrious career along with new scholarship on the enduring struggle for justice we face as a society, and as individuals in the modern world. That struggle, or pursuit, may be ongoing, but – as this book details – it has come a long way, and that progress, however frustrating it may be to obtain and secure, is a testament to the work to which scholars like Sterba have devoted their lives and careers.

In Sterba's case, that pursuit begins with an analysis of the concept of desert that is thought to be at the core of justice. It provides accounts of retributive and distributive justice, ands contains a response to the egoist who seeks to undermine any such endeavor. It broadens to include feminist justice, environmental justice, racial justice, and justice for distant peoples and future generations. It is a pursuit that all are invited, even required, to join and make their very own.