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My Own Words
The first book from Ruth Bader Ginsburg since becoming a Supreme Court Justice in 1993—a witty, engaging, serious, and playful collection of writings and speeches from the woman who has had a powerful and enduring influence on law, women’s rights, and popular culture.
My Own Words offers Justice Ginsburg on wide-ranging topics, including gender equality, the workways of the Supreme Court, being Jewish, law and lawyers in opera, and the value of looking beyond US shores when interpreting the US Constitution. Throughout her life Justice Ginsburg has been (and continues to be) a prolific writer and public speaker. This book’s sampling is selected by Justice Ginsburg and her authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams. Justice Ginsburg has written an introduction to the book, and Hartnett and Williams introduce each chapter, giving biographical context and quotes gleaned from hundreds of interviews they have conducted. This is a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of America’s most influential women.
My Own Words offers Justice Ginsburg on wide-ranging topics, including gender equality, the workways of the Supreme Court, being Jewish, law and lawyers in opera, and the value of looking beyond US shores when interpreting the US Constitution. Throughout her life Justice Ginsburg has been (and continues to be) a prolific writer and public speaker. This book’s sampling is selected by Justice Ginsburg and her authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams. Justice Ginsburg has written an introduction to the book, and Hartnett and Williams introduce each chapter, giving biographical context and quotes gleaned from hundreds of interviews they have conducted. This is a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of America’s most influential women.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2016
About the author
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
66 books670 followersRuth Joan Bader Ginsburg (LL.B., Columbia University, 1960; B.A., Government, Cornell University, 1954) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She was the second female justice (after Sandra Day O'Connor) and served alongside two of the women currently serving on the Supreme Court, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
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September 20, 2016I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm kind of disappointed. I don't think I'm going to rate it at all because my disappointment primarily stems from the fact that I expected this to be an actual memoir when it's really a collection of old writing and speeches, edited and introduced by official biographers. It's interesting enough, but I didn't get as much from it as I wanted because it was significantly less personal than I expected.
September 19, 2020
I listened to this in October, 2019. Today I’ve changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars . Rest In peace RBG .
************************************
I knew before I started to listen to My Own Words that it was not going to be the same as “in my own words”, that it was not going to be read in total by Ruth Bader Ginsburg . I wish it had been. It’s not that actress Linda Lavin didn’t do a great job of reading some of RBG’s speeches and writings, in providing biographical information and a run down of her achievements. It was that when I heard Ginsburg’s voice, I genuinely got a sense of her amazing intellect and wit and will and I just wanted to hear more from her. Having said that, the book provides an informative look at the this woman, called notorious, but I could add, fearless, tenacious, and she’s pretty funny, too. When Lavin reads RBG’s eighth grade editorial piece where she highlighted writings she considered important such as the Ten Commandments, the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the UN Charter, we get a glimpse of how she was such an achiever and a thinker at such an early age. She was a pioneer for women in the legal profession and became the the first tenured female law professor at Columbia Law School. Her ground breaking cases before the Supreme Court on gender equality and other sex discrimination cases are highlighted mostly by Lavin . I have to admit these selections of readings and discussion of them were a little dry, but nonetheless, they are so important and I managed to get through them.
The most enjoyable segments were those read by Ginsburg herself. I loved her nomination acceptance speech and her opening statement at the Senate Confirmation Hearing. She pays tribute to women in speeches honoring Sandra Day O’Conner, the first woman Supreme Court Judge, pays tribute in another to the wives of the male justices. It’s a mix of her professional achievements as well as a personal depiction which I thoroughly enjoyed. Some of the most humorous and poignant readings were by RBG’s husband, Marty Ginsburg, whose introduction of her at a couple of events reflect their love for each other. Women, actually men, as well, owe her great debt of gratitude. When asked when there would be enough women on the Supreme Court ; she answers “Nine “. How can I not love this woman ? We need to pray for her health every day.
************************************
I knew before I started to listen to My Own Words that it was not going to be the same as “in my own words”, that it was not going to be read in total by Ruth Bader Ginsburg . I wish it had been. It’s not that actress Linda Lavin didn’t do a great job of reading some of RBG’s speeches and writings, in providing biographical information and a run down of her achievements. It was that when I heard Ginsburg’s voice, I genuinely got a sense of her amazing intellect and wit and will and I just wanted to hear more from her. Having said that, the book provides an informative look at the this woman, called notorious, but I could add, fearless, tenacious, and she’s pretty funny, too. When Lavin reads RBG’s eighth grade editorial piece where she highlighted writings she considered important such as the Ten Commandments, the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the UN Charter, we get a glimpse of how she was such an achiever and a thinker at such an early age. She was a pioneer for women in the legal profession and became the the first tenured female law professor at Columbia Law School. Her ground breaking cases before the Supreme Court on gender equality and other sex discrimination cases are highlighted mostly by Lavin . I have to admit these selections of readings and discussion of them were a little dry, but nonetheless, they are so important and I managed to get through them.
The most enjoyable segments were those read by Ginsburg herself. I loved her nomination acceptance speech and her opening statement at the Senate Confirmation Hearing. She pays tribute to women in speeches honoring Sandra Day O’Conner, the first woman Supreme Court Judge, pays tribute in another to the wives of the male justices. It’s a mix of her professional achievements as well as a personal depiction which I thoroughly enjoyed. Some of the most humorous and poignant readings were by RBG’s husband, Marty Ginsburg, whose introduction of her at a couple of events reflect their love for each other. Women, actually men, as well, owe her great debt of gratitude. When asked when there would be enough women on the Supreme Court ; she answers “Nine “. How can I not love this woman ? We need to pray for her health every day.
August 26, 2022
Summary
This is the collection of speeches and essays of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG), who was an American lawyer and jurist who passed away recently. She did her education at Cornell University, Harvard University, and Columbia University before beginning her career as a lawyer.
RBG was a Wonder Woman that every man wishes to have as their wife. When her husband was diagnosed with a severe medical condition, the way RBG took charge of the situation was really praiseworthy. She attended class and took notes for both of them, typing her husband's dictated papers and looking after their daughter. She also looked after her sick husband and was there to meet his every need.
The Couple of speeches given by her husband, Marty Ginsburg, about his wife were very humorous, intriguing, and insightful. It clearly shows their love for each other.
What I learned from this book
1) Advice given to RBG by her mother-in-law, father-in-law and her mother
RBG says that she followed the advice given by her mother-in-law during her wedding day throughout her fifty-six years of marriage life.
"Yes, I have the advice to share with you. It comes from my savvy mother-in-law, the advice she gave me on my wedding day. "In every good marriage," she counseled, "it helps sometimes to be a little deaf." I have followed that advice assiduously, and not only at home through fifty-six years of a marital partnership nonpareil. I have employed it as well in every workplace, including the Supreme Court of the United States. When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out. Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade."
When RBG was worried and confused about starting law school with an infant to care for her father-in-law came with timely advice, which proved very helpful in her career.
"Ruth, if you don't want to start law school, you have a good reason to resist the undertaking. No one will think less of you if you make that choice. But if you really want to study Law, you will stop worrying and find a way to manage child and school."
RBG's mother was very particular about her daughter doing well in school and living up to her full potential. She also mentions about two crucial pieces of advice her mother gave her.
"Two things were important to her, and she repeated them endlessly. One was to 'be a lady,' and that meant conduct yourself civilly, don't let emotions like anger or envy get in your way. And the other was to be independent, which was an unusual message for mothers of that time to be giving their daughters."
2) How women can change our society?
RBG knew what she had to do and how she had to do it. She knew how exactly society sees women. She was ready to make an effort to remove the unwanted practices and to motivate the other women.
"For both men and women the first step in getting power is to become visible to others, and then to put on an impressive show. . . . As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we'll all be better off for it."
3) The most important task of the judiciary
RBG was so much influenced by what Lady Brenda Hale, the first woman on the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, said in a 2003 speech. RBG mentioned it multiple times in her several speeches to various audiences. This shows RBG never had any ego in acknowledging anything great told by others and sharing that with the others
"One of the most important tasks of the judiciary is to protect the individual from the power of the state. This includes protecting minorities, often unpopular minorities, from the wrath of the majority. . . . If [the judge] were to have to submit [herself] periodically to election, [she] would find this harder to do.
I concur in that judgment. ”
My favourite three lines from this book
"Feminism … I think the simplest explanation, and one that captures the idea, is a song that Marlo Thomas sang, 'Free to be You and Me.' Free to be, if you were a girl—doctor, lawyer, Indian chief. Anything you want to be. And if you're a boy, and you like teaching, you like nursing, you would like to have a doll, that's OK too. That notion that we should each be free to develop our own talents, whatever they may be, and not be held back by artificial barriers—manmade barriers, certainly not heaven-sent."
“The greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government. ”
"At Cornell University, professor of European literature Vladimir Nabokov changed the way I read and the way I write. Words could paint pictures, I learned from him. Choosing the right word, and the right word order, he illustrated, could make an enormous difference in conveying an image or an idea."
What I didn’t like in this book
Some of her ideas (especially in some of her speeches) were repeated in different parts of this book. It should have been edited in a better way.
Rating
4/5 This book is trying to portray most of the important phases of RBG's life like her childhood, her marital life, her passion for literature, her stand on gender equality, race and other sex discrimination, her nomination acceptance speech, and her opening statement at the Senate Confirmation Hearing. I have both the physical and the audiobook versions of this book. Even though I prefer physical books to audiobooks, I will suggest you go for the audiobook version of this if possible, as it contains many of her original speeches along with audience responses to her witty remarks. This is a must-read book for anyone who has selected Law as their career or anyone who wants to be a good administrator and a good family person.
September 19, 2020
Reposting on the passing of a legend. You will be missed, RBG!
Biographies of strong women are greatly appealing to me, which led me to acquire and commence this book by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, supported (and likely guided) by Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams. It was only after I began reading that I realised that I was again not receiving a memoir or biography, but a compendium of thoughts and reflections by a female Justice of the US Supreme Court, known in the vernacular as the Notorious RBG. The reader attentive to my reviews will likely shake a shameful finger at me for not checking ahead of time, as I fell into the same pit when I tried a recently read by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Still, in pushing through this collection by Justice Ginsburg, I found myself pleasantly surprised and felt that these entries did provide a biographical account of her life, as well as some key moments in her judicial career. Hartnett and Williams did a masterful job of pulling things together and have, as is pledged in the preface, commenced work on an actual biography of Justice Ginsburg. A great piece to complement my earlier read of the aforementioned Justice O'Connor book, which provides strong arguments for equality and gender parity in America, as well as showing how legal matters are a quintessential part of the everyday lives of whose who live in democratic countries. Curious and legal-minded readers will likely enjoy this piece as they take Justice Ginsburg's own words to portray the state of American (and world) jurisprudence into account.
Born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, Ruth Bader became highly interested in the law at an early age, or perhaps the idea of equality, watching news of the Second World War fill headlines on a daily basis. The book offers a brief biographical background before presenting some public school publications the precocious Bader prepared, discussing the importance of the Rule of Law and how it promotes equality for all. Moving onto university and into law school, Bader (who would marry and become Ginsburg) showed her aptitude not only for equality, but promoted the idea of sex and gender parity in the United States. Attending law school at a time when she was still in the significant minority (both for her being a woman and Jewish), Ginsburg forged onwards and left with no job offers, even though she achieved high marks and showed great promise. Serving as an academic, Ginsburg fought tirelessly to put women on the map and promoted their equal protection under the law, as guaranteed in the US Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment, though she was sometimes forced to wage war against the Almighty Congress and its many laws. Hartnell and Williams exemplify Ginsburg's views in many speeches and summaries of key cases she fought, some reaching the Supreme Court, while never giving up in her attempt to push for complete equality amongst those who sought remedy. When elevated to the US Court of Appeal for the DC Circuit, Ginsburg took a different approach, defending the rights rather than advocating for them in numerous decisions (and dissents) from the bench. It was here that she met and fostered an early friendship with Judge Antonin Scalia (Nino), who may have been diametrically opposed to her ideological stance, but respected her a great deal. Their friendship continued through the years and the ideological clash resumed when Ginsburg became a Supreme Court Justice in 1993. The authors show how Ginsburg supports the varied sentiments of Justices on the Court, but remains firm of the collegial nature of the nine on a daily basis. Dipping into the appointment process to become a Justice of the Court, Ginsburg recounts the nervousness she felt and the smooth sailing she received at the hands of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Once on the bench, she began the role as junior Justice, guided by Justice O'Connor, who had paved the way for much success and injected that fresh perspective on the bench and in chambers. From there, Ginsburg schools the reader on some of the many quirks of the Court, including its procedures and its place in the larger international realm of judicial interpretation. Ginsburg does not seek to knife anyone in the back, but she does not deny the ideological divisions on the Court throughout her tenure that have pushed interpretations in many directions, including in the areas of abortion, affirmative action, campaign spending, and healthcare. The latter portion of the book focusses on some key dissenting opinions, particularly since the Roberts Court came to fruition, and she, Ginsburg, became the senior 'liberal' justice. Ideal for those who want a sneak peek into what might be to come in the biography, Hartnett and Williams provide the reader with a highly comprehensive piece that offers a wonderful examination of the life and legal thoughts of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
I feel that I can justify this piece as part of the biography marathon I am undertaking, as there is a degree of wholeness to its narrative. Using speeches and comments made directly by the Justice, Hartnett and Williams paint the most honest and comprehensive view of the legal flavour of Ginsburg's thought processes. While it is impossible to offer a complete view, the cross-section on offer and the variety of topics provide the reader with a great insight into this most interesting woman. However, as some others have brought to my attention, while the book is well constructed, repetition occurs and proves somewhat of a thorn in the side of effective flow. Speeches from an early chapter prove to have the same ideas and quotes embedded in later narratives. Some cases receive the same stress throughout the book, leaving the reader to ponder skimming to get to new and meatier subjects. That said, the impact is felt and the overall presentation is thoroughly captivating and sound in its foundational approach.
While I do not usually do this, I could not deny myself the right to comment on the different formats of the book. I listened to the audio version and thoroughly enjoyed it. What added to the experience was that the speeches and actual verbal delivery moments were captured, where possible, within the recording. Justice Ginsburg speaking to a group, delivering a dissent, or even offering a bench opinion. These 'real life' moments thickened the delivery and made it all the more powerful. I suspect that simply reading them on the written page might lessen the impact or leave the reader feeling out of touch with the delivery. The book is called MY OWN WORDS, so why not capture that by listening and hearing them as they came to pass?
Kudos, Madams Hartnett and Williams (alongside Justice Ginsburg herself) for this insightful piece. I cannot wait for the full biography to see more of your sentiments. Recent clashes with certain candidates and eventual victors will certainly add more spice and flavour to what you have already said.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
Biographies of strong women are greatly appealing to me, which led me to acquire and commence this book by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, supported (and likely guided) by Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams. It was only after I began reading that I realised that I was again not receiving a memoir or biography, but a compendium of thoughts and reflections by a female Justice of the US Supreme Court, known in the vernacular as the Notorious RBG. The reader attentive to my reviews will likely shake a shameful finger at me for not checking ahead of time, as I fell into the same pit when I tried a recently read by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Still, in pushing through this collection by Justice Ginsburg, I found myself pleasantly surprised and felt that these entries did provide a biographical account of her life, as well as some key moments in her judicial career. Hartnett and Williams did a masterful job of pulling things together and have, as is pledged in the preface, commenced work on an actual biography of Justice Ginsburg. A great piece to complement my earlier read of the aforementioned Justice O'Connor book, which provides strong arguments for equality and gender parity in America, as well as showing how legal matters are a quintessential part of the everyday lives of whose who live in democratic countries. Curious and legal-minded readers will likely enjoy this piece as they take Justice Ginsburg's own words to portray the state of American (and world) jurisprudence into account.
Born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, Ruth Bader became highly interested in the law at an early age, or perhaps the idea of equality, watching news of the Second World War fill headlines on a daily basis. The book offers a brief biographical background before presenting some public school publications the precocious Bader prepared, discussing the importance of the Rule of Law and how it promotes equality for all. Moving onto university and into law school, Bader (who would marry and become Ginsburg) showed her aptitude not only for equality, but promoted the idea of sex and gender parity in the United States. Attending law school at a time when she was still in the significant minority (both for her being a woman and Jewish), Ginsburg forged onwards and left with no job offers, even though she achieved high marks and showed great promise. Serving as an academic, Ginsburg fought tirelessly to put women on the map and promoted their equal protection under the law, as guaranteed in the US Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment, though she was sometimes forced to wage war against the Almighty Congress and its many laws. Hartnell and Williams exemplify Ginsburg's views in many speeches and summaries of key cases she fought, some reaching the Supreme Court, while never giving up in her attempt to push for complete equality amongst those who sought remedy. When elevated to the US Court of Appeal for the DC Circuit, Ginsburg took a different approach, defending the rights rather than advocating for them in numerous decisions (and dissents) from the bench. It was here that she met and fostered an early friendship with Judge Antonin Scalia (Nino), who may have been diametrically opposed to her ideological stance, but respected her a great deal. Their friendship continued through the years and the ideological clash resumed when Ginsburg became a Supreme Court Justice in 1993. The authors show how Ginsburg supports the varied sentiments of Justices on the Court, but remains firm of the collegial nature of the nine on a daily basis. Dipping into the appointment process to become a Justice of the Court, Ginsburg recounts the nervousness she felt and the smooth sailing she received at the hands of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Once on the bench, she began the role as junior Justice, guided by Justice O'Connor, who had paved the way for much success and injected that fresh perspective on the bench and in chambers. From there, Ginsburg schools the reader on some of the many quirks of the Court, including its procedures and its place in the larger international realm of judicial interpretation. Ginsburg does not seek to knife anyone in the back, but she does not deny the ideological divisions on the Court throughout her tenure that have pushed interpretations in many directions, including in the areas of abortion, affirmative action, campaign spending, and healthcare. The latter portion of the book focusses on some key dissenting opinions, particularly since the Roberts Court came to fruition, and she, Ginsburg, became the senior 'liberal' justice. Ideal for those who want a sneak peek into what might be to come in the biography, Hartnett and Williams provide the reader with a highly comprehensive piece that offers a wonderful examination of the life and legal thoughts of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
I feel that I can justify this piece as part of the biography marathon I am undertaking, as there is a degree of wholeness to its narrative. Using speeches and comments made directly by the Justice, Hartnett and Williams paint the most honest and comprehensive view of the legal flavour of Ginsburg's thought processes. While it is impossible to offer a complete view, the cross-section on offer and the variety of topics provide the reader with a great insight into this most interesting woman. However, as some others have brought to my attention, while the book is well constructed, repetition occurs and proves somewhat of a thorn in the side of effective flow. Speeches from an early chapter prove to have the same ideas and quotes embedded in later narratives. Some cases receive the same stress throughout the book, leaving the reader to ponder skimming to get to new and meatier subjects. That said, the impact is felt and the overall presentation is thoroughly captivating and sound in its foundational approach.
While I do not usually do this, I could not deny myself the right to comment on the different formats of the book. I listened to the audio version and thoroughly enjoyed it. What added to the experience was that the speeches and actual verbal delivery moments were captured, where possible, within the recording. Justice Ginsburg speaking to a group, delivering a dissent, or even offering a bench opinion. These 'real life' moments thickened the delivery and made it all the more powerful. I suspect that simply reading them on the written page might lessen the impact or leave the reader feeling out of touch with the delivery. The book is called MY OWN WORDS, so why not capture that by listening and hearing them as they came to pass?
Kudos, Madams Hartnett and Williams (alongside Justice Ginsburg herself) for this insightful piece. I cannot wait for the full biography to see more of your sentiments. Recent clashes with certain candidates and eventual victors will certainly add more spice and flavour to what you have already said.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
October 15, 2016
I heard an interview with Justice Ginsburg about her new book. Justice Ginsburg stated it was a collection of her writings and speeches since she was in the eighth grade. I have read a great deal by and about Justice Ginsburg over the years so was familiar with most of the material presented. Mary Hartnett and Wendy Williams of the Georgetown Law Center are writing Ginsburg’s official biography which will not be released until after she leaves the Court. They wrote the opening introduction and an introduction to each chapter which including some of the materials they acquired from interviews while preparing the biography. This provides a bit more informative insights to the book.
Ginsburg discussed her relationship with Sandra Day O’Connor. She says O’Connor told her to “waste no time on anger, regret or resentment, just get the job done”. She says that Antonin Scalia told her to “learn to attack ideas, not people.” In reviewing her papers Ginsburg was an appellate attorney who specialized in gender equality and was a law professor.
She also talks about being Jewish and her enjoyment of the opera. She discusses, of course, gender equality and various topics all the way to how the Supreme Court works. She says she was happy she has lived long enough to see that half the students today in law school are women and 1/3 of the Federal Judges are women. As a history buff, I found it most interesting that she devoted considerable time discussing the history of the women pioneers in law as well as the wives of some of the Supreme Court Justices. This is a worthwhile read. This book works great in audio format as we can listen to Justice Ginsburg give her speeches.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Linda Lavin does a good job narrating the book. Lavin is an award winning Broadway singer/actress and audiobook narrator.
Ginsburg discussed her relationship with Sandra Day O’Connor. She says O’Connor told her to “waste no time on anger, regret or resentment, just get the job done”. She says that Antonin Scalia told her to “learn to attack ideas, not people.” In reviewing her papers Ginsburg was an appellate attorney who specialized in gender equality and was a law professor.
She also talks about being Jewish and her enjoyment of the opera. She discusses, of course, gender equality and various topics all the way to how the Supreme Court works. She says she was happy she has lived long enough to see that half the students today in law school are women and 1/3 of the Federal Judges are women. As a history buff, I found it most interesting that she devoted considerable time discussing the history of the women pioneers in law as well as the wives of some of the Supreme Court Justices. This is a worthwhile read. This book works great in audio format as we can listen to Justice Ginsburg give her speeches.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Linda Lavin does a good job narrating the book. Lavin is an award winning Broadway singer/actress and audiobook narrator.
April 20, 2017
Before you start throwing things at me for giving this book such a low rating, let me make one thing very clear: The two stars are no reflection on Ruth Bader Ginsburg's writings or thoughts. If there was any reason I devoured this book, it is because I quickly became a fan of RBG when reading about her broad-mindedness and her passion for equality and her efforts to bring both into the shaping US jurisprudence. I would love to read more about her and her legal opinions, but not in this book.
This book, My Own Words, not exactly what the title promised. My Own Words was not as I expected a book written by RBG, but was merely a collection of articles about her, speeches by her, and some legal options that were superficially annotated by two other authors. This resulted in a hodge-podge of pieces that at times had no train of thought -especially the beginning of the book.
It took about 80 pages to get to a part of the book that presented RBG's involvement in matters of law, which is the part I was most interested in reading about. Yet, even once the book got going (so to speak), the structure of the book would not allow to develop a point or to give enough information to fully understand what was being commented on in the excerpts of RBG's speeches or opinions.
Especially in the instances where the book presented RBG's opinions on judgments, the book was disappointing in that the annotation tried to summarise cases but often failed to present the legal arguments that were being debated. So, when the book presented RBG's words on the matter, it often read like an opinion that had no relevance because it seemed to be an answer to which there was no question.
I had to research some of the cases to fill in the missing background, and this is something that I would have expected that the book would provide. I am no stranger to reading case law, some of which can be convoluted, but I would rather read the actual judgments and corresponding law reports than this book.
This book, My Own Words, not exactly what the title promised. My Own Words was not as I expected a book written by RBG, but was merely a collection of articles about her, speeches by her, and some legal options that were superficially annotated by two other authors. This resulted in a hodge-podge of pieces that at times had no train of thought -especially the beginning of the book.
It took about 80 pages to get to a part of the book that presented RBG's involvement in matters of law, which is the part I was most interested in reading about. Yet, even once the book got going (so to speak), the structure of the book would not allow to develop a point or to give enough information to fully understand what was being commented on in the excerpts of RBG's speeches or opinions.
Especially in the instances where the book presented RBG's opinions on judgments, the book was disappointing in that the annotation tried to summarise cases but often failed to present the legal arguments that were being debated. So, when the book presented RBG's words on the matter, it often read like an opinion that had no relevance because it seemed to be an answer to which there was no question.
I had to research some of the cases to fill in the missing background, and this is something that I would have expected that the book would provide. I am no stranger to reading case law, some of which can be convoluted, but I would rather read the actual judgments and corresponding law reports than this book.
October 19, 2020
Over the last year, including this past summer, I scooped up a few Ruth Bader Ginsburg books and audios, hoping I would get to them soon. Unfortunately, I didn’t, but shortly after her death, I both listened to and read My Own Words. I highly recommend the audio, if you think you’d enjoy hearing RBG and her husband giving speeches, dissents, and more. It’s also narrated by Linda Lavin, and her accent melded perfectly with RBG’s. I was moved to tears many times over.
I personally don’t remember a time when RBG hasn’t sat on the Supreme Court, and I don’t even know how to begin to thank her for her life’s work. I hope she knows just how much she was loved and admired.
I don’t know how this book compares to the others out there, and like I mentioned, I have a few more on my shelf. What I do know is hearing her speak directly made this audio a standout, and it’s a beautiful and loving tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I personally don’t remember a time when RBG hasn’t sat on the Supreme Court, and I don’t even know how to begin to thank her for her life’s work. I hope she knows just how much she was loved and admired.
I don’t know how this book compares to the others out there, and like I mentioned, I have a few more on my shelf. What I do know is hearing her speak directly made this audio a standout, and it’s a beautiful and loving tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
October 28, 2016
The Interpretation of Justice
She has been called notorious, controversial, scandalous, contentious, more recently said to have "lost her mind" (quote from an empty-headed jack-o'- lantern)..but that's ok- such attributes have made her an effective trailblazer and pathmaker in her judicial career. For the words from a petite 5' 1" female frame to be heard and pondered with a degree befitting the seriousness and impartiality required of the highest court in the land, they must erupt on occasion from a volcanic core, such is the passionate belief that drives this Supreme Court Justice.
My Own Words is a composite of Justice Ginsburg's most compelling lectures, speeches, writings, positive and dissenting arguments of her decades' long career that illustrate the tough, resilient make and model of who she is today.
From a young age, she was inspired by Vladimir Nabokov, who "changed the way I read and the way I write. Words could paint pictures, I learned from him. Choosing the right word, and the right word order, he illustrated, could make an enormous difference in conveying an image or an idea." Becoming a lawyer in a time when women were not enthusiastically welcomed in the world of law, Ginsburg graduated from Columbia Law School in 1959, highly qualified yet struggled to gain employment in a male-centric profession. She became involved with the ACLU and developed its powerful extremity: the 'Women's Rights Project'. Eventually, she would get the opportunity to argue for gender equality under the equal protection element of the Fifth Amendment, and would masterfully litigate several of the most important womenʼs-rights cases in the history of the Supreme Court. She cleared a path for re-examination and interpretation of gender prejudice under the Fourteenth Amendment, sealing her reputation as the foremost legal eagle on behalf of equality of the sexes.
Confirmed to the Supreme Court on August 3, 1993, Ginsburg followed Sandra Day O'Connor to become the second woman named to SCOTUS, and the first woman of Jewish heritage. She has since carried forth her advocacy for gender equality to bench decisions, earning the honorable moniker: "the Thurgood Marshall of the women's movement."
On a bench that is constantly seeking equilibrium, Ginsburg fervently weighs in against some heavy opponents. She acknowledges her bench colleague to the right with fondness, her dear friend(deceased this year), Justice Scalia: "We are two people who are quite different in their core beliefs, but who respect each other’s character and ability. There is nobody else I spend every New Year’s Eve with.....Once asked how we could be friends, given our disagreement on lots of things, Justice Scalia answered: “I attack ideas. I don’t attack people. Some very good people have some very bad ideas. And if you can’t separate the two, you gotta get another day job. You don’t want to be a judge. At least not a judge on a multi-member panel.”
How can anyone argue against that opinion?
As a matter of genuine regard for each other, Ginsburg relates that, before playing in the SCOTUS sandbox, they always begin with handshakes ( no gropes allowed ) - each Justice with the other. They lunch together by choice, share birthday wishes garnished with best intentions (not demonizations) and a wine toast, and traditionally welcome new members with a fancy feast. This is how mature grown-ups should play-'nice', following a model for civility and respect for one's peers - something that's strikingly and frustratingly lacking in today's campaign playground.
We have sharp differences on certain issues—recent examples include federally mandated health insurance, affirmative action, public school desegregation plans, the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, control of corporate spending to elect or defeat candidates for public office, access to court by detainees in Guantanamo Bay, state efforts to apprehend undocumented aliens. But through it all, we remain collegial and, most of the time, we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Ordinarily, our mutual respect is only momentarily touched by our sometimes strong disagreements on what the law is. All of us appreciate that the institution we serve is far more important than the particular individuals who compose the Court’s bench at any given time...Our charge is to pursue justice the best way we can.
Photo courtesy Ruven Afanador for the New York Times
Ginsburg acknowledges she has achieved such success in her career by standing on the shoulders of some very courageous, inspiring women, to name a few : Belva Ann Lockwood (the first woman admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bar, 1897); Simone de Beauvoir, whose 1949 groundbreaking philosophical treatise, The Second Sex sparked the resurgence of a feminist movement in the USA in the 1960's; Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, her colleague and fellow subject of the dual -biography Sisters In Law; Gloria Steinem, the iconic feminist persona of the women’s liberation movement for half a century.
My Own Words is a highly enlightening education that demonstrates the importance of a well- balanced SCOTUS that will address, redefine and evolve an 18th century Constitution with fair interpretation as our society and perspectives on life and humanity modernize and progress into the 21st century and beyond. My only dissent on this compilation is for the audiobook version which, upon listening to RBG painfully stumble over, and pause lengthily between, the words of her own speeches, made me conclude that a preceding nap would have served her "bigly."
At eighty-three years old, a cancer survivor and recently recovered from surgery for a coronary blockage, the notorious RBG has no plans to retire. Presently she stands with 2 other female Justices: Justice Sonia Sotomayer and Justice Elena Kagan. She has been asked when she thinks there will be enough women on the Court, to which she replies, with a mischievous gleam, “when there are nine."
Quite a provocative position to envision for the bench!
She has been called notorious, controversial, scandalous, contentious, more recently said to have "lost her mind" (quote from an empty-headed jack-o'- lantern)..but that's ok- such attributes have made her an effective trailblazer and pathmaker in her judicial career. For the words from a petite 5' 1" female frame to be heard and pondered with a degree befitting the seriousness and impartiality required of the highest court in the land, they must erupt on occasion from a volcanic core, such is the passionate belief that drives this Supreme Court Justice.
My Own Words is a composite of Justice Ginsburg's most compelling lectures, speeches, writings, positive and dissenting arguments of her decades' long career that illustrate the tough, resilient make and model of who she is today.
From a young age, she was inspired by Vladimir Nabokov, who "changed the way I read and the way I write. Words could paint pictures, I learned from him. Choosing the right word, and the right word order, he illustrated, could make an enormous difference in conveying an image or an idea." Becoming a lawyer in a time when women were not enthusiastically welcomed in the world of law, Ginsburg graduated from Columbia Law School in 1959, highly qualified yet struggled to gain employment in a male-centric profession. She became involved with the ACLU and developed its powerful extremity: the 'Women's Rights Project'. Eventually, she would get the opportunity to argue for gender equality under the equal protection element of the Fifth Amendment, and would masterfully litigate several of the most important womenʼs-rights cases in the history of the Supreme Court. She cleared a path for re-examination and interpretation of gender prejudice under the Fourteenth Amendment, sealing her reputation as the foremost legal eagle on behalf of equality of the sexes.
Confirmed to the Supreme Court on August 3, 1993, Ginsburg followed Sandra Day O'Connor to become the second woman named to SCOTUS, and the first woman of Jewish heritage. She has since carried forth her advocacy for gender equality to bench decisions, earning the honorable moniker: "the Thurgood Marshall of the women's movement."
On a bench that is constantly seeking equilibrium, Ginsburg fervently weighs in against some heavy opponents. She acknowledges her bench colleague to the right with fondness, her dear friend(deceased this year), Justice Scalia: "We are two people who are quite different in their core beliefs, but who respect each other’s character and ability. There is nobody else I spend every New Year’s Eve with.....Once asked how we could be friends, given our disagreement on lots of things, Justice Scalia answered: “I attack ideas. I don’t attack people. Some very good people have some very bad ideas. And if you can’t separate the two, you gotta get another day job. You don’t want to be a judge. At least not a judge on a multi-member panel.”
How can anyone argue against that opinion?
As a matter of genuine regard for each other, Ginsburg relates that, before playing in the SCOTUS sandbox, they always begin with handshakes ( no gropes allowed ) - each Justice with the other. They lunch together by choice, share birthday wishes garnished with best intentions (not demonizations) and a wine toast, and traditionally welcome new members with a fancy feast. This is how mature grown-ups should play-'nice', following a model for civility and respect for one's peers - something that's strikingly and frustratingly lacking in today's campaign playground.
We have sharp differences on certain issues—recent examples include federally mandated health insurance, affirmative action, public school desegregation plans, the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, control of corporate spending to elect or defeat candidates for public office, access to court by detainees in Guantanamo Bay, state efforts to apprehend undocumented aliens. But through it all, we remain collegial and, most of the time, we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Ordinarily, our mutual respect is only momentarily touched by our sometimes strong disagreements on what the law is. All of us appreciate that the institution we serve is far more important than the particular individuals who compose the Court’s bench at any given time...Our charge is to pursue justice the best way we can.
Photo courtesy Ruven Afanador for the New York Times
Ginsburg acknowledges she has achieved such success in her career by standing on the shoulders of some very courageous, inspiring women, to name a few : Belva Ann Lockwood (the first woman admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bar, 1897); Simone de Beauvoir, whose 1949 groundbreaking philosophical treatise, The Second Sex sparked the resurgence of a feminist movement in the USA in the 1960's; Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, her colleague and fellow subject of the dual -biography Sisters In Law; Gloria Steinem, the iconic feminist persona of the women’s liberation movement for half a century.
My Own Words is a highly enlightening education that demonstrates the importance of a well- balanced SCOTUS that will address, redefine and evolve an 18th century Constitution with fair interpretation as our society and perspectives on life and humanity modernize and progress into the 21st century and beyond. My only dissent on this compilation is for the audiobook version which, upon listening to RBG painfully stumble over, and pause lengthily between, the words of her own speeches, made me conclude that a preceding nap would have served her "bigly."
At eighty-three years old, a cancer survivor and recently recovered from surgery for a coronary blockage, the notorious RBG has no plans to retire. Presently she stands with 2 other female Justices: Justice Sonia Sotomayer and Justice Elena Kagan. She has been asked when she thinks there will be enough women on the Court, to which she replies, with a mischievous gleam, “when there are nine."
Quite a provocative position to envision for the bench!
March 7, 2021
My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams encompasses some of the Supreme Court Justice’s most important speeches, showcasing her values and her style. There are also quite a few details about her personal life, as a wife, mother and friend. The audiobook is read by Linda Lavin, with most of the speeches read by RBG. There is even a speech by her husband, given with a wonderful sense of humor and evidence of his great love for his wife. The book seems more important now that she has passed away and reminds us of the hard work and dedication this woman believed in. It would be fair to say that many women have been encouraged by her writings and her life and more than a few of us owe her gratitude for leading the way. This book is interesting and provides the reader with a glimpse of a woman ahead of her time in a profession that was not always welcoming. If you wish to read this, I recommend the audio version, simply to listen to RBG in her own words. Highly recommended.
November 3, 2019
A collection of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s essays and speeches, writings from her childhood, a glimpse of her life through eighty-plus years, including those of her as a young woman, the love she and her husband Marty share, and the various paths she followed in order to arrive at the place she has landed.
I wanted to read this, originally, but when my friend Angela reviewed this as an audio, I was intrigued. And while this is only in part narrated by Ginsburg herself, which were admittedly my favourite parts, this is all worth reading / listening to, but I especially loved hearing her speak about her life.
I’m not going into the details since Angela reviewed this so beautifully, instead, please check out her review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I wanted to read this, originally, but when my friend Angela reviewed this as an audio, I was intrigued. And while this is only in part narrated by Ginsburg herself, which were admittedly my favourite parts, this is all worth reading / listening to, but I especially loved hearing her speak about her life.
I’m not going into the details since Angela reviewed this so beautifully, instead, please check out her review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 10, 2018
It's not an exaggeration to say that I fear the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg more than I do nuclear war. I feel like the country could possibly recover from the latter, but I'm really not sure about the former. This says a lot about the character of the Court in modern times--its politicization, the wisdom of having life tenure, the desecration of Gorsuch's confirmation, and not a small bit about how lucky we are to have such a brilliant, pioneering, charming person anchoring the liberal wing of the Constitution. But let's focus on her life and not her death, shall we?
This book isn't the biography I had hoped for: it's a pastiche of opinions, speeches, op-eds, and a smattering of life details, not really in the proportions I wanted. But it's probably the easiest way to slap together a biography-manque when your cultural profile is at its zenith.
Ruth is a champion of women, and she has shaped all of our lives thereby. But she shaped mine in a special way. My first job after law school was at the Women's Rights Project of the ACLU, which she founded way back when. The Women's Rights Project still exists, and my fellowship allowed me to fight discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace (and men! Side note: RBG had the amazing foresight to understand that women won't be equal in the workplace or society until we stop seeing pregnancy/reproductive discrimination as a "women's issue" and sought to represent men/fathers thereby. Notably, she is very good about attributing political victories and changes in opinion to women and men. I think this is important, not because men deserve to be thanked in the same breath as women but because men's egos--especially those of allies!--are often quite fragile and it's easier to laud than worry about salving a spurned ego). Impact litigation wasn't for me, but I admire and respect the hell out of what they do there, and while I was reading this I even referred a client there who had been fired the day after announcing a pregnancy--this is still happening in 2018 in California, so one not only wonders how much further we have to go, but where we might be without the trailblazing of incomparable warriors like RBG.
Aside from her raw, awesome intelligence, what comes across so clearly in this book is RBG's humanity. She seems like a genuinely kind person, thankful for her blessings and still passionate about the people on behalf of whom she takes up legal battles. I wish I possessed her hope that recent disturbing judicial trends were just blips, or that the Court can remain a bulwark against the political pathologies of the Executive and Legislative branches... but as long as she's alive there's hope!
This book isn't the biography I had hoped for: it's a pastiche of opinions, speeches, op-eds, and a smattering of life details, not really in the proportions I wanted. But it's probably the easiest way to slap together a biography-manque when your cultural profile is at its zenith.
Ruth is a champion of women, and she has shaped all of our lives thereby. But she shaped mine in a special way. My first job after law school was at the Women's Rights Project of the ACLU, which she founded way back when. The Women's Rights Project still exists, and my fellowship allowed me to fight discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace (and men! Side note: RBG had the amazing foresight to understand that women won't be equal in the workplace or society until we stop seeing pregnancy/reproductive discrimination as a "women's issue" and sought to represent men/fathers thereby. Notably, she is very good about attributing political victories and changes in opinion to women and men. I think this is important, not because men deserve to be thanked in the same breath as women but because men's egos--especially those of allies!--are often quite fragile and it's easier to laud than worry about salving a spurned ego). Impact litigation wasn't for me, but I admire and respect the hell out of what they do there, and while I was reading this I even referred a client there who had been fired the day after announcing a pregnancy--this is still happening in 2018 in California, so one not only wonders how much further we have to go, but where we might be without the trailblazing of incomparable warriors like RBG.
Aside from her raw, awesome intelligence, what comes across so clearly in this book is RBG's humanity. She seems like a genuinely kind person, thankful for her blessings and still passionate about the people on behalf of whom she takes up legal battles. I wish I possessed her hope that recent disturbing judicial trends were just blips, or that the Court can remain a bulwark against the political pathologies of the Executive and Legislative branches... but as long as she's alive there's hope!
September 20, 2020
In My Own Words was a wonderful and comprehensive book by Ruth Bader Ginsburg published in 2016. While, I do not normally listen to audiobooks, this was an excellent format for this selection. Although the book is narrated by Linda Lavin, there are many sections that are the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg from many of her speeches, classes, legal opinions and her writings. The book is dedicated to her husband Marty, as much of the book is a loving tribute to the powerful and beautiful partnership and marriage that he and Ruth both shared over the years. There are many sections that speak to Ginsburg's early career in many landmark cases and decisions when working for the ACLU. Justice Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. An enjoyable section was when the Ginsburgs were approached by the advance search team for a supreme court justice on behalf of President Clinton. Ginsburg speaks of her evening waiting for the call from the President, later culminating in her appointment to the Supreme Court and the preparation that night of her acceptance speech. A highlight was then listening to Justice Ginsburg's speech as she spoke on the White House lawn the following day. I felt there was valuable insight as far as the inner workings of the Supreme Court, particularly during Justice Rehnquist's and later Justice Roberts' courts, and how cases are selected and opinions are determined. Justice Ginsburg is well known for many of her wide-reaching dissenting opinions. It was an interesting and fascinating look at not only Ruth Bader Ginsburg but the United States Supreme Court and how our body of law is determined.
September 2020: Rest in peace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The world is a better place for you having been here and you will be missed.
September 2020: Rest in peace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The world is a better place for you having been here and you will be missed.
Read
October 1, 2020DNF about 60% into the audiobook.
Not the books fault, the format just didn't work for me. I expected more the story of RBG's life rather than snippets of speeches she gave or things she's written combined into one volume. Again, my fault because I expected something different than what it was.
Not the books fault, the format just didn't work for me. I expected more the story of RBG's life rather than snippets of speeches she gave or things she's written combined into one volume. Again, my fault because I expected something different than what it was.
February 23, 2021
I thought going with an audio format for a book that included speeches would be a great way to ingest this volume. Instead I feel like I got 13+ hours of dry lecture time.
Some of the speeches were great (RBG's husband was a funny funny man), but for the most part it felt like I was being read a textbook.
I think this would have been better with a physical book and ingested in smaller portions between other lighter books.
I enjoyed learning about all the amazing dents & strides RBG made in law for us ladies (and gents too), but didn't enjoy the format.
Should make for an interesting discussion at book club in April.
Some of the speeches were great (RBG's husband was a funny funny man), but for the most part it felt like I was being read a textbook.
I think this would have been better with a physical book and ingested in smaller portions between other lighter books.
I enjoyed learning about all the amazing dents & strides RBG made in law for us ladies (and gents too), but didn't enjoy the format.
Should make for an interesting discussion at book club in April.
January 1, 2021
Qué increíble fue poder asomarme en una mente como la de RGB. Qué mujer tan grande.
April 27, 2017
When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been asked when there will be enough women on the Supreme Court, her eyes twinkle as she responds, “My answer is, when there are nine.”
My Own Words is much more than a biography or a memoir. It is also a collection of lectures, writings, and Court decisions by one of only four female justices in the history of the United States Supreme Court. I didn’t find it to be an easy read, even though it is not filled with difficult legal language. It does contain weighty, substantial stuff, and I often found myself re-reading paragraphs, even whole pages, to understand their importance. I didn’t breeze through this book. I took my time and balanced it out by reading other novels concurrently. I never once considered setting it aside, however. Justice Ginsburg impressed me first of all from early childhood with her intelligence and her desire to learn and to make a difference. The more I read of her speeches and opinions, the more awed I was of her wisdom, her practicality, and her passion.
Born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, in 1933, Joan Ruth Bader learned about prejudice at an early age. World War II brought with it the realities of Hitler’s terrible hate crimes. Her mother died of cancer just before her high school graduation, which Ruth did not attend. She went on to attend Cornell University, where she met her future husband, Martin Ginsburg on a blind date. Not long after graduation, she and Marty were married. (He died in 2010.) The couple had a daughter and a son. Ginsburg’s trailblazing did not begin with SCOTUS. When she was admitted to Harvard Law School in 1956 in 1956, she was 1 of 9 women in a class of 500, and two years later, she was 1 of 12 women in her Columbia Law School class and she graduated first in her class. She taught as a professor of law at Rutgers and later at Columbia University; she pioneered courses in gender equality, which later proved to be a mainstay in her judicial career. Some called her the “Thurgood Marshall” of the women’s movement. But she has stood up not just for women’s equality, but for men also. She partnered with husband Marty, a tax attorney, argue a case for fair treatment for a husband in an IRS case. Some twenty years later, in 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and in 1993, at the age of 60, she was picked by President Bill Clinton for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ginsburg recalls a very charming story about meeting President Clinton prior to being confirmed. It seems they were each impressed with the other. Clinton is quoted as saying, “Every judge needs to have both the intellectual capacity to deal with the incredible variety and complexity of the issues and an instinctive and immediate understanding of the human implications of the decisions being made…it was way more than just an intellectual concern of hers. She got the actual human impact of these decisions.” The Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed her with a vote of 18-0, and the Senate voted 96-3 to confirm her as the second female Supreme Court Justice. I couldn’t help but wonder if we will ever see that kind of vote again.
Ginsburg speaks to both style and substance on the bench. Over the course of her tenure on the bench, Justice Ginsburg has proven herself to be fair, to have diligent work habits, and to have a very human side. Her approach to the Constitution is that it is a living document. She also favors harmony and cooperation among members of the court because this encourages better decisions and also enhances public respect. I am amazed at her friendship with Justice Antonin Scalia, a man whose interpretation of the Constitution is the polar opposite of hers. When they would differ on an opinion, he would urge her to let it go, to basically leave it at the office. They shared a love of opera, an appreciation so great that a one-act comic opera was written about the two. Ginsburg was deeply saddened by Scalia’s death last year. Of note, she quotes other Justices, historically and in recent times, but she makes very few personal comments regarding others she’s served with on the Court.
Regarding substance, she says judges “play an interdependent part in democracy, participating in
‘a dialogue with other organizations of government, and with the people as well.’”
In the later chapters that reveal her decisions, both majority and dissent, Ginsburg continually expresses her strong beliefs in equality of all people, regardless of race, religion, or gender. She points to cases that preceded her time on the Court, such as Dred Scott v. Sandford, Brown v. The Board of Education and Roe v. Wade, and she makes numerous references to Title VII, which was the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I learned so much! One of my favorite tidbits was the value of the dissenting opinion, which comes from Chief Justice Hughes in 1936: “A dissent in a court of last resort is an appeal…to the intelligence of a future day, when a later decision may possibly correct the error into which the dissenting judge believes the court to have betrayed.” Justice Ginsburg has proven herself to be both outspoken and sensible when authoring the dissenting decision.
My Own Words is one justice’s experiences on the Supreme Court. We get a small sampling of her childhood, education, and pre-court career. She gives us a history lesson, too, about some of the early traditions of the Court. But the real value lies in what Ginsburg tells us about herself – her values, her ideals, her interpretation of the law. She is a woman of passion and compassion – passion for the law, compassion for those who need justice. She has intelligence, energy, and wit. It is no wonder that she is much loved, sort of a cultural idol. I laughed out loud when I read about the preschoolers from a synagogue in Texas who named their pet fish “Ruth Beta Ginsburg.” That sounds like a pretty high honor to me!
4 stars
My Own Words is much more than a biography or a memoir. It is also a collection of lectures, writings, and Court decisions by one of only four female justices in the history of the United States Supreme Court. I didn’t find it to be an easy read, even though it is not filled with difficult legal language. It does contain weighty, substantial stuff, and I often found myself re-reading paragraphs, even whole pages, to understand their importance. I didn’t breeze through this book. I took my time and balanced it out by reading other novels concurrently. I never once considered setting it aside, however. Justice Ginsburg impressed me first of all from early childhood with her intelligence and her desire to learn and to make a difference. The more I read of her speeches and opinions, the more awed I was of her wisdom, her practicality, and her passion.
Born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, in 1933, Joan Ruth Bader learned about prejudice at an early age. World War II brought with it the realities of Hitler’s terrible hate crimes. Her mother died of cancer just before her high school graduation, which Ruth did not attend. She went on to attend Cornell University, where she met her future husband, Martin Ginsburg on a blind date. Not long after graduation, she and Marty were married. (He died in 2010.) The couple had a daughter and a son. Ginsburg’s trailblazing did not begin with SCOTUS. When she was admitted to Harvard Law School in 1956 in 1956, she was 1 of 9 women in a class of 500, and two years later, she was 1 of 12 women in her Columbia Law School class and she graduated first in her class. She taught as a professor of law at Rutgers and later at Columbia University; she pioneered courses in gender equality, which later proved to be a mainstay in her judicial career. Some called her the “Thurgood Marshall” of the women’s movement. But she has stood up not just for women’s equality, but for men also. She partnered with husband Marty, a tax attorney, argue a case for fair treatment for a husband in an IRS case. Some twenty years later, in 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and in 1993, at the age of 60, she was picked by President Bill Clinton for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ginsburg recalls a very charming story about meeting President Clinton prior to being confirmed. It seems they were each impressed with the other. Clinton is quoted as saying, “Every judge needs to have both the intellectual capacity to deal with the incredible variety and complexity of the issues and an instinctive and immediate understanding of the human implications of the decisions being made…it was way more than just an intellectual concern of hers. She got the actual human impact of these decisions.” The Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed her with a vote of 18-0, and the Senate voted 96-3 to confirm her as the second female Supreme Court Justice. I couldn’t help but wonder if we will ever see that kind of vote again.
Ginsburg speaks to both style and substance on the bench. Over the course of her tenure on the bench, Justice Ginsburg has proven herself to be fair, to have diligent work habits, and to have a very human side. Her approach to the Constitution is that it is a living document. She also favors harmony and cooperation among members of the court because this encourages better decisions and also enhances public respect. I am amazed at her friendship with Justice Antonin Scalia, a man whose interpretation of the Constitution is the polar opposite of hers. When they would differ on an opinion, he would urge her to let it go, to basically leave it at the office. They shared a love of opera, an appreciation so great that a one-act comic opera was written about the two. Ginsburg was deeply saddened by Scalia’s death last year. Of note, she quotes other Justices, historically and in recent times, but she makes very few personal comments regarding others she’s served with on the Court.
Regarding substance, she says judges “play an interdependent part in democracy, participating in
‘a dialogue with other organizations of government, and with the people as well.’”
In the later chapters that reveal her decisions, both majority and dissent, Ginsburg continually expresses her strong beliefs in equality of all people, regardless of race, religion, or gender. She points to cases that preceded her time on the Court, such as Dred Scott v. Sandford, Brown v. The Board of Education and Roe v. Wade, and she makes numerous references to Title VII, which was the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I learned so much! One of my favorite tidbits was the value of the dissenting opinion, which comes from Chief Justice Hughes in 1936: “A dissent in a court of last resort is an appeal…to the intelligence of a future day, when a later decision may possibly correct the error into which the dissenting judge believes the court to have betrayed.” Justice Ginsburg has proven herself to be both outspoken and sensible when authoring the dissenting decision.
My Own Words is one justice’s experiences on the Supreme Court. We get a small sampling of her childhood, education, and pre-court career. She gives us a history lesson, too, about some of the early traditions of the Court. But the real value lies in what Ginsburg tells us about herself – her values, her ideals, her interpretation of the law. She is a woman of passion and compassion – passion for the law, compassion for those who need justice. She has intelligence, energy, and wit. It is no wonder that she is much loved, sort of a cultural idol. I laughed out loud when I read about the preschoolers from a synagogue in Texas who named their pet fish “Ruth Beta Ginsburg.” That sounds like a pretty high honor to me!
4 stars
April 8, 2021
The title of this book suggests it may be autobiographic in nature, but that's not the case. This book contains the barest bits of biographic information and is made up mostly of a collection of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's essays, speeches and statements from the bench. There are brief introductions prior to theses excerpts from her work to orient the reader within the context of her life and times. Readers who are not interested in reading legal briefs—this includes me—will feel like much of the book drones on forever.
I was surprised to learn that her first name is actually Joan. Beginning in her kindergarten class she was called by her middle name, Ruth, in order to distinguish her from several other Joans in the class.
The description of her relationship with her late husband, Martin Ginsburg, was charming. Beginning with the story of how they met in college it is apparent that fate must have meant for them to be together. In particular I found it interesting that he did the cooking for their family meals which is something with which I can identify.
One of the most interesting stories in the book is of how she and her husband came to handle a gender-discrimination case together and how that led to her work for gender equality for the ACLU and ultimately her career on the bench. One ironic detail from that case is how the government in an effort to ridicule efforts at eliminating sex discrimination attached to its brief a computer generated list of the numerous federal laws that treated men and women differently. The intent was to show how impossible it would be to get rid of those laws. Instead it provided the targets for Ginsburg and the ACLU in the years ahead.
The importance of collegiality within the Supreme Court was emphasized by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and I’m glad that’s the case. However, considering the sharpness of the differences in Judicial philosophy and the reality of political considerations its hard to imagine how it is possible to be collegial.
Her relationship with Justice Scalia was surprisingly close considering how they differed on many court decisions. Their mutual enthusiasm for opera even inspired the writing and performance on a Scalia//Ginsburg comic opera.
I listened to the audio version of this book, and many of the audio recordings of her public speeches and dissents from the bench are included. Hearing the words in her voice would normally be a good feature of an audio book, however in this case the fidelity of the recordings were not equal to usual audiobook quality. These were public speeches given in rooms and auditoriums with inferior acoustics. This really hindered the listening experience. There was one five minute speech in the book that I absolutely couldn’t understand any more that a few scattered words here and there.
It is obvious that Ruth Bader Ginsburg loved her role as Supreme Court justice. Since I agree with her liberal leaning votes I am sorry she was unable to live forever. In particular I wish very very much that she could have lived at least three months longer.
I was surprised to learn that her first name is actually Joan. Beginning in her kindergarten class she was called by her middle name, Ruth, in order to distinguish her from several other Joans in the class.
The description of her relationship with her late husband, Martin Ginsburg, was charming. Beginning with the story of how they met in college it is apparent that fate must have meant for them to be together. In particular I found it interesting that he did the cooking for their family meals which is something with which I can identify.
One of the most interesting stories in the book is of how she and her husband came to handle a gender-discrimination case together and how that led to her work for gender equality for the ACLU and ultimately her career on the bench. One ironic detail from that case is how the government in an effort to ridicule efforts at eliminating sex discrimination attached to its brief a computer generated list of the numerous federal laws that treated men and women differently. The intent was to show how impossible it would be to get rid of those laws. Instead it provided the targets for Ginsburg and the ACLU in the years ahead.
The importance of collegiality within the Supreme Court was emphasized by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and I’m glad that’s the case. However, considering the sharpness of the differences in Judicial philosophy and the reality of political considerations its hard to imagine how it is possible to be collegial.
Her relationship with Justice Scalia was surprisingly close considering how they differed on many court decisions. Their mutual enthusiasm for opera even inspired the writing and performance on a Scalia//Ginsburg comic opera.
I listened to the audio version of this book, and many of the audio recordings of her public speeches and dissents from the bench are included. Hearing the words in her voice would normally be a good feature of an audio book, however in this case the fidelity of the recordings were not equal to usual audiobook quality. These were public speeches given in rooms and auditoriums with inferior acoustics. This really hindered the listening experience. There was one five minute speech in the book that I absolutely couldn’t understand any more that a few scattered words here and there.
It is obvious that Ruth Bader Ginsburg loved her role as Supreme Court justice. Since I agree with her liberal leaning votes I am sorry she was unable to live forever. In particular I wish very very much that she could have lived at least three months longer.
December 19, 2022
3/5
Nei galėčiau, nei norėčiau ginčytis dėl RBG įtakos, ikoniškumo ir aktualumo, jos įdirbio ir pasiektų rezultatų. Visgi, ar „Mano žodžiai“ – geriausias būdas pažinti ikonišką asmenybę? Skaitant neapleido jausmas, kad nežinau daug žmonių Lietuvoje, kurie galėtų kokybiškai šią knygą perskaityti. Turbūt yra tik keli, iš kurių ji nepareikalautų papildomų pastangų, o kitiems teks daa-a-aug padirbėti – gūglinant sąvokas, žmones ir istorinius įvykius. Čia tikrai ne biografija ir ne RBG gyvenimo aprašymas – veikiau tekstų, straipsnių, pamąstymų rinkinys. Ar visi jie reikalingi? O svarbiausia – kiek aktualūs skaitytojui mūsų šalyje? Per knygą irtis sunku ir manau, jog viena to priežasčių – jog abi autorės yra teisininkės ir joms aprašomi teisiniai procesai yra savaime aiškūs. Būtent tai ir tampa didžiausia knygos problema – jei tarp autorių būtų rašytoja(s) ar žurnalista(s), ji(s) būtų tekstą išgryninęs dar labiau, nei tą teigia padarę autorės – neužtenka kalbų sutrumpinti, daugeliui jų dar reikia ir paaiškinimo – istorinio, kultūrinio, pateikto ne teisine, ne dokumentine kalba. O kitų kalbų gal visai nereikia? Istoriškai jos reikšmingos, tačiau kokiam skaitytojui aktuali RBG pasakyta kalba „Teismo pirmininkui Rehnquistui atminti“?
Norėčiau perskaityti kokybišką, gyvą, įtraukiančią RBG biografiją. Tačiau jei tokios tikitės iš „Mano žodžių“ – gali tekti nusivilti, ypač jei ieškosite „žmogiškos asmenybės pusės“, kaip sako viršelis. Nors šioks toks jos gyvenimo kontekstas pateikiamas, visa kita reikia iš anksto atsinešti, o asmeninių detalių, kad ir kokios jos įdomios, yra tiesiog per mažai, jos paskęsta tekstuose – ypač sausesniuose, aiškinamuosiuose. Leidinys reikalingas, tačiau dėl jo aktualumo Lietuvos skaitytojams tiesiog neturiu vienareikšmiškos nuomonės – ar tokio sunkumo tekstas nesukels atstūmimo reakcijos prieš RBG kaip ikoną, kurios palikimą reikia žinoti ir vertinti? Spėju, kad pirmajai pažinčiai labiau tiktų „Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg“ – jos eisiu ieškoti ir tikiuosi visai kito įspūdžio.
Nei galėčiau, nei norėčiau ginčytis dėl RBG įtakos, ikoniškumo ir aktualumo, jos įdirbio ir pasiektų rezultatų. Visgi, ar „Mano žodžiai“ – geriausias būdas pažinti ikonišką asmenybę? Skaitant neapleido jausmas, kad nežinau daug žmonių Lietuvoje, kurie galėtų kokybiškai šią knygą perskaityti. Turbūt yra tik keli, iš kurių ji nepareikalautų papildomų pastangų, o kitiems teks daa-a-aug padirbėti – gūglinant sąvokas, žmones ir istorinius įvykius. Čia tikrai ne biografija ir ne RBG gyvenimo aprašymas – veikiau tekstų, straipsnių, pamąstymų rinkinys. Ar visi jie reikalingi? O svarbiausia – kiek aktualūs skaitytojui mūsų šalyje? Per knygą irtis sunku ir manau, jog viena to priežasčių – jog abi autorės yra teisininkės ir joms aprašomi teisiniai procesai yra savaime aiškūs. Būtent tai ir tampa didžiausia knygos problema – jei tarp autorių būtų rašytoja(s) ar žurnalista(s), ji(s) būtų tekstą išgryninęs dar labiau, nei tą teigia padarę autorės – neužtenka kalbų sutrumpinti, daugeliui jų dar reikia ir paaiškinimo – istorinio, kultūrinio, pateikto ne teisine, ne dokumentine kalba. O kitų kalbų gal visai nereikia? Istoriškai jos reikšmingos, tačiau kokiam skaitytojui aktuali RBG pasakyta kalba „Teismo pirmininkui Rehnquistui atminti“?
Norėčiau perskaityti kokybišką, gyvą, įtraukiančią RBG biografiją. Tačiau jei tokios tikitės iš „Mano žodžių“ – gali tekti nusivilti, ypač jei ieškosite „žmogiškos asmenybės pusės“, kaip sako viršelis. Nors šioks toks jos gyvenimo kontekstas pateikiamas, visa kita reikia iš anksto atsinešti, o asmeninių detalių, kad ir kokios jos įdomios, yra tiesiog per mažai, jos paskęsta tekstuose – ypač sausesniuose, aiškinamuosiuose. Leidinys reikalingas, tačiau dėl jo aktualumo Lietuvos skaitytojams tiesiog neturiu vienareikšmiškos nuomonės – ar tokio sunkumo tekstas nesukels atstūmimo reakcijos prieš RBG kaip ikoną, kurios palikimą reikia žinoti ir vertinti? Spėju, kad pirmajai pažinčiai labiau tiktų „Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg“ – jos eisiu ieškoti ir tikiuosi visai kito įspūdžio.
October 25, 2020
What a legacy she left.
August 5, 2019
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a lawyer, advocate and most notably, a Supreme Court Judge. Over the years, she had become a worldwide icon, gaining the name of "Notorious RBG". Famous for dissenting when not in concurrence with her fellow judges, she has a manner with words that deliver powerful messages that resonate beyond the court's chambers. In this book, Justice Ginsburg shares her writing and how she has been influenced throughout her life.
Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is a veritable rockstar of the justices and a lioness that stands firm behind her principles. I was so excited to read this book and in the interest of truth I must admit, was a bit let down. I thouht this book was a memoir, something along the same lines as Michelle Obama's Becoming. This book rather, its a collection of her writing and speeches with information of her life written in between. I had a hard time adjusting to the format but once I did I was able to appreciate Justice Ginsburg so much more. While this book is not what I expected it still gives a great insight into Justice Ginsburg's journey. Its hard to panthom that no one would hire Justice Ginsburg upon her becoming a lawyer (that was more than qualified) solely because she is a woman. Its evident that so much of her becoming an advocate for women and other underepresented and misrepresented groups steems from her personal experiences. I definitely "heard" Justice Ginsburg's voice on these pages loud and clear.
A significant portion of this book is dedicated to the Supreme Court and how it works. A variety of cases are talked about, specifically in the way in which Justice Ginsburg voted (concurred or dissented). While all these case sumaries were fascinating, at times the writing was very technical and formal. There is no denying that this book is well written. I just wish that that section had more of an intimate and appproachable feel, like the section about her friendship with Justice Scalia and the relationship with her husband (on a sidenote, Ruth and Marty are relationship goals). Having said all this, I am happy to have read this book. Time was not wasted here. Informative, humorous in parts and hearfelt in others, this was an overall great read
Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is a veritable rockstar of the justices and a lioness that stands firm behind her principles. I was so excited to read this book and in the interest of truth I must admit, was a bit let down. I thouht this book was a memoir, something along the same lines as Michelle Obama's Becoming. This book rather, its a collection of her writing and speeches with information of her life written in between. I had a hard time adjusting to the format but once I did I was able to appreciate Justice Ginsburg so much more. While this book is not what I expected it still gives a great insight into Justice Ginsburg's journey. Its hard to panthom that no one would hire Justice Ginsburg upon her becoming a lawyer (that was more than qualified) solely because she is a woman. Its evident that so much of her becoming an advocate for women and other underepresented and misrepresented groups steems from her personal experiences. I definitely "heard" Justice Ginsburg's voice on these pages loud and clear.
A significant portion of this book is dedicated to the Supreme Court and how it works. A variety of cases are talked about, specifically in the way in which Justice Ginsburg voted (concurred or dissented). While all these case sumaries were fascinating, at times the writing was very technical and formal. There is no denying that this book is well written. I just wish that that section had more of an intimate and appproachable feel, like the section about her friendship with Justice Scalia and the relationship with her husband (on a sidenote, Ruth and Marty are relationship goals). Having said all this, I am happy to have read this book. Time was not wasted here. Informative, humorous in parts and hearfelt in others, this was an overall great read
November 5, 2022
Dėmesio visoms feministėms ir su pasaulio neteisybe kovojančioms Elle Woods gerbėjoms! Lietuviškus knygynus visai neseniai pasiekė Ruth Bader Ginsburg rašinių ir kalbų rinkinys „Mano žodžiai"👸.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg aka „Notorious RGB“ (1933–2020) – JAV Aukščiausiojo teismo teisėja ir viena ikoniškiausių bei įtakingiausių Amerikos moterų. Ruth mokėsi Harvardo (buvo 1 iš 9 merginų 500 vyrų kurse) ir Kolumbijos universitetų Teisės mokyklose, vėliau dėstė teisę, 1980 m. prezidento J. Carterio buvo paskirta teisėjauti JAV Kolumbijos teisme, o 1993-aisiais prezidentas B. Clintonas ją paskyrė teisėjauti į Aukščiausiąjį Teismą. Įdomu tai, kad ji buvo antroji moteris ir pirmoji žydė, kada nors paskirta į Aukščiausiąjį Teismą! 👸⚖
Ši mažutė (1,55 m. ūgio) moteriškė darė didžius darbus: pasirūpino, kad išsiskyrę vaikus auginantys tėčiai taip pat gautų alimentus, o našliai turėtų teisę į tokias pačias lengvatas kaip ir našlės. Ji apgynė moterų teisę tapti prisiekusiomis, pasirūpino, kad besilaukiančiai karininkei būtų mokamos gimdymo atostogos. Ruth teisinės pergalės įpareigojo įstatymų leidėjus vienodinti moterų ir vyrų teises, taip tiesiogiai naikinant diskriminaciją dėl lyties daugelyje sričių.
Jeigu domitės šiuo kūriniu norėdami daugiau sužinoti apie RGB asmeninį gyvenimą, įtariu nusivilsite, nes 480 puslapius turinčioje knygoje jam vietos skirta mažai. Visgi pavyko sužinoti, kad RGB buvo tikra knyggriaužė, dievino operą (viena net buvo pastatyta jos garbei), nemokėjo gaminti (kaip pažįstama 🤭), beprotiškai mylėjo savo vyrą Marty ir vaikus, o mylimiausiu dėstytoju laikė Kornelio universitete rusų ir Europos literatūrą dėsčiusį V. Nabokovą. RGB vertino savo kolegas ir visuomet atiduodavo pagarbą moterims, kurios gerus darbus lygių teisių labui darė dar prieš ją. Taip pat būdama fitneso ikona turiu slėptis po pernykščiais lapais, nes RGB, net sulaukusi 83 metų, sugebėjo padaryti net 20 atsispaudimų!! (va ką duoda feminizmas 😌)
Kalbant apie knygos trūkumus, kartais ją skaitant susidarė jausmas, kad joje „kas turėta, tas sudėta“. Nepaisant to, kaip logiškai ir rišliai tai padaryta, ši knyga man labiau priminė Ruth panegirikos skaitalą, sumaišytą su sausomis teisinėmis rašiavomis, o ne knygą, kurią per gyvenimą privalo perskaityti kiekviena/s feministė/as. Tad jeigu nepažįstate kas antro JAV teisėjo, nesate susipažinę su amerikiečių teisine sistema, šią knygą skaityti vietomis bus sunku 😬.
Reziumuojant, praleisto laiko skaitant Ruth kalbas nesigailiu 😌. Ji yra teisingumo superboba, įkvėpusi ne vieną jauną moterį siekti karjeros aukštumų vyrų dominuojamame teisės pasaulyje! 💖👸⚖
Ruth Bader Ginsburg aka „Notorious RGB“ (1933–2020) – JAV Aukščiausiojo teismo teisėja ir viena ikoniškiausių bei įtakingiausių Amerikos moterų. Ruth mokėsi Harvardo (buvo 1 iš 9 merginų 500 vyrų kurse) ir Kolumbijos universitetų Teisės mokyklose, vėliau dėstė teisę, 1980 m. prezidento J. Carterio buvo paskirta teisėjauti JAV Kolumbijos teisme, o 1993-aisiais prezidentas B. Clintonas ją paskyrė teisėjauti į Aukščiausiąjį Teismą. Įdomu tai, kad ji buvo antroji moteris ir pirmoji žydė, kada nors paskirta į Aukščiausiąjį Teismą! 👸⚖
Ši mažutė (1,55 m. ūgio) moteriškė darė didžius darbus: pasirūpino, kad išsiskyrę vaikus auginantys tėčiai taip pat gautų alimentus, o našliai turėtų teisę į tokias pačias lengvatas kaip ir našlės. Ji apgynė moterų teisę tapti prisiekusiomis, pasirūpino, kad besilaukiančiai karininkei būtų mokamos gimdymo atostogos. Ruth teisinės pergalės įpareigojo įstatymų leidėjus vienodinti moterų ir vyrų teises, taip tiesiogiai naikinant diskriminaciją dėl lyties daugelyje sričių.
Jeigu domitės šiuo kūriniu norėdami daugiau sužinoti apie RGB asmeninį gyvenimą, įtariu nusivilsite, nes 480 puslapius turinčioje knygoje jam vietos skirta mažai. Visgi pavyko sužinoti, kad RGB buvo tikra knyggriaužė, dievino operą (viena net buvo pastatyta jos garbei), nemokėjo gaminti (kaip pažįstama 🤭), beprotiškai mylėjo savo vyrą Marty ir vaikus, o mylimiausiu dėstytoju laikė Kornelio universitete rusų ir Europos literatūrą dėsčiusį V. Nabokovą. RGB vertino savo kolegas ir visuomet atiduodavo pagarbą moterims, kurios gerus darbus lygių teisių labui darė dar prieš ją. Taip pat būdama fitneso ikona turiu slėptis po pernykščiais lapais, nes RGB, net sulaukusi 83 metų, sugebėjo padaryti net 20 atsispaudimų!! (va ką duoda feminizmas 😌)
Kalbant apie knygos trūkumus, kartais ją skaitant susidarė jausmas, kad joje „kas turėta, tas sudėta“. Nepaisant to, kaip logiškai ir rišliai tai padaryta, ši knyga man labiau priminė Ruth panegirikos skaitalą, sumaišytą su sausomis teisinėmis rašiavomis, o ne knygą, kurią per gyvenimą privalo perskaityti kiekviena/s feministė/as. Tad jeigu nepažįstate kas antro JAV teisėjo, nesate susipažinę su amerikiečių teisine sistema, šią knygą skaityti vietomis bus sunku 😬.
Reziumuojant, praleisto laiko skaitant Ruth kalbas nesigailiu 😌. Ji yra teisingumo superboba, įkvėpusi ne vieną jauną moterį siekti karjeros aukštumų vyrų dominuojamame teisės pasaulyje! 💖👸⚖
Shelved as 'abandonned'
April 29, 2017I got about 2/3 through on audio (over 8 of 13 hours). It was worth the time I put into it, but there were large sections that were essentially repetitive or that didn't add much and that weren't necessary that interesting the first time. So, I decided to move on to another book.
Ginsburg is very interested in women's rights and in women becoming a growing part of the legal field and of the judges. She sees her life where the country went from having almost no female judges to having three on the supreme court (about 1/3 of all judges are women) as sign of progress.
From the basis of her speeches and writings, I'm kind of left with the impression that she keeps things simple. That may be an aspect of the presentation. She is brief, clear and to the point, and this is precisely what she values in a judge.
Among the oddities here was her very close friendship with Antonin Scalia, who was, of course, diametrically opposed to her ideologically. It was also interesting to get a little insight into what Bill Clinton liked about her when he nominated her. He chose her after going through and discarding many other names. His intuition seems to have played a significant part.
Ginsburg is very interested in women's rights and in women becoming a growing part of the legal field and of the judges. She sees her life where the country went from having almost no female judges to having three on the supreme court (about 1/3 of all judges are women) as sign of progress.
From the basis of her speeches and writings, I'm kind of left with the impression that she keeps things simple. That may be an aspect of the presentation. She is brief, clear and to the point, and this is precisely what she values in a judge.
Among the oddities here was her very close friendship with Antonin Scalia, who was, of course, diametrically opposed to her ideologically. It was also interesting to get a little insight into what Bill Clinton liked about her when he nominated her. He chose her after going through and discarding many other names. His intuition seems to have played a significant part.
March 6, 2021
4/5
SO informative and interesting especially as someone who knew next to nothing about the american judicial system and nothing about RBG before she passed away. Definitely worth the read!
SO informative and interesting especially as someone who knew next to nothing about the american judicial system and nothing about RBG before she passed away. Definitely worth the read!
May 14, 2020
Ruth Bader Ginsberg is a gift to this country. She is so wise, witty, and responsible. Her talent is beyond compare. Her passion for the Supreme Court and all it stands for is infectious. I found myself wishing I had gone to law school to become a judge while reading Ruth Bader Ginsberg's "My Own Words." Very interesting read and highly informative!
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 16, 2023I loved the parts directly from RBG and her husband’s speech made me laugh out loud, but this reads like a text book and I just can’t stay focused.
June 24, 2022
As of today, June 24, 2022, the constitutional right to abortion in the United States has been eliminated. Fuck anti-abortionists. Raise your voice, educate yourself. This book is as good a place to start as any.
"'The law is reason free from passion.' Well, no offence to Aristotle but [...] I have come to find that passion is a key ingredient to the study and practice of law." - Elle Woods, Legally Blonde (2001)
I could be wrong but reading this book gave me the impression that Ruth Bader Ginsburg would have liked Elle Woods and maybe even agreed with this statement.
My Own Words is a biography unlike any other I've read. When RBG died in 2020 it was a shock to many of us. Though still young, and not American, I had heard and knew of the icon that was the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. However, I came to this book knowing only that RBG was hailed by everyone as a champion of women's rights as well as being understood as the Supreme Court's "standard bearer" of democracy and justice; well, that, and the fact that I had watched and enjoyed Mimi Leder's "On the Basis of Sex (2018)". Given my poor knowledge of Bader Ginsburg's life and her work on the Bench, this book provided a wealth of information yet unbeknownst to me.
While many biographies published nowadays choose the traditional way of telling their subject's story, and even though the book does start off telling the story of young Ruth "Kiki" from her childhood on through her Harvard years, the reader is presented with a unique narrative that is a selection of RGB's own writings and texts published throughout the years. The first text gives a taste of what's to come.
The interesting thing about this book is that we get to know RBG not only through her authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams' account of her life story (they introduce each chapter, giving biographical context and quotes gleaned from hundreds of interviews) but through the Supreme Justice's own writings as well: student newspaper articles, public dissents, bench announcements, writings on being Jewish, on the value of understanding the workings of international law, bench announcements...
And herein lies the beauty of the audiobook version. Many of RBG's speeches are original live recordings that make the audiobook just so much more lively. How many biographies have you read (listened to) in which you were presented with actual recordings of the event in question?
While the audio recordings made me feel as if I was in the room with her, listening to the archive footage also meant that especially the older audiotapes weren't of the best quality. Judging by the crackle and background noise, one tape might even have been a phone recording which was quite painful to listen to at times (you know, similar to when you're listening back to to a recording of that concert you went to and the only thing it does is make you appreciate the quality of your CDs, even more). Another problem that arose because of those tapes is that I, as a non-native speaker of English, had trouble understanding some of the footage of lesser quality, simply because I couldn't catch every single word.
However, despite these slight hindrances, I found myself really enjoying the book. There is simply a difference in reading (listening to) a book in which we are told what a certain person was like and getting to know a person by what they themselves think about certain issues. I certainly feel as if I understood the Notorious RBG better than I did before. I might not remember when she graduated from Harvard or when she wrote her first public decent, but it was infinitely more interesting to get to know her arguments regarding specific abortion cases the SC decided on or why she dissented this but not that.
I don't study law, I'm not particularly interested in the law but I realise how important it is to uphold democracy and a functioning society. This book was truly a worthwhile read and an interesting account of a trailblazing feminist's life.
When she was asked when there would be enough women of the Supreme Court, she said: When there are nine.
"'The law is reason free from passion.' Well, no offence to Aristotle but [...] I have come to find that passion is a key ingredient to the study and practice of law." - Elle Woods, Legally Blonde (2001)
I could be wrong but reading this book gave me the impression that Ruth Bader Ginsburg would have liked Elle Woods and maybe even agreed with this statement.
My Own Words is a biography unlike any other I've read. When RBG died in 2020 it was a shock to many of us. Though still young, and not American, I had heard and knew of the icon that was the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. However, I came to this book knowing only that RBG was hailed by everyone as a champion of women's rights as well as being understood as the Supreme Court's "standard bearer" of democracy and justice; well, that, and the fact that I had watched and enjoyed Mimi Leder's "On the Basis of Sex (2018)". Given my poor knowledge of Bader Ginsburg's life and her work on the Bench, this book provided a wealth of information yet unbeknownst to me.
While many biographies published nowadays choose the traditional way of telling their subject's story, and even though the book does start off telling the story of young Ruth "Kiki" from her childhood on through her Harvard years, the reader is presented with a unique narrative that is a selection of RGB's own writings and texts published throughout the years. The first text gives a taste of what's to come.
The interesting thing about this book is that we get to know RBG not only through her authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams' account of her life story (they introduce each chapter, giving biographical context and quotes gleaned from hundreds of interviews) but through the Supreme Justice's own writings as well: student newspaper articles, public dissents, bench announcements, writings on being Jewish, on the value of understanding the workings of international law, bench announcements...
And herein lies the beauty of the audiobook version. Many of RBG's speeches are original live recordings that make the audiobook just so much more lively. How many biographies have you read (listened to) in which you were presented with actual recordings of the event in question?
While the audio recordings made me feel as if I was in the room with her, listening to the archive footage also meant that especially the older audiotapes weren't of the best quality. Judging by the crackle and background noise, one tape might even have been a phone recording which was quite painful to listen to at times (you know, similar to when you're listening back to to a recording of that concert you went to and the only thing it does is make you appreciate the quality of your CDs, even more). Another problem that arose because of those tapes is that I, as a non-native speaker of English, had trouble understanding some of the footage of lesser quality, simply because I couldn't catch every single word.
However, despite these slight hindrances, I found myself really enjoying the book. There is simply a difference in reading (listening to) a book in which we are told what a certain person was like and getting to know a person by what they themselves think about certain issues. I certainly feel as if I understood the Notorious RBG better than I did before. I might not remember when she graduated from Harvard or when she wrote her first public decent, but it was infinitely more interesting to get to know her arguments regarding specific abortion cases the SC decided on or why she dissented this but not that.
I don't study law, I'm not particularly interested in the law but I realise how important it is to uphold democracy and a functioning society. This book was truly a worthwhile read and an interesting account of a trailblazing feminist's life.
When she was asked when there would be enough women of the Supreme Court, she said: When there are nine.
November 8, 2016
I waffled between 3 and 4 stars, this is not the memoir I was hoping for. It is, instead, a collection of writings, briefs, official SCOTUS opinions, and transcripts of speeches from RBG throughout her professional life, with a little biographical information in the chapter headings and a few pages of photos. Some of the writing is fairly dense, official opinions and briefs from the Supreme Court are not exactly light reading. The span of RBG's career is covered, her work at the ACLU and her methodical and carefully planned assault on gender discrimination laws in the United States. It's all there, but it is there in very official and professional terms and writing. A few of the speeches and addresses are a little less formal, especially the few excerpts from people who worked with and for RBG, notably her husband who contributes a few fabulous remarks, and President Clinton, who nominated RBG to SCOTUS in 1993.
To date, the book I've liked best about Ruth Bader Ginsburg is "Notorious RBG" by Irin Carmen and Shana Knizhnik (but my next is specifically about her time fighting for women's rights at the ACLU...so that is probably going to be a solid contender).
To date, the book I've liked best about Ruth Bader Ginsburg is "Notorious RBG" by Irin Carmen and Shana Knizhnik (but my next is specifically about her time fighting for women's rights at the ACLU...so that is probably going to be a solid contender).
October 13, 2020
I really enjoyed learning more about RBG's incredible life and hearing so many recordings in her own voice (as well as her husband's). I only knocked one star off because there are sections that were very repetitive at times, mostly those referencing previous cases. That got a little tiresome, but overall a very interesting look into Justice Ginsburg's life and the way her impressive mind works.
November 19, 2016
As a long time fan of Justice Ginsburg, I enjoyed much of this book. Who knew she was a supernumerary in operas and that she and another justice wrote one.
Her accomplishments are almost alarming. Highly recommended, but if parts don't suit, skip because there are treasurers within.
Her accomplishments are almost alarming. Highly recommended, but if parts don't suit, skip because there are treasurers within.
May 9, 2020
Actual rating: 2.5
I am so glad that I listened to the audiobook for a couple of reasons: (1) I loved listening to the archived recordings of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's speeches and decisions. (2) Linda Lavin's voice is just as great to listen to, and this is coming from an audiobook hater. (3) If I had read the printed version I would've fallen asleep multiple times.
This book is not a biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A more fitting title would be "The History of the Supreme Court". The first 100 pages or so are promising and actually take us through RBG's life and early career. Then it delves into the historical figures in the Supreme Court, lengthy and dense legalese, and other unrelated topics that don't have a clear connection to the Supreme Court Justice. It becomes nonchronological and just confusing when you're expecting to hear about her life.
Also, a good 50% of the biography is original speeches by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. There is no real substance to the book on top of them. While some served to enlighten and excite me, some also seemed out of place and lengthy. I love law, but a lot of the decisions listened to were dense and read like a textbook.
The same goes for the last chapter or so - we come back to Ruth's life, accomplishments, and future. I have no idea what happened in the middle, but it wasn't the biography I was expecting, unfortunately.
I am so glad that I listened to the audiobook for a couple of reasons: (1) I loved listening to the archived recordings of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's speeches and decisions. (2) Linda Lavin's voice is just as great to listen to, and this is coming from an audiobook hater. (3) If I had read the printed version I would've fallen asleep multiple times.
This book is not a biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A more fitting title would be "The History of the Supreme Court". The first 100 pages or so are promising and actually take us through RBG's life and early career. Then it delves into the historical figures in the Supreme Court, lengthy and dense legalese, and other unrelated topics that don't have a clear connection to the Supreme Court Justice. It becomes nonchronological and just confusing when you're expecting to hear about her life.
Also, a good 50% of the biography is original speeches by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. There is no real substance to the book on top of them. While some served to enlighten and excite me, some also seemed out of place and lengthy. I love law, but a lot of the decisions listened to were dense and read like a textbook.
The same goes for the last chapter or so - we come back to Ruth's life, accomplishments, and future. I have no idea what happened in the middle, but it wasn't the biography I was expecting, unfortunately.
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