My Own Words
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3.6 • 161 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The New York Times bestselling book from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—“a comprehensive look inside her brilliantly analytical, entertainingly wry mind, revealing the fascinating life of one of our generation's most influential voices in both law and public opinion” (Harper’s Bazaar).
My Own Words “showcases Ruth Ginsburg’s astonishing intellectual range” (The New Republic). In this collection Justice Ginsburg discusses gender equality, the workings 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, who introduce each chapter and provide biographical context and quotes gleaned from hundreds of interviews they have conducted.
Witty, engaging, serious, and playful, My Own Words is a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of America’s most influential women and “a tonic to the current national discourse” (The Washington Post).
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Using the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s own writing—from an eighth-grade tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt to a 2013 lecture on the lasting impact of dissenting opinions—this 2016 book paints a lively and compelling portrait of an icon. Each piece includes historical notes, providing us with fascinating, often deeply personal context for every witty essay and stirring speech. Whether she’s describing a landmark decision that didn’t go her way, her children’s reaction to her Supreme Court nomination, or her longtime friendship with the conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, Ginsburg’s distinctive, precise voice and unparalleled intellect shine through. Perfect for anyone who wants to understand what drove this brilliant jurist, My Own Words conveys the warmth, grace, and humor that endeared RBG to admirers around the world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This collection of Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg's writings, spanning 70 years, is an excellent introduction to this Renaissance woman and will whet readers' appetites for her forthcoming biography by coauthors Hartnett and Williams. No one will be surprised that it contains cogent, well-reasoned, and accessible entries on subjects of general interest, such as equal rights for women and judicial independence. Even those who have followed the octogenarian jurist over her long and distinguished tenure on the Supreme Court will find plenty of less expected items to relish, including an editorial Ginsburg wrote as an eighth grader in 1946 for her Brooklyn elementary school newspaper on the importance of the new U.N. Charter. Her passion for operas is expressed in remarks she made on the radio in 2015, analyzing how law and lawyers have been portrayed in them. At a time of bitter political partisanship, her respect and affection for colleagues with different views, as displayed in posthumous tributes to fellow justices Rehnquist and Scalia, are very welcome. The variety of subjects is impressive, and Ginsburg's gift for concision enables her to discuss them in enough detail to engage interest while leaving the reader wanting more.
Customer Reviews
Unfinished Business
Justice Ginsburg is worthy of all credit bestowed upon her for the recent progress of women’s issues, and I thank her profoundly on behalf of women around the world. However, we are far from the finish line. When I woke up on November 9th, 2016, and I realized that the Electoral College system robbed us of our first woman president. I say robbed because, the Honorable Hillary Clinton received three million more votes than the president elect. I was livid that the United States would dismiss three million of its own people’s voices. What ever happened to we are all created equal? I am sure I am not alone on this, but I think it is time we take a good hard look at the way we elect our leaders. We are not half of a country, so why are we only listening to half of our people? To be sure that we are listening to all of our people, we should abolish the Electoral College and simplify the whole process; one person, one vote. Then, we would never have to doubt the results of our elections, and we the People would be speaking with a unified voice.
Amazing Woman
She is a woman of POWER!!! She is definitely a hero for so many! Her achievements are beyond words. She put the HUMAN in humanity! What a great woman! She leaves behind so much to be proud of. May she rest peacefully... Thank you madam justice