My Own Words

August 29, 2016
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. Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM.

This fascinating audiobook is a series of recorded speeches by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with introductions and background segments read by Linda Lavin. Using crisp tones, Lavin brings Ginsburg's legal career to life. Her legal opinions, numerous speeches, and presentations are threaded together, interspersed with a history of the legal rights of women and minorities. Lavin's narration is fluid and appropriately emotional, depending upon the subject matter. The biography also includes a history of the Supreme Court, information on justice's wives, and a discussion of the roles of Supreme Court justices since the founding of the government. The recordings vary in quality, depending upon their age and venue; some are barely audible, while others are crisp and clear. This work is a fascinating look at Ginsburg's role in shaping the Court's interpretation of the Constitution. M.B.K. � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine