Trial Magazine
My Own Words
July 2017My Own Words
Simon & Schuster
Ruth Bader Ginsberg, with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams
400pp., $30
Reviewed by Jessica Pezley
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is no stranger to seeing her name in print, but My Own Words is her first book since becoming a U.S. Supreme Court justice in 1993. Compiled with the help of her two biographers, Mary Hartnett and Wendy Williams, this book is a collection of her written work and speeches spanning more than 70 years—which act as a time line of the achievements and values that define Ginsburg’s continuing legacy.
The earliest writing in the book, a middle school newspaper editorial penned by a 13-year-old Ginsburg, will silence any doubt as to the justice’s innate and extraordinary ability to persuade. While fellow students used the Highway Herald to discuss lighter matters, such as the circus and school play, a young Ginsburg wrote about the importance of the newly signed United Nations Charter. “It is vital that peace be assured, for now we have a weapon that can destroy the world,” she wrote in 1946.
Even at a young age, Ginsburg’s commitment to individual rights—a theme throughout the book—is evident. Indeed, the amount of pages the book devotes to her long but unwavering fight to end sex discrimination—including her opinion in United States v. Virginia and her dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.—suggests that Ginsburg would like to be remembered, above all, for her contributions to women’s fight for equality.
Ginsburg explores a breadth of topics, ranging from her Jewish faith to the inner workings of the Supreme Court. Interspersed among the weightier topics are bits of humor—largely supplied by the late Marty Ginsburg, whose support and adoration of his wife will simultaneously warm and break your heart.
In one memorable excerpt, Mr. Ginsburg explained that he did the cooking and his wife did the thinking. “Ruth is no longer permitted in the kitchen,” he wrote. “This by the demand of our children, who have taste.” Though Ginsburg is seldom outright sentimental, the topics she covers provide insight into the things she holds most dear.
My Own Words focuses on Ginsburg’s career, offering few revelations about her personal life. Readers hoping for a memoir may be disappointed. But while the book is largely made up of her publicly released work—material that may be familiar to those who have closely followed Ginsburg’s career—her biographers’ introductions to each piece offer context and color.
Ginsburg has become a cultural icon, celebrated for her memorable opinions and dissents. My Own Words is a continuation of that celebration, using her greatest works to paint a detailed portrait of the second female Supreme Court justice.
Jessica Pezley is a staff attorney with the AAJ Exchange and AAJ Sections and Litigation Groups. She can be reached at jessica.pezley@justice.org.
