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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Today I’ve changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars. This is a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of America’s most influential women. 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 book’s sampling is selected by Justice Ginsburg and her authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Throughout her life Justice Ginsburg has been (and continues to be) a prolific writer and public speaker. 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. 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.

Rbg my own words