Rate: 5/5

Medium: Audiobook

Overview (No Spoilers):

I’ve sat on this review for over a week despite not being able to stop talking about my favorite new hero, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Prior to a year ago, my knowledge of this iconic Supreme Court Judge extended as far as her petite, frail frame. Then a coworker piqued my curiosity regarding RBG after he’d listened to a podcast regarding her time arguing in front of the court for women’s rights.   When stumbling across a glowing NPR book review regarding de Hart’s new book I was excited to finally learn more about this inspirational woman. I was shocked to learn about many of the rights I take for granted as a woman were hard won in the 70s and 80s. The relatively recent time frames of many of these court battles were startling, truly putting into perspective RBGs remarkable accomplishments.  From an analytical point of view I found myself delighting in how RBG approached specific problems, especially as she layered different cases on the same day to drive home the legal aspect she was laboring to substantiate.  Interestingly, many times she took cases involving men’s rights being hindered by the same laws impacting women in order to prove her point. Sure, it was only natural I grew glossy eyed during a handful of moments where the legal jargon became extra thick as specific cases were belabored, however these instances were few and far in between.  As this book also covered up until this most recent year, I became more and more wound up by recent cases I hadn’t even known had been argued in front of the Supreme Court. I’m not comfortable talking politics. From a realistic perspective, it would be arrogant of me to think anything I have to say regarding the topic will likely not sway you and nor would I want it to.  We are all allowed to have our own opinions, which we’ve shaped through our own life experiences. I was born and raised conservative. As I went through graduate school, I found myself leaning more left until I now consider myself a moderate. My ballot this past election was purple by the time I was through voting with each candidate and issue weighed individually.  Part of my reticence with politics has been centered around my ability to see merits on both sides of most arguments with out a clear solution in the middle. I’ve read many, many nonfiction biographies over the past couple of years and few books have inspired me as Ruth Bader Ginsberg has to reevaluate and finally put a tenuous stamp on my feelings regarding several key political topics.  Of course,  I should add I feel strongly that no opinion should ever be set in stone and should be forever evolving as new information/perspectives comes to light.  Overall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a fantastic read that will rank as one of my favorites of the year as de Hart delivers an account that pulls the reader effortlessly into the Judge’s extraordinary life.