Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Amazon Prime includes:
Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
- Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
-47% $15.88$15.88
Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com
$8.55$8.55
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: ZBK Wholesale
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- To view this video download Flash Player
- VIDEO
Audible sample Sample
Follow the author
OK
My Own Words Hardcover – October 4, 2016
Purchase options and add-ons
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).
- Print length400 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSimon & Schuster
- Publication dateOctober 4, 2016
- Dimensions6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
- ISBN-10150114524X
- ISBN-13978-1501145247
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
- “In every good marriage,” she counseled, “it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.”Highlighted by 2,182 Kindle readers
- “We shall never have equal rights until we take them, nor equal respect until we command it.”Highlighted by 1,443 Kindle readers
- “Prejudice saves us a painful trouble, the trouble of thinking.”Highlighted by 1,348 Kindle readers
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Ginsburg has used her words to promote equality and stem discrimination as well as to express gratitude and to celebrate others who did so before and with her. . . . exceedingly readable, thanks to Ginsburg’s characteristically precise and unembellished prose.” ― Newsweek
"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
“A sort of greatest hits album....devotees will no doubt be delighted to have some 300 pages of Ginsburg all in one place.” ― Associated Press
"The Notorious RBG makes it even harder to ponder her eventual absence with a look at gender inequality, the Supreme Court’s inner workings, and the too-little-remarked-upon intersections of law and opera." ― New York Magazine
"What emerges is not a portrait of a take-no-prisoners advocate but a strategic legal plotter who understands how to bring her audience around to her point of view." ― USA Today
"The selection showcases her astonishing intellectual range, from law and lawyers in opera, to tributes to Louis Brandeis, William Rehnquist, and Gloria Steinem, to the significance and form of dissenting opinions. The book also includes a number of revealing speeches Ginsburg has given about her historical heroines . . . Hartnett and Williams’s brief biographical introductions to each section show how much Ginsburg has heeded it." ― The New Republic
"Readers will gain unprecedented insight into the inner workings of the Supreme Court and garner unparalleled appreciation for one of its finest minds.” ― Booklist
“A collection of her writings that will offer even more. . . . Justice Ginsburg’s impact not only on the legal profession but also on young women contemplating such a career path is undeniable.” ― Library Journal
"Much recommended as a Christmas gift for smart, ambitious nieces. And nephews, too." ― The Guardian
"[My Own Words] reveals a more personal side of the unlikely icon who has inspired operas, tattoos, T-shirts and millions of young women who never knew that the law was once reserved for male lawyers." ― CNN.COM
“An excellent introduction to this Renaissance woman . . . cogent, well-reasoned, and accessible . . . 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 . . . 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.” ― Publishers Weekly
“Not surprisingly, she serves as an exemplar, and her work toward gender equality is well represented in this superb book. . . . required reading . . . invaluable.” ― Library Journal (starred review)
“No sitting Supreme Court justice has the adoring fan base Ruth Bader Ginsburg has. . . . the amicus briefs, and, later, bench announcements included here are recognizably impressive, even to civilians, in their lucidity, calm persuasiveness, and avoidance of jargon on one side and distracting captiousness on the other. The more informal writings in My Own Words share those qualities while adding charm.” ― Bookforum
About the Author
Mary Hartnett is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law, focusing on international women’s human rights.
Wendy W. Williams is Professor Emerita at Georgetown Law, best known for her work in the area of gender and law, especially concerning issues of work and family.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT had been the first lady throughout most of Ruth Bader’s childhood. Ruth’s mother, who deeply admired the first lady, often read Mrs. Roosevelt’s “My Day” newspaper columns aloud to Ruth. Eight months after President Roosevelt’s death, Eleanor Roosevelt was appointed by President Truman as a U.S. delegate to the newly established United Nations General Assembly. The UN Charter, in its preamble, declared as one of its aims “to regain faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.” Eleanor Roosevelt, pursuant to that goal, became in April 1946 the first chairperson of the newly created U.N. Commission on Human Rights. In the wake of World War II, Ruth and her mother followed closely as Eleanor Roosevelt led the efforts that would result, in 1948, in the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document Roosevelt celebrated as “the international Magna Carta for all mankind.”
Two months after Eleanor Roosevelt was chosen to head the UN Commission on Human Rights, Ruth Bader, by then a thirteen-year-old eighth grader and editor of her school newspaper, the Highway Herald, wrote a column of her own. Her column, the first piece in this collection, was a sign of things to come. While other students wrote about the circus, school plays, and the glee club, Ruth discussed the Ten Commandments, Magna Carta, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and United Nations Charter.
Highway Herald, June 1946
Published by Pupils of Elementary Public School 238, Brooklyn, New York
Editorial by Ruth Bader, Grade 8B1
Since the beginning of time, the world has known four great documents, great because of all the benefits to humanity which came about as a result of their fine ideals and principles.
The first was the Ten Commandments, which was given to Moses while he was leading the Israelites through the wilderness to the land of Canaan. Today people of almost every religion respect and accept them as a code of ethics and a standard of behavior.
Up until the thirteenth century, conditions under the kings of Europe were unbearable for the commoners. Taxation was high, living conditions poor and justice unknown. It was then, in 1215 AD, that the barons and peers of England met and drew up a charter called the Magna Carta. After forcing King John to sign it, the document was declared the governing law of the land. This gave the English peasants the first rights ever granted to them.
When William of Orange, a Dutchman, was offered the English throne, his chief ambition was to use the military powers of Britain to aid his beloved Holland in its war with Spain. In accepting this offer, he had to grant certain concessions to the English people. So, in 1689, he signed the Bill of Rights. This limited the King’s powers and gave much of the government control to parliament, another important stride in the history of the world.
The Declaration of Independence of our own U.S. may well be considered one of the most important steps in the shaping of the world. It marked the birth of a new nation, a nation that has so grown in strength as to take its place at the top of the list of the world’s great powers.
And now we have a fifth great document, the Charter of the United Nations. Its purpose and principles are to maintain international peace and security, to practice tolerance, and to suppress any acts of aggression or other breaches of peace.
It is vital that peace be assured, for now we have a weapon that can destroy the world. We children of public school age can do much to aid in the promotion of peace. We must try to train ourselves and those about us to live together with one another as good neighbors for this idea is embodied in the great new Charter of the United Nations. It is the only way to secure the world against future wars and maintain an everlasting peace.
Product details
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster; First Edition (October 4, 2016)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 400 pages
- ISBN-10 : 150114524X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1501145247
- Item Weight : 1.38 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #94,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #54 in Lawyer & Judge Biographies
- #1,080 in Women's Biographies
- #3,215 in Memoirs (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonReviews with images
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
The book has many merits. It affords an insight into how the Supreme Court operates and decides cases; provides us with highly personal and quite moving profiles of Chief Justice Rehnquist and her great friend--and adversary--Justice Scalia; reminds us of her pioneering role as the champion of women's rights as author, professor, and deadly litigator; and not least, helps us understand the private Ginsburg through several appearances by her late husband, tax lawyer Marty Ginsburg. Ginsburg speaks for herself in 36 or so pieces, skillfully tied together and placed in context by the two editors.
The book is divided into five sections. For example, "Early Years" surprised me with a Ginsburg essay written while an undergrad at Cornell on the evils of wiretapping, reflecting the influence of her mentor, the constitutional scholar Robert E. Cushman. In Part Two, "Tributes to Waypavers and Pathmarkers," Ginsburg reveals a remarkable talent for writing short profiles of prominent legal and judicial figures, including Belva Lockwood, Louis Brandeis, Judah P. Benjamin (a fascinating figure; look him up), Breyer, Cardozo, and especially Sandra Day O'Connor. Nobody can pack more info into a short piece than Ginsburg.
The central focus of her professional career as advocate and judge, gender equality, is the focus of Part Three. Symposium introductions; defense of the ERA; her bench announcement in the VMI case; and several summer presentations to summer law students abroad make up this section. One should never forget the impact her unceasing determination had in moving the whole idea of gender equality into the spotlight. Ironically, as is well known, she remains unhappy with the Roe opinion, preferring not to rest it upon privacy but upon straight equality grounds. Part IV has some interesting material on her role as a judge and appointment to the Court.
The final section provides an insight into her views of judging and justice. She explains the Court's workways and why she is so dedicated to judicial independence. She defends effectively the role foreign legal concepts can play for the Justices--a hot item with Scalia, while being promoted by Breyer. She articulates the idea of "measured motions," which basically means don't go too far in an opinion in pushing a point. Most interesting, she explains her view of dissents and dissent announcements, an unusual practice in which she has recently engaged. Finally, she shares her most recent second circuit report on Supreme Court highlights for the 2015-16 term; she gives such reports each year and it is quite interesting to read her candid comments.
One of the major reactions I came away with is how well she can write in no matter what format--a point quite obvious from her incisive opinions. The book runs some 370 pages, including chronology, helpful photos, notes and index. My only problem with the book is that the editors have chosen to relegate most notes (which I read religiously) to a webpage (see "A Note on Sources"). No matter how hard I tried, i could not locate these notes, and I am inclined to think such a separation of notes from text is not a good idea for it diminishes the ability to ingest the notes as you read. But the book itself is magnificent, whether you are a Ginsburg fan or not. At 83, this veteran of cancer flirtations, wars with Scalia, and many hard battles, has said she will remain on the Court as long as she meets her own stringent standards. For that, we can all be thankful.
It is not, however, a compelling read — especially for my non-legal mind. I found the language tedious and the legal concepts outside my sphere interest.
RBG was a force of nature, to be sure — and for that reason I am glad to have read this work. The details of the cultural work she had to do are at once gut-wrenching as they are amazing. As I read about the sexual and racial discrimination that she fought so valiantly I am both in awe of her stance and gobsmacked that it was necessary.
I recommend reading Part One - Early Years and Light Side. It is pleasant reading and a wonderful biographical potrait. Read on only if you feel it pull you forward.
Top reviews from other countries
Muito bom!
A relatively quick read, and to the point!
This is the kind of book every girl should read, really inspiring and real.