4 stars
| A fascinating book for those interested specifically in Justice Ginsburg’s writings (bench announcements, dissents, lectures, speeches). This is a very unique book because instead of just talking about how amazing Ginsburg is (which is true, of course), it collects and presents various writings that she wrote in her lifetime, demonstrating first-hand just how amazing she is. Listening to her words shows the reader what a force to be reckoned with she is and her immense passion for fighting for people’s rights. And once in a while, there is that little bit of sly humor. No wonder she has such a following. The book is also unique in that the audiobook features actual archival recordings of Ginsburg’s speeches and such. This was a very interesting experience. The only downside to these recordings is that some of the sound quality is better than others. Most were fine, but at some events she spoke at, there are the distracting sounds of cellphones ringing, people coughing, and papers shuffling in the recordings and one recording that is very echo-y. For me listening to this in the car, it was a little hard to hear at times. I kind of wish a PDF of her writings was included to follow along with or look at later. Obviously the reader can look up most of these writings online, but it would have been nice for them to have been included all in one place. Overall though, it was well done and I loved the opportunity to hear her original readings. It was also fun to learn new things about Ginsburg, my favorite of which is that there is an opera centering on her friendship with Justice Scalia (with some lyrical readings and songs presented in the audiobook). The book links Ginsburg’s writings together, giving informative background on the events such as the frustrating history of the ERA. Well-written, informative, and a great look at Justice Ginsburg and what she stands for outside of her mass media appeal. This was an interesting and unique book and I enjoyed it. Despite the audiobook’s shortcomings, I do think it is the best way to experience the book for its original readings (and, of course, the opera singing). Goodreads |