Joy Barlow Books

In this comprehensive biography, historian Jane Sherron De Hart delves into the experiences that shaped Ruth Bader Ginsburg's commitment to justice, advocacy for gender equality, and meticulous approach to law. Central to Ginsburg's story is her Jewish heritage and the concept of tikkun olam, the call to "repair the world," which deeply influenced her as a child of Holocaust survivors. Her journey begins with the loss of her mother, whose intellect ignited Ginsburg's feminist ideals. It spans her early years as a baton twirler at James Madison High School, her education at Cornell, Harvard, and Columbia law schools, and her role as one of the first female law professors in the U.S., where she fought for equal pay and concealed her second pregnancy to retain her position. Ginsburg later became the director of the ACLU's Women's Rights Project, arguing landmark anti-sex discrimination cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Nominated in 1993 as the second woman on the Court, her influential decisions and dissents continue to shape history. This biography offers intimate insights into a pioneering life and legal career, highlighting her lasting impact on American jurisprudence and society well into the twenty-first century.