Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World

by Linda Hirshman

Hardcover, 2015

Status

Available

Genres

Politics, Government, Law and Public Policy

Publication

Harper (2015), Edition: 1St Edition, 416 pages

Description

The relationship between Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg-Republican and Democrat, Christian and Jew, western rancher's daughter and Brook-lyn girl-transcends party, religion, region, and culture. Strengthened by each other's presence, these groundbreaking judges, the first and second women to serve on the highest court in the land, have transformed the Constitution and America itself, making it a more equal place for all women. Linda Hirshman's dual biography includes revealing stories of how these trailblazers fought for recognition in a male-dominated profession-battles that would ultimately benefit every American woman. Hirshman also makes clear how these two justices have shaped the legal framework of modern feminism, setting precedent in cases dealing with employment discrimination, abortion, affirmative action, sexual harassment, and many other issues crucial to women's lives. Sisters in Law combines legal detail with warm personal anecdotes, bringing these very different women into focus as never before. Meticulously researched and compellingly told, it is an authoritative account of our changing law and culture, and a moving story of a remarkable friendship.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member annbury

This book was even better than I expected, because it includes a lot more than I expected. As I anticipated, it's an excellent double biography of two very interesting women, covering their origins and their careers, and the relationship that developed between them after Justice Ginsberg joined

Justice O'Connor on the Supreme Court. But, in the context of Ginsberg's pre- judicial career, it also treats the way in which court cases changed the legal position of women. Ginsberg was even more influential in this process than I realized, and it is appropriate that the development of women's legal rights makes up such an important part of the book. For an old feminist like me, this is an enlighting look back. For younger women, it is an important reminder of how much things have changed, and of the risks to womens' rights that remain.

Show Less

8 more

LibraryThing member kaulsu

This book made me more aware of the legislation that may only have happened because the Court was finally opened to women. Unfortunately, it also made me aware of how our conservative court has moved in a retrograde manner, nullifying many of the laws passed in the past. The author clearly is of a

feminist bent, and her depiction of Anthony Kennedy is fairly virulent. A timely book, given that our Congress decided to push Barack Obama into a "lame duck" eighteen months prior to the next election.

Show Less

LibraryThing member shazjhb

For anyone who thinks this is a liberal country this is a must read. I wonder if women even realize how put down they are. If people had read this book before the election it probably would have changed the vote - maybe not. What a fight it has been for women.

LibraryThing member Rosareads

A must read for every American about how the Supreme Court functions, how the important legal decisions of our country are made and influenced, and the ongoing discrimination of women that exists in the United States.

LibraryThing member Schmerguls

5478. Sisters in Law How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World. by Linda Hirshman (read 20 Jun 2017). This is a 2015 book which traces the lives of O'Connor and Ginsburg and tells how they came to be appointed to the Court; O'Connor as Reagan's

first appointment in 1981 (she was confirmed unanimously) and Ginsburg in 1993 as Clinton's first appointment (she was confirmed by a vote of 96 to 3, one of the votes against her being Jesse Helms). O'Connor after a while tended to be a centrist, with no particular judicial philosophy--though she had no hesitancy in voting her political party in Bush V. Gore. Ginsburg had had a distinguished career as a lawyer and her brilliance led the Republicans to not oppose her ascension to the Supreme Court. On the Court she has fought hard for women's rights and the underdog. I found the book very readable and the discussion of the cases considered able and informative. One can be glad Ginsburg is on the Court.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Alliebadger

It's great that this book exists and highlights the achievements of these two extraordinary women. However, it's fairly dense (which is reasonable, it's about law), and it's SUPER liberal. I'm liberal myself, but I still had to read between the lines to get a picture of what's actually happening,

rather than the author's interpretation. But at the same time, I borrowed this copy from an older male law professor, and he wrote notes in the margins like "tone!" and "snarky" that I don't think he would have written if it were a male author. So, we still have work to do...

Show Less

LibraryThing member BookBuddies

Nominally about both RBG and SDO but Ruth's career is presented in great and loving detail while SDO is given only superficial treatment and pictured as somewhat of a lightweight. Lauren was really angry with the author for her clear bias.

LibraryThing member rynk

Ruth Bader Ginsburg's insight and fearlessness stand in relief against her trailblazing yet conventional fellow justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Hirshman draws out more ironies in Ginsburg's legal and academic career, such as the far-reaching results of her incremental defense of women's rights. Fate

sidetracked her from pursuing ACLU's reproductive rights agenda, which would have doomed her chances to join the high court.

Show Less

LibraryThing member japaul22

This dual biography of Ginsburg and O'Connor and their rise to the Supreme Court plus the decisions that they made that most heavily impacted women didn't work for me. It is very basic information that I think most people who know anything about the two or about the Supreme Court will already know.

And I didn't think it synthesized the information in a new way, either.

I think that if you are a complete beginner to these two women, it's probably a fine place to start, but I was bored and wanted to learn something new.

Show Less

Fewer