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"An instant American icon--the first Hispanic on the U.S. Supreme Court--tells the story of her life before becoming a judge in an inspiring, surprisingly personal memoir. With startling candor and intimacy, Sonia Sotomayor recounts her life from a Bronx housing project to the federal bench, a progress that is testament to her extraordinary determination and the power of believing in oneself. She writes of her precarious childhood and the refuge she took with her passionately spirited paternal grandmother. She describes her resolve as a young girl to become a lawyer, and how she made this dream become reality: valedictorian of her high school class, summa cum laude at Princeton, Yale Law, prosecutor in the Manhattan D.A.'s office, private practice, federal district judge before the age of forty. She writes about her deeply valued mentors, about her failed marriage, about her cherished family of friends. Through her still-astonished eyes, America's infinite possibilities are envisioned anew in this warm and honest book, destined to become a classic of self-discovery and self-invention, alongside Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father"--… (more)
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Some highlights are of Justice Sotomayor's undergrad years at Princeton and her visits to her
Actually, the whole book is a highlight. One doesn't even miss her Supreme Court tenure, which I'm sure will come eventually and should only be as enjoyable as this one.
However, her story is interesting and pulled me right along. Sonia Sotomayar grew up in the South Bronx; Spanish was her first language; her father was an alcoholic who died when she was young; she developed juvenile diabetes at a time when that was considered a death sentence. She also had support from a loving extended family and an amazing amount of grit. She is a poster child for affirmative action, having gone to Princeton and the Yale Law School.
I often find Sotomayar irritating politically, but this book gave me admiration for her integrity and spunk. I also liked the way she identified the strengths she received from her family, especially her mother and grandmother, as assets that helped her in her law career. She has a nuanced understanding of her family dynamics. An example from the book, she is reflecting on life after the death of her father:
“A hug from Papi would have been nice just then. I couldn’t deny that our life was so much better now, but I did miss him. For all the misery he caused, I knew with certainty that he loved us. Those aren’t things you can measure or weigh. You can’t say: This much love is worth this much misery. They’re not opposites that cancel each other out; they’re both true at the same time. “
She shares the joys and heartaches of belonging to a large extended family of Puerto Rican descent growing up in the Bronx in the 1960's. A central figure in her life was her mother, who placed a high value on education. She demonstrated this to her children by earning her LPN despite language difficulties, and by sacrificing to send both of her children to private Catholic schools. Though Sonia experienced her mother as an emotionally distant person, her paternal grandmother's expansive love and personality filled that void.
Nancy Drew Mystery books and Perry Mason television shows are cited by the author as her inspiration toward a career in law. Her constant awareness of the implications of her diabetes also influenced her career and other life decisions.
As a carry over from her mother's influence, much of this memoir focuses on the author's educational experiences and achievements, which are truly remarkable. Including a full undergraduate scholarship to Princeton followed by law school at Yale. She was married from 1976 to 1983 to her high school sweetheart, but the demands of her work in the district attorney's office and her husband's graduate school created a divide that could not be bridged and the marriage failed.
Her early law career in the district attorney's office, then later in private practice are chronicled in an almost case study style. The author seems to use these cases to explain how her style as a judge has been formed by experience.
In some ways the book is surprisingly revealing for a Supreme Court Justice. And yet, once the book is finished, one can't help but feel that she has also been quite reserved. I greatly appreciated (and derived some hope) from a section at the end of the memoir where she discusses the importance of making decisions based on the context of a situation rather than rigidly sticking to some ideology.
I listened to the audio version of this book which was beautifully narrated by Rita Moreno.
Justice Sotomayor's legal opinions and courtroom style are a tough, 'just-the-facts' approach, and it is easy enough to see
Perhaps another sign of the book's quality is that it is not too political (with the exception of a whole-hearted defense of affirmative action, but this is entirely understandable). Instead, it is more empathetic and personal, offering courtroom banter and the stories of friends and family as a more background look at her view of life. Empathy is a quality which is only too rare in the higher echelons of power and law these days. In "su mundo adorado", perhaps those who have been at the very darkest valley can be fit to judge at the top of the highest mountain.
All these questions rattled through my mind as I read Justice Sonia Sotomayor memoir “My Beloved World”. She is an incredible lady whose life path, driven by excellence, is the personification of the opportunities possible through America’s freedom. The difficulty and obstruction of her journey took many forms, but even with all those walls that had to be scaled she never doubted the path’ existence. Justice Sotomayor recognized that America’s greatness and power was not due to it’s achievements such as men on the moon, defeating fascism, military might, or technological invention. America’s greatness is born out the ideals to which she aspires. Even when our country was nowhere near living up to these ideals, as is seen in the huge percentage of delegates to the Continental Congress who were slave owners, they remained her compass.
I was also struck by how similar Justice Sotomayor’s life is to that of Condoleezza Rice. Clearly these women are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. This leads me back to Point – Counterpoint. It seems to me that while we often disagree with one another’s understanding our ideals, each philosophy is strengthened by the necessity to compete with differing viewpoints. It is often a messy or even horrifying process, as with the Civil War. Ultimately it is a process that continues to find ways to liberate from darkness those who do not yet share the full measure of freedom.
My fifteen year old daughter answered the Facebook profile question about her political views by saying “Politics are corrupt”. I believe this level of cynicism, especially from those so young, is the greatest threat to our continued freedom. This is why Justice Sotomayor’s memoir, like that of Dr. Rice and so many others, is an important inspiration in the ever present fight for liberty.
She was able to rise above her humble beginnings and excel in schooling, This lead to going to Princeton and later Yale Law School. During this time, she got married to her high school sweetheart but it didn't last. After law school, she began working the DA's Office then a private law firm dealing with intellectual property. After that was the Judge track. Being a judge was Judge Sotomayor's dream.
I liked this book. I felt that Judge's Sotomayor's beginnings humanized her to me. Then, I got to her later years, essentially Princeton-present, and that made her back to her God-like status. She said it repeatedly but her life was truly blessed. However, I was with her all the way because she handled it with such grace and maturity. Judge Sotomayor worked her for everything she achieved and will continue to achieve.
She was able to rise above her humble beginnings and excel in schooling, This lead to going to Princeton and later Yale Law School. During this time, she got married to her high school sweetheart but it didn't last. After law school, she began working the DA's Office then a private law firm dealing with intellectual property. After that was the Judge track. Being a judge was Judge Sotomayor's dream.
I liked this book. I felt that Judge's Sotomayor's beginnings humanized her to me. Then, I got to her later years, essentially Princeton-present, and that made her back to her God-like status. She said it repeatedly but her life was truly blessed. However, I was with her all the way because she handled it with such grace and maturity. Judge Sotomayor worked her for everything she achieved and will continue to achieve.
She was able to rise above her humble beginnings and excel in schooling, This lead to going to Princeton and later Yale Law School. During this time, she got married to her high school sweetheart but it didn't last. After law school, she began working the DA's Office then a private law firm dealing with intellectual property. After that was the Judge track. Being a judge was Judge Sotomayor's dream.
I liked this book. I felt that Judge's Sotomayor's beginnings humanized her to me. Then, I got to her later years, essentially Princeton-present, and that made her back to her God-like status. She said it repeatedly but her life was truly blessed. However, I was with her all the way because she handled it with such grace and maturity. Judge Sotomayor worked her for everything she achieved and will continue to achieve.
At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed reading of her life's journey. I admit to getting a bit bogged down during her stint at the District Attorney's office. I also found her flexibility in forming friendships with the rich and famous to be surprising--but that's my small town Indiana peeking through!
Those who have never lived outside of the U.S. may or may not understand the closeness of an extended family, but this narrative rang true for me. Perhaps it has more to do with extended family living in close proximity rather than the family's immigration status.
I was happy to learn that Daniel Partrick Moynehan was instrumental in her selection to the Federal bench. Today, in 2016, I fear it would not be possible for Sotomayor to be confirmed due to the rancor and dysfunction of our political process.
I think we need to switch our national slogan from "God bless America" to a more Anglo-influenced one of "God save America. I pray our Senate will perform its constitutional duty and hold hearings on Obama's moderate pick for our next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
I read the Kindle version on my iPad. I am disappointed that Knopt did not bother including the photographs. For shame!