In recent days many of us have been reflecting on the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a woman who spent her entire life working for justice and equality. This morning I wondered: “What books did Ruth Bader Ginsburg find inspiring?” I thought a quick search would reveal her reading list, but mostly I found out what others thought she’d like or what we all ought to read if we want to be like RBG. So, here is what I gleaned from Google:
After watching the movie RBG, librarian Adrienne Gillespie imagined what the justice would find inspiring if she had been a young woman in August, 2018. What would Ruth read? The list includes three YA novels and two non-fiction titles, including: How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation, edited by Maureen Johnson.
In 2012, a New Yorker article listed RBG’s favorite listening experiences (LPs for those of you with a turn table): My Favorite Records: Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
In 2016, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported on her visit, where she read a children’s book to the audience. Ginsburg said her favorite books growing up were about Nancy Drew, an intrepid detective and a rule-breaker in a series of mystery books. According to Ginsburg, “In all the other books I read, the girls were good and well-behaved.”
If you want to dig into Ginsburg’s life, here are titles that might reveal the answer to my question. They should certainly offer inspiration:
• My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2016)
• Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law,by Jeffrey Rosen (2019)
• Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon (2015)
If you want to know what books inspire everyone else, search for: Ruth Bader Ginsburg favorite books and you’ll find lists, many published in the last few days, that could keep you occupied for years. Just remember to get off the couch and out into the world.
Jan Myers
