Book
Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life's Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union
📖 Overview
Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue presents the legal career and judicial philosophy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg through her writings, arguments, and dissents. The book compiles key documents and commentary spanning her time as an ACLU lawyer through her years on the Supreme Court.
The text includes Ginsburg's pivotal gender discrimination cases from the 1970s, along with her most significant opinions and dissents from the Supreme Court bench. Her collaboration with Amanda Tyler, a former law clerk and legal scholar, provides context and analysis for the selected materials.
Personal correspondence, speeches, and tributes paint a portrait of Ginsburg's relationships with fellow justices and her role as a mentor to young lawyers. The book documents her evolution from litigator to judge while maintaining focus on her consistent pursuit of equality under the law.
This compilation reveals how one person's strategic legal vision can help transform constitutional interpretation and advance civil rights. The materials demonstrate Ginsburg's methodical approach to building precedent and her belief in incremental but meaningful change.
👀 Reviews
Readers appreciate the intimate look at RBG's legal philosophy and career trajectory through her own words and writing. The book provides context for her major cases and offers insights into her relationship with her clerks and colleagues.
Likes:
- Clear explanations of complex legal concepts
- Personal anecdotes about her friendship with Justice Scalia
- Details about her early advocacy for gender equality
- Photos and documents from her career
Dislikes:
- Too brief at 288 pages
- Some repetition from other RBG books/documentaries
- Limited new material not covered in previous works
- Academic writing style can be dry
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.3/5 (1,200+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.7/5 (900+ ratings)
"A fitting final chapter to RBG's legacy," wrote one Amazon reviewer. "But those familiar with her story may find little new ground covered," noted a Goodreads review. Several readers mentioned wanting more personal reflections rather than case analysis.
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🤔 Interesting facts
✦ Ruth Bader Ginsburg co-authored this book with Amanda L. Tyler in the final months of her life, making it one of her last published works before her death in September 2020.
✦ The book's title comes from Deuteronomy 16:20, "Justice, justice shall you pursue," which was displayed in Ginsburg's Supreme Court chambers and deeply influenced her life's work.
✦ The volume includes previously unreleased materials from Ginsburg's Supreme Court confirmation process, including the text of her statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
✦ Throughout her career, Ginsburg argued six landmark cases on gender equality before the Supreme Court, winning five of them, all of which are discussed in detail in this book.
✦ Co-author Amanda L. Tyler was one of Ginsburg's law clerks during the 1999-2000 Supreme Court term and later became a professor at Berkeley Law, where she teaches constitutional law.