The Way Women Are

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's image as the "Notorious RBG" is familiar from a variety of merchandise, from T-shirts to scented candles. Her vigorous dissents on behalf of liberal values are celebrated. Her inspiring life story and formidable work ethic are well known from films and biographies for adults and children; even her workouts have been analyzed, as her fans absorb every detail of her life. But how much do most of us know about the ways her viewpoint has shaped the development of law in the United States from the 1970s onward?

This collection of Justice Ginsburg's groundbreaking arguments, opinions, and dissents-from the 1970s through the Supreme Court's most recently completed term-celebrates Justice Ginsburg's enduring intellectual legacy and makes it more accessible for the reader who has not attended law school. Included are a broad range of her legal writings, from early arguments before the Supreme Court that demolished barriers to legal equality between men and women, to her most recent opinions and dissents on matters as diverse as the First Amendment's establishment clause and the rules concerning birthright citizenship.

A summary of Ginsburg's life opens the book, and introductions to her writings explain the background, issues, and laws involved in each case. Justice Ginsburg has often chosen to speak from the bench when a decision is handed down in the Supreme Court, in a simplified version of her written opinion or dissent. These bench announcements are included for most of the cases in the book.