NOTORIOUS RGB by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik

Rating: 3.5 / 5

When I knew that the Reading Women Challenge for this year included a biography, I immediately thought about Ruth Bader Ginsburg as someone I would like to know more about. I was glad to be able to pick up a copy of NOTORIOUS RGB by Irin Carmon & Shana Knizhnik!

NOTORIOUS RGB gives a good overview of the life and times of RGB as the subtitle indicates. It gives background on her youth, her courtship and decades long love affair with her husband, her education, family, health, fashion and of course her career. The book provides mixed media in the form of photos of RBG throughout the years, excerpts of her written opinions with commentary and numerous pictures of people dressed up in RGB’s likeness.

Who could have known years back that a supreme court justice would become such a cultural icon from cartoons to social media accounts to SNL skits? Her voice is so strong and her history so devoted to justice and women’s rights and equality that her fame is well earned. I found this book to be a good beginning look. It left me wanting a bit more, but I don’t think this book set out to be all encompassing. It is a tribute written by two women who clearly respect RGB, a woman who is continuing to make her mark on our country.

I do recommend this book as both an entertaining and enlightening read with a lot of good information about a very worthwhile subject.