AS WE MOURN

I JUST RETRIEVED THIS BOOK FROM MY SHELF. A few years ago we did a remodel of our small condo, and did away with a wall of books. The thinking was we had Internet, E-books, Audio books, Library books. Who needs actual books? Especially ones we had already read. So the very few books we have are important to us.

This particular volume was given to me for my birthday by one of my dearest friends. I actually hate getting books as a gift except in certain circumstances, for example, I adore dictionaries of all sorts and in every language. So my brother knows to get them for me when he comes across something in a used book store, like a dictionary of slang, or French curses. I even have the single volume complete OED that comes with its own little, but powerful, magnifier. Still almost impossible to read the tiny type.

The point is I love this book. I read it aloud with Husband, and loaned it out a few times. It is an unusual biography in that it follows her life, with lots of pictures, then her career, with detailed annotation of quotes from her decisions and dissents. In chapter 9, titled I JUST LOVE YOUR FLASHY WAYS, for example, the authors detail aspects of her physical workouts. Her personal trainer for decades was Bryant Johnson, an army reserve sergeant, who took her on after Marty told her she looked like an Auschwitz survivor after her colorectal cancer surgery. When she gave a tour of the court to some Olympians, it included "the highest court in the land," the basketball court upstairs at the Supreme Court. 

RBG went whitewater rafting on the Colorado River with some friends, one of whom told her to sit in the back of the boat because she was so light. "...if they hit a rock, [she] would go flying over."

"I don't sit in the back," she answered.

There is an appendix titled HOW TO BE LIKE RBG which offers 7 pieces of advice: 

-WORK FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN

-BUT PICK YOUR BATTLES

-AND DON'T BURN YOUR BRIDGES

-DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE CHARGE

-THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT, THEN DO THE WORK

-BUT THEN ENJOY WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

-BRING ALONG YOUR CREW

-HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR

I think these are helpful ideas for today. 

But back to my point: it's a really good book that's why I have it now, when I only have a few. 

WE all knew RBG's death was imminent. WE all knew it would seem catastrophic. Here it is. Let's follow her good advice.

I also recommend this book for an understanding of the jurist as well as the woman.