What will I learn about: how small, consistent steps and quiet strength can create monumental and lasting societal change?

Discover how small, consistent steps and quiet strength can create monumental and lasting societal change.

What will I learn about: Learn why choosing calm persistence over draining anger is the most effective strategy for overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals?

Learn why choosing calm persistence over draining anger is the most effective strategy for overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals.

What will I learn about: how careful, intentional speech carries enormous force in a world that often mistakenly rewards only the loudest voices?

Understand how careful, intentional speech carries enormous force in a world that often mistakenly rewards only the loudest voices.

What will I learn about: how to channel profound personal loss into a motivating fuel that drives lifelong success and purpose?

Find out how to channel profound personal loss into a motivating fuel that drives lifelong success and purpose.

What will I learn about: the art of being 'a little hard of hearing' to protect your energy from cruelty and discrimination while staying focused on your work?

Master the art of being 'a little hard of hearing' to protect your energy from cruelty and discrimination while staying focused on your work.

Notorious RBG

The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik

★ 4.6 / 5(29 ratings)

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Categories:

Biography & Memoir

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡What's the secret to becoming a trailblazing figure in a male-dominated field?
💡Are you curious about the childhood experiences that shaped Ruth Bader Ginsburg's commitment to gender equality?
💡How did one person's determination to challenge the status quo lead to landmark changes in American legislation?

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Key Takeaways from Notorious RBG

✓Discover how small, consistent steps and quiet strength can create monumental and lasting societal change.
✓Learn why choosing calm persistence over draining anger is the most effective strategy for overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals.
✓Understand how careful, intentional speech carries enormous force in a world that often mistakenly rewards only the loudest voices.
✓Find out how to channel profound personal loss into a motivating fuel that drives lifelong success and purpose.
✓Master the art of being 'a little hard of hearing' to protect your energy from cruelty and discrimination while staying focused on your work.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Notorious RBG

Mind Map

Notorious RBG

Early Life & Foundations+

Overcoming Adversity+

Fight for Women's Rights+

Supreme Court Years+

Personal Life & Relationships+

Cultural Impact & Legacy+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10

What were the two vital pieces of advice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s mother gave her that heavily influenced her success?

A. Be a lady and be independent.
B. Fight for justice and never back down.
C. Marry well and prioritize family.
D. Always speak your mind and demand respect.

Question 2 of 10

During her time at Cornell University, what stood out to RBG about her future husband, Marty Ginsburg?

A. He was the only male student in her constitutional law class.
B. He was the first boy she met who cared that she was smart.
C. He shared her passion for advocating for women's rights.
D. He encouraged her to pursue a 'MRS. degree' like her peers.

Question 3 of 10

How did RBG manage her second year at Harvard Law School when her husband Marty was diagnosed with testicular cancer?

A. She took a leave of absence to care for him and their young daughter.
B. She transferred to Columbia Law School immediately so they could be closer to his doctors.
C. She attended his classes, typed his notes, and helped him dictate papers while completing her own work.
D. She dropped off the Law Review to focus solely on her husband's recovery.

Question 4 of 10

Why did RBG keep her second pregnancy a secret while teaching at Rutgers University?

A. She wanted to surprise her colleagues at her tenure celebration.
B. She was afraid her students would treat her differently.
C. The law in most states at the time mandated that employers could legally fire a woman for being pregnant.
D. Her doctor advised her to avoid any stressful conversations during her first trimester.

Question 5 of 10

What was RBG’s primary strategic goal in representing Stephen Wiesenfeld, a widower denied Social Security benefits to support his infant child?

A. To prove that men were actually the primary victims of systemic discrimination.
B. To show that being discriminated against on the basis of gender is disadvantageous for everyone, including men.
C. To establish a new legal precedent specifically for single fathers in the workforce.
D. To challenge the constitutionality of the Social Security administration as a whole.

Question 6 of 10

Before her appointment to the Supreme Court in 1993, what was RBG’s reputation as a judge on the D.C. Circuit?

A. A fiery liberal who frequently issued harsh dissents.
B. A radical feminist who refused to compromise with conservative judges.
C. A moderate who focused on finding compromises and building consensus.
D. A strict constitutional originalist who rarely spoke during oral arguments.

Question 7 of 10

Despite their stark political differences, RBG shared a close friendship with conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. What shared passion helped bond them?

A. A love for water skiing.
B. A shared passion for opera.
C. A mutual interest in Nancy Drew mystery novels.
D. A dedication to classical cello performance.

Question 8 of 10

What historical shift prompted RBG to begin issuing her famous 'fiery dissents'?

A. The election of George W. Bush and his appointment of two conservative justices, which shifted the Court to the right.
B. The passing of her husband Marty, which led her to focus more aggressively on her legal legacy.
C. The rise of the internet and social media, which gave her a platform to speak directly to millennials.
D. Her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, which made her realize she had limited time to impact the law.

Question 9 of 10

In her dissent against the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder, what analogy did RBG use to describe the Court's decision?

A. Like taking the engine out of a car because it's already moving.
B. Like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.
C. Like burning down a house to get rid of a few termites.
D. Like taking down a fence without knowing why it was put up.

Question 10 of 10

How did RBG earn the moniker 'Notorious R.B.G.'?

A. It was a nickname given to her by her political adversaries during her Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
B. She chose the name for herself in a memoir to highlight her Brooklyn roots.
C. A young law student created a Tumblr tribute page comparing the 5-foot-tall judge to the rapper Notorious B.I.G.
D. Her fellow justices used the nickname to tease her about her famous 'dissent necklace.'

Notorious RBG — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Brooklyn-born RBG had an ordinary childhood, yet endured heartbreaking losses within her family, too.
3At Cornell, Kiki met Marty, the first young man to truly value her intellect and potential.
4Despite setbacks, RBG earned a spot on Law Review at both Harvard and Columbia.
5RBG entered law during an era when women were widely dismissed by most legal institutions.
6RBG discovered her calling in the persistent battle against gender discrimination.
7RBG’s tireless work and supportive husband paved the way to her Supreme Court appointment in 1993.
8RBG’s relationships were grounded in mutual respect, on and off the bench alike.
9RBG launched a run of fiery dissents after the Supreme Court shifted right during Bush’s presidency.
10Since 2013, RBG has become an unlikely pop icon who steadfastly refuses to retire, even now, despite her age.

Notorious RBG Summary & Overview

Notorious RBG (2015) chronicles the life story of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. From her childhood in Brooklyn – when she was known by her nickname, Kiki – to capturing the public imagination with her scathing dissents on the bench, these blinks portray one woman’s relentless fight to give American women and men equal rights under the country’s legislation.

New York Times Bestseller

Who Should Listen to Notorious RBG?

Millennials interested in the life of America’s most unassuming pop icon
Students of US history, law, and politics
Social activists and feminists looking for inspiration

About the Author: Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik

Irin Carmon is an Israeli-American journalist and commentator. She is a CNN contributor, a senior correspondent at New York Magazine, and was previously a national reporter at MSNBC.

Shana Knizhnik is an American lawyer and author from Philadelphia. In 2013, she created the viral Notorious R.B.G. Tumblr, where she chronicled memes and articles about Justice Ginsberg.

Notorious RBG

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Notorious RBG — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Notorious RBG

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Notorious RBG — Full Chapter Overview

Notorious RBG Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Notorious RBG?

About the Author: Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik

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