Reviews
Ms. Biskupic sets out to chronicle Justice Sotomayor's career and, in a parallel narrative, to trace the growing influence of the Hispanic population in the United States. ... Ms. Biskupic succeeds at both her tasks. ... Ms. Biskupic is at her journalistic best when she describes this federal judicial-nomination process, one that former Attorney General Richard Thornburgh once described as possessing the 'intricacies of chess and audacity of old-fashioned hardball.', This is a remarkable book about an extraordinary woman in very challenging times. Sonia Sotomayor's memoir is not complete without Breaking In . Joan Biskupic has done a wonderful and insightful job writing about the most influential Latina ever. She puts together three incredibly complex elements: Sotomayor's life of struggle, the rise of the Latino community, and the intricacies of the Supreme Court. The result is superb. Sotomayor's mission--that a single person can make a difference in the cause of justice--is transforming our country. You have to read it to know us., Praise for Breaking In "Biskupic combines scholarly rigor with a bit of human admiration in this cleareyed account of how someone advances a judicial career in 21st-century America… A balanced but also admiring portrait of a Latine, a jurist and a trailblazer." - Kirkus "If you think books about Supreme Court justices are only for lawyers, think again. Joan Biskupic has written a fascinating story, at once shrewd and sympathetic, about overcoming the fear of failure. Biskupic takes you into the head and the heart of the most interesting Supreme Court justice since . . . well there's never been a justice like Sotomayor." -Evan Thomas, author of Ike's Bluff: President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World "This is a remarkable book about an extraordinary woman in very challenging times. Sonia Sotomayor's memoir is not complete without Breaking In . Joan Biskupic has done a wonderful and insightful job writing about the most influential Latina ever. She puts together three incredibly complex elements: Sotomayor's life of struggle, the rise of the Latino community, and the intricacies of the Supreme Court. The result is superb. Sotomayor's mission-that a single person can make a difference in the cause of justice-is transforming our country. You have to read it to know us." -Jorge Ramos, anchor, Univision/FusionPraise for American Original "It's hard to write a fair-minded biography of such a polarizing figure, but that's what Joan Biskupic has done with American Original . . . Impressively balanced and well reported." -Jeffrey Rosen, The New York Times Book Review " American Original is full of strong reporting. It is scrupulously even-handed, which may irritate partisans on both sides of the Scalia divide-there are few fence-straddlers when it comes to him . . . Biskupic's larger accomplishment is to present the recent evolution of the Supreme Court through the prism of its most colorful member." -Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times Praise for Sandra Day O'Connor "A timely and important book . . . Illuminating." -Anthony Lewis, The New York Review of Books "Superbly thorough and perceptive." -David J. Garrow, The New Republic, [ Breaking In ?is] an examination of what it means to become a celebrity; a deeply reported study of how to concoct a strategy maximizing the chance of a presidential appointment to the Supreme Court; and a journalistic analysis of Sotomayor's court performance so far. ... Biskupic clearly and compellingly recounts how Sotomayor plotted her rise to the pinnacle of the judicial branch of government. ... Most important for the future of the USA, Biskupic explains why Sotomayor is sui generis on a court of nine justices, how she cares more about interpreting the Constitution and court precedent according to what's best for society rather than becoming a coalition builder., The book's strong suit is a wealth of detail about the race between Republicans and Democrats for the prize of appointing the first Hispanic justice. It is a primer for anyone with large ambitions, as well as a cautionary tale, since the message conveyed is that skillful manipulation of identity politics may carry the day over more substantial achievement. This is, of course, an old story for both parties, which have at times filled regional, religious, racial, and gender slots with candidates who eclipsed other, arguably better qualified, aspirant. Biskupic's book is well balanced, setting forth an array of views on Justice Sotomayor. ... The book opens with an arresting account of Sotomayor in a bold charm offensive at the 2010 Supreme Court end-of-term party. The story has to be read in full to be believed....", [ Breaking In is] an examination of what it means to become a celebrity; a deeply reported study of how to concoct a strategy maximizing the chance of a presidential appointment to the Supreme Court; and a journalistic analysis of Sotomayor's court performance so far. ... Biskupic clearly and compellingly recounts how Sotomayor plotted her rise to the pinnacle of the judicial branch of government. ... Most important for the future of the USA, Biskupic explains why Sotomayor is sui generis on a court of nine justices, how she cares more about interpreting the Constitution and court precedent according to what's best for society rather than becoming a coalition builder., American Original is full of strong reporting. It is scrupulously even-handed, which may irritate partisans on both sides of the Scalia divide--there are few fence-straddlers when it comes to him . . . Biskupic's larger accomplishment is to present the recent evolution of the Supreme Court through the prism of its most colorful member., Biskupic combines scholarly rigor with a bit of human admiration in this cleareyed account of how someone advances a judicial career in 21st-century America... A balanced but also admiring portrait of a Latina, a jurist and a trailblazer., If you think books about Supreme Court justices are only for lawyers, think again. Joan Biskupic has written a fascinating story, at once shrewd and sympathetic, about overcoming the fear of failure. Biskupic takes you into the head and the heart of the most interesting Supreme Court justice since . . . well there's never been a justice like Sotomayor., The book's strong suit is a wealth of detail about the race between Republicans and Democrats for the prize of appointing the first Hispanic justice. It is a primer for anyone with large ambitions, as well as a cautionary tale, since the message conveyed is that skillful manipulation of identity politics may carry the day over more substantial achievement. This is, of course, an old story for both parties, which have at times filled regional, religious, racial, and gender slots with candidates who eclipsed other, arguably better qualified, aspirant. Biskupic's book is well balanced, setting forth an array of views on Justice Sotomayor. ... The book opens with an arresting account of Sotomayor in a bold charm offensive at the 2010 Supreme Court end-of-term party. The story has to be read in full to be believed...., Praise for Breaking In "A fascinating account of the political machinations involved in achieving a Supreme Court judgeship and of Sotomayor's juridical decisions and actions since her appointment… [Biskupic's] skill as a journalist enlivens [her] sources with vivid anecdotal detail" Publishers Weekly "Biskupic combines scholarly rigor with a bit of human admiration in this cleareyed account of how someone advances a judicial career in 21st-century America… A balanced but also admiring portrait of a Latine, a jurist and a trailblazer." - Kirkus "If you think books about Supreme Court justices are only for lawyers, think again. Joan Biskupic has written a fascinating story, at once shrewd and sympathetic, about overcoming the fear of failure. Biskupic takes you into the head and the heart of the most interesting Supreme Court justice since . . . well there's never been a justice like Sotomayor." -Evan Thomas, author of Ike's Bluff: President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World "This is a remarkable book about an extraordinary woman in very challenging times. Sonia Sotomayor's memoir is not complete without Breaking In . Joan Biskupic has done a wonderful and insightful job writing about the most influential Latina ever. She puts together three incredibly complex elements: Sotomayor's life of struggle, the rise of the Latino community, and the intricacies of the Supreme Court. The result is superb. Sotomayor's mission-that a single person can make a difference in the cause of justice-is transforming our country. You have to read it to know us." -Jorge Ramos, anchor, Univision/FusionPraise for American Original "It's hard to write a fair-minded biography of such a polarizing figure, but that's what Joan Biskupic has done with American Original . . . Impressively balanced and well reported." -Jeffrey Rosen, The New York Times Book Review " American Original is full of strong reporting. It is scrupulously even-handed, which may irritate partisans on both sides of the Scalia divide-there are few fence-straddlers when it comes to him . . . Biskupic's larger accomplishment is to present the recent evolution of the Supreme Court through the prism of its most colorful member." -Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times Praise for Sandra Day O'Connor "A timely and important book . . . Illuminating." -Anthony Lewis, The New York Review of Books "Superbly thorough and perceptive." -David J. Garrow, The New Republic, Praise for Breaking In "A fascinating account of the political machinations involved in achieving a Supreme Court judgeship and of Sotomayor's juridical decisions and actions since her appointment… [Biskupic's] skill as a journalist enlivens [her] sources with vivid anecdotal detail" - Publishers Weekly "Biskupic offers a compelling look at a justice who continues to face challenges to her right to sit on the bench." - Booklist "Biskupic combines scholarly rigor with a bit of human admiration in this cleareyed account of how someone advances a judicial career in 21st-century America… A balanced but also admiring portrait of a Latine, a jurist and a trailblazer." - Kirkus "If you think books about Supreme Court justices are only for lawyers, think again. Joan Biskupic has written a fascinating story, at once shrewd and sympathetic, about overcoming the fear of failure. Biskupic takes you into the head and the heart of the most interesting Supreme Court justice since . . . well there's never been a justice like Sotomayor." -Evan Thomas, author of Ike's Bluff: President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World "This is a remarkable book about an extraordinary woman in very challenging times. Sonia Sotomayor's memoir is not complete without Breaking In . Joan Biskupic has done a wonderful and insightful job writing about the most influential Latina ever. She puts together three incredibly complex elements: Sotomayor's life of struggle, the rise of the Latino community, and the intricacies of the Supreme Court. The result is superb. Sotomayor's mission-that a single person can make a difference in the cause of justice-is transforming our country. You have to read it to know us." -Jorge Ramos, anchor, Univision/FusionPraise for American Original "It's hard to write a fair-minded biography of such a polarizing figure, but that's what Joan Biskupic has done with American Original . . . Impressively balanced and well reported." -Jeffrey Rosen, The New York Times Book Review " American Original is full of strong reporting. It is scrupulously even-handed, which may irritate partisans on both sides of the Scalia divide-there are few fence-straddlers when it comes to him . . . Biskupic's larger accomplishment is to present the recent evolution of the Supreme Court through the prism of its most colorful member." -Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times Praise for Sandra Day O'Connor "A timely and important book . . . Illuminating." -Anthony Lewis, The New York Review of Books "Superbly thorough and perceptive." -David J. Garrow, The New Republic, One U.S. Supreme Court justice's passionate behind-the-scenes fight to allow race to be considered in college admissions rescued the University of Texas from a historic legal defeat in 2013, according to a book released Tuesday. Offering a rare look into the secret deliberations of the nation's highest court, author Joan Biskupic's biography of Justice Sonia Sotomayor details for the first time how the court's first Hispanic member helped turn an initial 5-3 defeat for UT into a 7-1 decision., A veteran Supreme Court reporter charts Sotomayor's evolution from a poor Puerto Rican girl living in the Bronx to the first Latina Justice on the Supreme Court. Sotomayor's sense of ethnic identity, Biskupic argues, may be as important a legacy as the Justice's legal contributions., Praise for Breaking In "A fascinating account of the political machinations involved in achieving a Supreme Court judgeship and of Sotomayor's juridical decisions and actions since her appointment… [Biskupic's] skill as a journalist enlivens [her] sources with vivid anecdotal detail" - Publishers Weekly "Biskupic offers a compelling look at a justice who continues to face challenges to her right to sit on the bench." - Booklist "Biskupic combines scholarly rigor with a bit of human admiration in this cleareyed account of how someone advances a judicial career in 21st-century America… A balanced but also admiring portrait of a Latine, a jurist and a trailblazer." - Kirkus "This is a remarkable book about an extraordinary woman in very challenging times. Sonia Sotomayor's memoir is not complete without Breaking In . Joan Biskupic has done a wonderful and insightful job writing about the most influential Latina ever. She puts together three incredibly complex elements: Sotomayor's life of struggle, the rise of the Latino community, and the intricacies of the Supreme Court. The result is superb. Sotomayor's mission-that a single person can make a difference in the cause of justice-is transforming our country. You have to read it to know us." -Jorge Ramos, anchor, Univision/Fusion"If you think books about Supreme Court justices are only for lawyers, think again. Joan Biskupic has written a fascinating story, at once shrewd and sympathetic, about overcoming the fear of failure. Biskupic takes you into the head and the heart of the most interesting Supreme Court justice since . . . well there's never been a justice like Sotomayor." -Evan Thomas, author of Ike's Bluff: President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World Praise for American Original "It's hard to write a fair-minded biography of such a polarizing figure, but that's what Joan Biskupic has done with American Original . . . Impressively balanced and well reported." -Jeffrey Rosen, The New York Times Book Review " American Original is full of strong reporting. It is scrupulously even-handed, which may irritate partisans on both sides of the Scalia divide-there are few fence-straddlers when it comes to him . . . Biskupic's larger accomplishment is to present the recent evolution of the Supreme Court through the prism of its most colorful member." -Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times Praise for Sandra Day O'Connor "A timely and important book . . . Illuminating." -Anthony Lewis, The New York Review of Books "Superbly thorough and perceptive." -David J. Garrow, The New Republic, [Biskupic] begins with ... Sotomayor's salsa dance at an end-of-term party for the court's justices and staff. ... [T]he vignette introduces the book's theme: that Sotomayor 'spent a lifetime challenging boundaries and disrupting the norm' and that, because she 'was not one to wait her turn,' she was able to exploit 'the cultural and political shifts that merged with [her] life and led to her appointment. ... In the end, Sotomayor does stand out, both as a courageous justice, as able as any of those who joined the court before her, and as an inspiring public figure. ... As Biskupic recognizes, [her public] message is likely to prove as powerful a measure of Sotomayor's impact on our national future as will her contributions to the work of the Supreme Court., Praise for Breaking In "A fascinating account of the political machinations involved in achieving a Supreme Court judgeship and of Sotomayor's juridical decisions and actions since her appointment… [Biskupic's] skill as a journalist enlivens [her] sources with vivid anecdotal detail" - Publishers Weekly "Biskupic offers a compelling look at a justice who continues to face challenges to her right to sit on the bench." - Booklist "Biskupic combines scholarly rigor with a bit of human admiration in this cleareyed account of how someone advances a judicial career in 21st-century America… A balanced but also admiring portrait of a Latina, a jurist and a trailblazer." - Kirkus "This is a remarkable book about an extraordinary woman in very challenging times. Sonia Sotomayor's memoir is not complete without Breaking In . Joan Biskupic has done a wonderful and insightful job writing about the most influential Latina ever. She puts together three incredibly complex elements: Sotomayor's life of struggle, the rise of the Latino community, and the intricacies of the Supreme Court. The result is superb. Sotomayor's mission-that a single person can make a difference in the cause of justice-is transforming our country. You have to read it to know us." -Jorge Ramos, anchor, Univision/Fusion"If you think books about Supreme Court justices are only for lawyers, think again. Joan Biskupic has written a fascinating story, at once shrewd and sympathetic, about overcoming the fear of failure. Biskupic takes you into the head and the heart of the most interesting Supreme Court justice since . . . well there's never been a justice like Sotomayor." -Evan Thomas, author of Ike's Bluff: President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World Praise for American Original "It's hard to write a fair-minded biography of such a polarizing figure, but that's what Joan Biskupic has done with American Original . . . Impressively balanced and well reported." -Jeffrey Rosen, The New York Times Book Review " American Original is full of strong reporting. It is scrupulously even-handed, which may irritate partisans on both sides of the Scalia divide-there are few fence-straddlers when it comes to him . . . Biskupic's larger accomplishment is to present the recent evolution of the Supreme Court through the prism of its most colorful member." -Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times Praise for Sandra Day O'Connor "A timely and important book . . . Illuminating." -Anthony Lewis, The New York Review of Books "Superbly thorough and perceptive." -David J. Garrow, The New Republic, It's hard to write a fair-minded biography of such a polarizing figure, but that's what Joan Biskupic has done with American Original . . . Impressively balanced and well reported., A fascinating account of the political machinations involved in achieving a Supreme Court judgeship and of Sotomayor's juridical decisions and actions since her appointment... [Biskupic's] skill as a journalist enlivens [her] sources with vivid anecdotal detail, Biskupic offers a compelling look at a justice who continues to face challenges to her right to sit on the bench., Praise for American Original "From start to finish, this is a lively and engrossing read. Biskupic cuts through the legal jargon to make Scalia's influence and limitations readily accessible to a general audience." -Geoffrey Stone, Chicago Tribune
