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Breaking In: The Rise of Sonia Sotomayor and the Politics of Justice Hardcover – October 7, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
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 WorldPraise 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
About the Author
Joan Biskupic has covered the U.S. Supreme Court for more than twenty years and is the author of several books, including American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Sandra Day O’Connor: How the First Woman on the Supreme Court Became Its Most Influential Justice. Biskupic is an editor in charge for legal affairs at Reuters News. Before joining Reuters in 2012, she was the Supreme Court correspondent for The Washington Post and for USA Today. A graduate of Georgetown Law, she is a regular panelist on PBS’s Washington Week with Gwen Ifill. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and daughter.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By
takingadayoff
TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on October 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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The emphasis on politics is what stands out most in Breaking In, as its subtitle suggests -- The Politics of Justice and the Rise of Sonia Sotomayor. Journalist Joan Biskupic, who has covered the Supreme Court since 1989, looks at how Sonia Sotomayor rose from childhood in the projects of the Bronx to become a justice on the Supreme Court.
It's a good story, but one that's been told in Sotomayor's autobiography, as well as in numerous news reports at the time of her nomination to the Court. Biskupic runs through it quickly, not slowing down until she gets to where Sotomayor's career started taking off. It was never a straightforward trajectory, there were ups and downs, victories and setbacks.
What struck me most was how political her road to the Supreme Court was, and how it was quite typical in that respect. She was noticed early on by Senators Alphonse D'Amato (R-NY) and Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) as a future prospect for high court. As her circle of acquaintances grew, thanks in large part to her initiative in reaching out to help Hispanic community groups, she became a more attractive prospect for Supreme Court, especially as both Democrats and Republicans realized the political benefits of nominating a Latino for the post.
Paying back political favors, holding up congressional votes until some concession is made, the timing of elections, it all goes into the equation. The candidate has to be known to the powers that be, so shrinking violets can forget it. Luck plays a big role as well.
The good news seems to be that since it's a lifetime appointment, once the politics of getting selected and approved have been accomplished, the justice is free to stop playing politics and consider cases on their legal merits.Read more ›
It's a good story, but one that's been told in Sotomayor's autobiography, as well as in numerous news reports at the time of her nomination to the Court. Biskupic runs through it quickly, not slowing down until she gets to where Sotomayor's career started taking off. It was never a straightforward trajectory, there were ups and downs, victories and setbacks.
What struck me most was how political her road to the Supreme Court was, and how it was quite typical in that respect. She was noticed early on by Senators Alphonse D'Amato (R-NY) and Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) as a future prospect for high court. As her circle of acquaintances grew, thanks in large part to her initiative in reaching out to help Hispanic community groups, she became a more attractive prospect for Supreme Court, especially as both Democrats and Republicans realized the political benefits of nominating a Latino for the post.
Paying back political favors, holding up congressional votes until some concession is made, the timing of elections, it all goes into the equation. The candidate has to be known to the powers that be, so shrinking violets can forget it. Luck plays a big role as well.
The good news seems to be that since it's a lifetime appointment, once the politics of getting selected and approved have been accomplished, the justice is free to stop playing politics and consider cases on their legal merits.Read more ›
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
Ronald H. Clark
VINE VOICE on October 10, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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This turned out to be a somewhat different book than I had anticipated. I had read with great benefit the author's two judicial biographies on Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Antonin Scalia, so I assumed that this book would be another judicial biography. In fact, it is something quite different, and I am glad it is. In her own words (at p. 7), the author declares, "Rather than biography,it examines the cultural and political shifts that merged with Sotomayor's life and led to her appointment." This is not to say there is not a good deal of biographical material here--but its focus is far broader. The Justice's well-received autobiography, "My Beloved World," opened to me the story of Puerto Ricans in America, both the good and the challenging. It was an important education for me. This book is concerned with the political, social, and economic factors, coupled with Sotomayor's own incredible drive and talents, that she maneuvered through to secure her Supreme Court appointment. That is, why was she right for the times when the Court vacancy arose? For those really interested in the Justice, I recommend that the two books be read in conjunction.
Particularly interesting is the discussion of Puerto Rican interest groups dedicated to promoting the appointment and advancement of Hispanic candidates for the judiciary. The author recounts how years of effort had preceded Sotomayor's arrival on the scene. Judge Jose Cabranes in the opinion of many had the best chances for the Court--yet he aged out of contention because of the lack of Hispanic political muscle. Political factors were clearly at work in the denial of a D.C. Circuit seat to Miguel Estrada, which the author discusses in a highly insightful chapter.Read more ›
Particularly interesting is the discussion of Puerto Rican interest groups dedicated to promoting the appointment and advancement of Hispanic candidates for the judiciary. The author recounts how years of effort had preceded Sotomayor's arrival on the scene. Judge Jose Cabranes in the opinion of many had the best chances for the Court--yet he aged out of contention because of the lack of Hispanic political muscle. Political factors were clearly at work in the denial of a D.C. Circuit seat to Miguel Estrada, which the author discusses in a highly insightful chapter.Read more ›
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By
Chas Wheatley
on October 11, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
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Meet Sonia Sotomayor: brilliant and shrewd, tough and compassionate, the first Hispanic to rise to the Supreme Court. Joan Biskupic has managed to capture Sotomayor's nuances, from the antic to the somber, in highly readable, readily enjoyable prose. When did another Supreme Court biography make you laugh out loud?
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By
E. H. Hayes
on October 13, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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This book can be viewed as the latest addition to a trilogy of insightful books on recent Supreme Court justices. Ms. Biskupic, the author of previous best sellers on Sandra Day O'Connor and Antonin Scalia, has once again given us a nuanced and impressive portrait of the first Latina justice on the Supreme Court. The timing of Breaking In must have been something of a challenge for Ms. Biskupic who was writing her book just as Justice Sotomayor published her own memoir. Fortunately for us, this has resulted in a book that explores not only Justice Sotomayor but, more importantly, the process that led to her nomination and appointment.
As we have seen in the past few decades, the choice of Supreme Court justices has become increasingly political. Not only is the selection process guided by the politics of the sitting President, but the confirmation process has become a battleground of ideologies. Ms. Biskupic delves into the process deftly, teasing out the layers and chronology of Sotomayor's remarkable ascent to our highest court. While Justice Thomas has consistently decried the impact of affirmative action on his life and success, Sotomayor embraced the policy. As described by Ms. Biskupic, Justice Sotomayor is a textbook example of how affirmative action can work and give a kickstart to someone who otherwise might not have been given excellent educational opportunities. While affirmative action may have gotten Sotomayor a place at Princeton, she seized the moment, worked hard and learned the lessons of networking that would ultimately propel her to our highest court.
It is obvious from details in the book and its analysis of recent critical court cases that Ms. Biskupic has developed some remarkable sources which enrich the book's narrative.Read more ›
As we have seen in the past few decades, the choice of Supreme Court justices has become increasingly political. Not only is the selection process guided by the politics of the sitting President, but the confirmation process has become a battleground of ideologies. Ms. Biskupic delves into the process deftly, teasing out the layers and chronology of Sotomayor's remarkable ascent to our highest court. While Justice Thomas has consistently decried the impact of affirmative action on his life and success, Sotomayor embraced the policy. As described by Ms. Biskupic, Justice Sotomayor is a textbook example of how affirmative action can work and give a kickstart to someone who otherwise might not have been given excellent educational opportunities. While affirmative action may have gotten Sotomayor a place at Princeton, she seized the moment, worked hard and learned the lessons of networking that would ultimately propel her to our highest court.
It is obvious from details in the book and its analysis of recent critical court cases that Ms. Biskupic has developed some remarkable sources which enrich the book's narrative.Read more ›
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