July Not Fiction Book Discussions

This month we will consider a book that grew out of a new format for biography: Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon & Shana Knizhnik. Ginsburg is, of course, a member of SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States), the second woman ever appointed to that court.

Like Gloria Steinem, Ginsburg has become an icon of feminism for millennials, and the book Notorious RBG had it's first incarnation in an online format millennials are very comfortable with, the microblogging and social networking website Tumblr. After Ginsburg's dissent in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (2014), in which the majority ruled that Hobby Lobby, a privately held corporation, could deny birth control coverage to employees based on its owners' religious convictions, law student Shana Knizhnik created the Tumblr as a tribute to Ginsburg. It became popular internationally, with multiple contributions of images and texts. Harper Collins approached Knizhnik with the offer to create a book based on the Tumblr and brought in Irin Carmon, a noted feminist journalist, currently a commentator for MSNBC and formerly for online feminist publication Jezebel. While the book retains the informal feel of the Tumblr with humorous images and sidebars to the text, it also maintains a narrative structure that integrates Ginsburg's professional and personal lives as well as legal commentary on her most famous dissents.

Before reading this book, how much did you know about Ruth Bader Ginsburg? How would you describe RBG--personally, socially, professionally, politically? Carmon and Knizhnik note that Ginsburg has been very insistent in her written and spoken opinions over the years that her work is not just about women’s rights, it is about women’s and men’s liberation. Explain her philosophy as you see it. Would you call RBG a feminist? Carmon and Knizhnik also emphasize RBG’s incremental approach to the advancement of women’s rights, as opposed to what Charlotte Alter, an interviewer for TIME calls “the click-bait feminism of today’s internet.” In this interview, Carmon said, “Shana and I both fear the burnout of internet outrage culture,” which is “grounded in substantive concerns” but little conversation about “how should this movement move forward for sustainable change.” Knizhnik notes that much of RBG’s success comes from “framing conversations in such a way that will not alienate people who may not yet be on board.” What do you think of RBG’s incremental approach? Is it a useful technique? Will it continue to work in today’s online media culture and political outrage culture? Why do you think RBG resonates with people, especially the millennial generation? Knizhnik overtly connects Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Notorious BIG, aka Christopher George Latore Wallace (1972-1997), who is considered one of the most influential rappers in the history of the genre that is known for violent and misogynistic lyrics. In fact, the chapter titles are from titles of songs by Notorious BIG . . . Why is this a humorous comparison? Why is it also an apt one? How would you characterize this book? Reviewers have offered many suggestions: As a biography? A scrapbook? A vision board? (Julia Carpenter, Washington Post) Fan nonfiction? A variation on a contemporary feminist website like Jezebel? (Jennifer Senior, New York Times) Some original combination? It may be lighthearted in spirit, but it also asks to be read as a serious consideration of RBG's legacy. Do you think Carmon and Knizhnik get the mix right? What are the potential advantages of this format? What are the potential drawbacks?

We hope you'll join the discussion: Tuesday, July 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Main Library; Thursday, July 21, at 11:00 a.m. at West Ashley Branch Library; and here on the blog.