Breaking in : the rise of Sonia Sotomayor and the politics of justice

Retail "I knew she’d be trouble." So quipped Antonin Scalia about Sonia Sotomayor at the Supreme Court’s annual end-of-term party in 2010. It’s usually the sort of event one would expect from such a grand institution, with gentle parodies of the justices performed by their law clerks, but this year Sotomayor decided to shake it up—flooding the room with salsa music and coaxing her fellow justices to dance. It was little surprise in 2009 that President Barack Obama nominated a Hispanic judge to replace the retiring justice David Souter. The fact that there had never been a nominee to the nation’s highest court from the nation’s fastest growing minority had long been apparent. So the time was ripe—but how did it come to be Sonia Sotomayor? In Breaking In: The Rise of Sonia Sotomayor and the Politics of Justice , the veteran journalist Joan Biskupic answers that question. This is the story of how two forces providentially merged—the large ambitions of a talented Puerto Rican girl raised in the projects in the Bronx and the increasing political presence of Hispanics, from California to Texas, from Florida to the Northeast—resulting in a historical appointment. And this is not just a tale about breaking barriers as a Puerto Rican. It’s about breaking barriers as a justice. Biskupic, the author of highly praised judicial biographies of Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, now pulls back the curtain on the Supreme Court nomination process, revealing the networks Sotomayor built and the skills she cultivated to go where no Hispanic has gone before. We see other potential candidates edged out along the way. And we see how, in challenging tradition and expanding our idea of a justice (as well as expanding her public persona), Sotomayor has created tension within and without the court’s marble halls. As a Supreme Court justice, Sotomayor has shared her personal story to an unprecedented degree. And that story—of a Latina who emerged from tough times in the projects not only to prevail but also to rise to the top—has even become fabric for some of her most passionate comments on matters before the Court. But there is yet more to know about the rise of Sonia Sotomayor. Breaking In offers the larger, untold story of the woman who has been called "the people’s justice." Biography & Autobiography,Legal,Nonfiction,Supreme Court

"I knew she'd be trouble."

So quipped Antonin Scalia about Sonia Sotomayor at the Supreme Court's annual end-of-term party in 2010. It's usually the sort of event one would expect from such a grand institution, with gentle parodies of the justices performed by their law clerks, but this year Sotomayor decided to shake it up—flooding the room with salsa music and coaxing her fellow justices to dance.
It was little surprise in 2009 that President Barack Obama nominated a Hispanic judge to replace the retiring justice David Souter. The fact that there had never been a nominee to the nation's highest court from the nation's fastest growing minority had long been apparent. So the time was ripe—but how did it come to be Sonia Sotomayor?
In Breaking In: The Rise of Sonia Sotomayor and the Politics of Justice, the veteran journalist Joan Biskupic answers that question. This is the story of how two forces providentially merged—the large ambitions of a talented Puerto Rican girl raised in the projects in the Bronx and the increasing political presence of Hispanics, from California to Texas, from Florida to the Northeast—resulting in a historical appointment. And this is not just a tale about breaking barriers as a Puerto Rican. It's about breaking barriers as a justice.
Biskupic, the author of highly praised judicial biographies of Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, now pulls back the curtain on the Supreme Court nomination process, revealing the networks Sotomayor built and the skills she cultivated to go where no Hispanic has gone before. We see other potential candidates edged out along the way. And we see how, in challenging tradition and expanding our idea of a justice (as well as expanding her public persona), Sotomayor has created tension within and without the court's marble halls.
As a Supreme Court justice, Sotomayor has shared her personal story to an unprecedented degree. And that story—of a Latina who emerged from tough times in the projects not only to prevail but also to rise to the top—has even become fabric for some of her most passionate comments on matters before the Court. But there is yet more to know about the rise of Sonia Sotomayor. Breaking In offers the larger, untold story of the woman who has been called "the people's justice."

From A Leading Judicial Biographer Comes The Untold Story Of Sonia Sotomayor, The First Latina Supreme Court Justice. To Become The First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor Went Against The Odds. Her Historic Appointment In 2009--made By President Obama, Whose Own 2008 Victory Appeared Improbable--flowed From Cultural And Political Changes In America That Helped Lift Up This Daughter Of A Puerto Rican Nurse And A Factory Worker. Sotomayor Saw Opportunities And, With Street Smarts And Savvy, She Seized Them. In Breaking In, Journalist Joan Biskupic Weaves A Political Narrative Centered On Sotomayor's Fortuitous Timing And Personal Striving. From Housing Projects In The Bronx To Princeton University And Yale Law School, Sotomayor's Life Tracked The Ascent Of Latinos In America. Along The Way, She Elicited Admiration And, As A Self-described Affirmative Action Baby, Resentment. At Every Step In Her Climb To The Federal Bench, She Almost Did Not Make It. As Biskupic Reveals With Extensive Research And Reporting, Sotomayor Developed The Connections To Navigate A System Known For Ravaging Nominees, Especially When Race Or Ethnicity Was An Element. Obtaining Close Access To Sotomayor And Interviews With The Other Justices, Biskupic Shows How Sotomayor Challenges An Institution Where Justices, As A Group, Have Been Relatively Bland And Socially Conforming Even As They Differ Radically On The Law. In A Book That Picks Up Where Sotomayor's Bestselling Memoir Left Off, Biskupic Explores The Difference This Justice Is Making-- The Untold Story Of Sonia Sotomayor, The First Latina Supreme Court Judge, From A Leading Judicial Biographer-- Life Of The Party -- Life Is All Right In America ... If You're All White In America -- I Am The Perfect Affirmative Action Baby -- Chance And Connections -- A President And Politics -- The Right Hispanic -- The Wise Latina -- Race And The Ricci Case -- The President's Choice -- Standing Out -- Equality And Identity -- Her Divided World. Joan Biskupic. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 253-256) And Index. "From a leading judicial biographer comes the untold story of Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court justice. To become the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice, Sonia Sotomayor went against the odds. Her historic appointment in 2009--made by President Obama, whose own 2008 victory appeared improbable--flowed from cultural and political changes in America that helped lift up this daughter of a Puerto Rican nurse and a factory worker. Sotomayor saw opportunities and, with street smarts and savvy, she seized them. In Breaking In, journalist Joan Biskupic weaves a political narrative centered on Sotomayor's fortuitous timing and personal striving. From housing projects in the Bronx to Princeton University and Yale Law School, Sotomayor's life tracked the ascent of Latinos in America. Along the way, she elicited admiration and, as a self-described "affirmative action baby," resentment. At every step in her climb to the federal bench, she almost did not make it. As Biskupic reveals with extensive research and reporting, Sotomayor developed the connections to navigate a system known for ravaging nominees, especially when race or ethnicity was an element. Obtaining close access to Sotomayor and interviews with the other justices, Biskupic shows how Sotomayor challenges an institution where justices, as a group, have been relatively bland and socially conforming even as they differ radically on the law. In a book that picks up where Sotomayor's bestselling memoir left off, Biskupic explores the difference this justice is making"-- Provided by publisher "From a leading judicial biographer comes the untold story of Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court justice To become the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice, Sonia Sotomayor went against the odds. Her historic appointment in 2009 ... made by President Obama, whose own 2008 victory appeared improbable ... flowed from cultural and political changes in America that helped lift up this daughter of a Puerto Rican nurse and a factory worker. Sotomayor saw opportunities and, with street smarts and savvy, she seized them. In Breaking In, journalist Joan Biskupic weaves a political narrative centered on Sotomayor's fortuitous timing and personal striving. From housing projects in the Bronx to Princeton University and Yale Law School, Sotomayor's life tracked the ascent of Latinos in America. Along the way, she elicited admiration and, as a self-described "affirmative action baby," resentment. At every step in her climb to the federal bench, she almost did not make it. As Biskupic reveals with extensive research and reporting, Sotomayor developed the connections to navigate a system known for ravaging nominees, especially when race or ethnicity was an element. Obtaining close access to Sotomayor and interviews with the other justices, Biskupic shows how Sotomayor challenges an institution where justices, as a group, have been relatively bland and socially conforming even as they differ radically on the law. In a book that picks up where Sotomayor's bestselling memoir left off, Biskupic explores the difference this justice is making."