A memoir about Nina Totenberg, a jaunt through her captivating life and career, nose for the jugular, and forthrightness about her joys and sorrows. The book opens a window into the history of professional women in the workplace, as well as the trajectory of the Supreme Court over the last 50 years. Above all, Totenberg's book is about the abiding importance of friendship ... As she namedrops her way through the politically well-connected and influential, Totenberg brings the charm and self-deprecation to keep us turning pages ... In Dinners with Ruth, readers will learn about the critical role Ginsburg played in expanding women's rights before and after she was on the bench. Totenberg's look behind Ginsburg's legendary reserve is of special interest. But let's face it, this memoir is a romp through Washington's glitterati — Republican and Democrat alike — penned by a reporter who thrives on it. What's not to enjoy about being in Totenberg's sparkling company for an entire book?
The book, a loosely organized account of her own life, and the role of Ginsburg (among other friends) in it, has a genial, likable tone. Totenberg’s stories are lively but never go on too long; she appears to reflexively turn the reader’s attention to the generosity or small kindnesses of others. She writes, without pretension or self-congratulation, about moments of journalistic triumph of which she has every right to be proud. She is also unfailingly discreet, a quality that the reader must concede reflects well on her as a friend. It serves her less well as the author of a memoir whose most central character, outside of Totenberg herself, is one of the most influential, fascinating and, to some, frustrating women of the last century ... For those seeking insights about any remorse Ginsburg might have felt about not retiring while a Democrat was safely serving as president, Totenberg offers little ... Her final display of friendship in this book entails laying bare just how frail Ginsburg truly was — and how extraordinary she was to persevere and inspire for as long as she did.
Dinners With Ruth is really three excellent books: a memoir of Nina Totenberg's relatively blessed life; an anecdotal account of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's; and, finally, a paean to the bond of friendship, which, like fine wine, gets better with age. It is so engagingly written, so captivating, it's difficult not to feel at least a little jealous of Totenberg, who seems to have it all ... The book is filled with so much love it's almost an antidote to the daily news section. Almost.
For anyone who has seen the heartwarming documentary RBG (and if you haven’t, you really need to), some of Totenberg’s anecdotes will be familiar, but that’s no surprise given their long-running friendship. Add to that, Totenberg was one of Ginsburg’s most frequent interviewers over the years as the tiny-but-fierce Supreme Court justice grew into her alter ego, that icon of girl power, the Notorious RBG ... the vignettes are immersive, informative, and colorful, as befits a journalist of such stature. The author knows how to tell a good tale ... a warm, deeply felt homage to friendship, to what it means to show up and be present for each other, especially in difficult times. It also serves as a reminder that we are not helpless, that we can fight back (which, in contrast to a certain party of insurrectionists, I mean figuratively rather than literally) and recapture some of Ginsburg’s legacy by marching en masse to the ballot box in November.
Thoughtful ... It also provides broader meditations on friendship and building community, as well as a candid glimpse into Washington insider politics and the challenges of being a woman in that male-driven environment ... She explores the different aspects of friendship against the backdrop of highly educated, highly political Washington circles, emphasizing the simple acts of care that deepen a bond: listening, sharing meals, showing up ... Totenberg's warm recollection of their years together reveals a different side of Ruth ... Readers will come away with a fuller portrait of RBG, but also a wonderful rendering of Totenberg's friendships and perhaps a deeper appreciation for their own.
Engrossing and engaging ... he author’s smooth storytelling style effectively blends recaps of their developing relationship with landmark judicial decisions and political events. She offers fresh insights into the dealings of Capitol Hill and the Supreme Court, but her personal anecdotes...her numerous shout-outs to other women who helped her in her career, and her musings about the nature of friendship are the most compelling parts. Totenberg’s story includes triumphs and failures, good times and bad, and a poignant account of Ginsburg’s final illnesses and death.
A book written in the cadence of your airplane row mate who won’t stop broadcasting their meandering life story ... There’s nothing wrong with writing about friendship; there are many classics in the genre ... But you can’t use the glop you write about friendships as a shield against the criticism that such friendships prevent you from doing your job effectively and ethically ... Totenberg’s amoral flaunting of her friendships and her inability to reckon with her choices prove that maintaining access and scoring minor scoops can’t justify covering one of America’s most retrograde institutions when you include its members as party guests.
In this luminous debut, NPR legal correspondent Totenberg delivers a riveting account of her 50-year friendship with Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ... Parallel to her story runs an equally enthralling look at Ginsburg’s life ... It’s Totenberg’s writing about the personal hardships they overcame together...that imbues her narrative with emotional depth, making this portrait of friendship all the more captivating. Readers are sure to be charmed.
