Sonia Sotomayor

The first Hispanic-American on the U.S. Supreme Court shares the story of her life before becoming a judge, describing such experiences as her youth in a Bronx housing project, her relationship with a passionately spiritual grandparent, the ambition that fueled her ivy-league education and the individuals who helped shaped her career. (This book was previously listed in Forecast.)

My Beloved World

Omar Fernandez

Excellent portrait of the life of one of the Supreme Court Justices, Sonia Sotomayor. The book is intriguing as it goes into more personal detail than you'd expect to learn about someone in such a prestigious position; Sonia Sotomayor discussed her childhood, the struggles during her upbringing, her experiences as a Puerto Rican raised in the US, her marriage and divorce, and finally her career as a lawyer, judge and confirmation to the US Supreme Court. 

I love the many different facets of her life you get to explore, from how people helped her at different stages of her life, her experiences as part of a debate team, her struggles as a minority in a prestigious school (she touches upon Affirmative Action), etc. 

Overall, an well-written portrait of an amazing woman. Loved every bit of it.

A “searching and emotionally intimate memoir” (The New York Times) told with a candor never before undertaken by a sitting Justice. This “powerful defense of empathy” (The Washington Post) is destined to become a classic of self-invention and self-discovery. The first Hispanic and third woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor has become an instant American icon. In this story of human triumph that “hums with hope and exhilaration” (NPR), she recounts her life from a Bronx housing project to the federal bench, a journey that offers an inspiring testament to her own extraordinary determination and the power of believing in oneself. Here is the story of a precarious childhood, with an alcoholic father (who would die when she was nine) and a devoted but overburdened mother, and of the refuge a little girl took from the turmoil at home with her passionately spirited paternal grandmother. But it was when she was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes that the precocious Sonia recognized she must ultimately depend on herself. She would learn to give herself the insulin shots she needed to survive and soon imagined a path to a different life. With only television characters for her professional role models, and little understanding of what was involved, she determined to become a lawyer, a dream that would sustain her on an unlikely course, from valedictorian of her high school class to the highest honors at Princeton, Yale Law School, the New York County District Attorney’s office, private practice, and appointment to the Federal District Court before the age of forty. Along the way we see how she was shaped by her invaluable mentors, a failed marriage, and the modern version of extended family she has created from cherished friends and their children. Through her still-astonished eyes, America’s infinite possibilities are envisioned anew in this warm and honest book.

Laura

It took me months to get into this book, but once I did it was done within 24 hours. What incredible life experiences and advice were in these pages. So thankful to have read this.

Jeni Enjaian

Until I brought up this memoir, I did not realize that I had previously read the book. Usually that happens with books that I skim due to lackluster quality. However, this book is not like those. Wow. I cannot believe that I nothing struck me as familiar throughout the reading. I guess I need to pay attention more when I read. :)

I really enjoyed this book. I've found that I tend to really enjoy memoirs. 
The narrator could have been much better. I would have preferred the author herself. (She narrated the introduction.) 
I also have to state that the memoir format can lend itself to confusion because the author will not limit herself to a strictly (or even roughly) chronological timeline. That's the only negative thing I have to say about the book. In the later chapters Sonia would sometimes jump back to stories from her childhood which made things a bit confusing when the jump was first made. 
Other than that, this memoir is excellent. I loved all the inclusion of the Spanish language and Puerto Rican culture. Her honesty (without resorting to "wow is me") is refreshing. Even though she stopped the memoir just after becoming a judge, I can see how suited she is to the Supreme Court justice position. 
I highly recommend this book.

My Beloved World

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