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RBG Way: The Secrets of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Success
Understanding and Applying the Wisdom of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg! Given her incredible tenure as a Supreme Court justice as well as her monumental impact on the modern women’s rights movement, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has become one of the most prominent political leaders of today. To complement her judicial significance, she has also become one of the most culturally popular political figures in US history. Not only has her workout routine gone viral (and been detailed in a book by her trainer), but RBG's story has been featured in multiple critically acclaimed films. Organized into three parts and then broken down into more specific chapters within each part,The RBG Way offers wisdom from Justice Ginsburg, based on comments she has made on particular topics of importance. Insight is offered on subjects such as women's rights, creating lasting partnerships, overcoming hardship, how to be brave, and how to create lasting change. Rebecca Gibian offers her seasoned journalistic perspective to shed light on beliefs that RBG holds strongly, in a manner that is both comprehensive and accessible
240 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2019
41 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Gibian
3 books6 followersRebecca Gibian is an award-winning journalist based in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has appeared in the Associated Press, The Atlantic, and VICE, among others. Her reporting focuses on women nationally and internationally and she has reported from countries including Iraq, South Africa, and Indonesia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 1, 2020
I had to skim this book because the "wittiniess," repetitive language and seemingly limited vocabulary, and advice was just not what I was looking for in this book. I'll be returning it, and picking up a more reliable RBG book.
January 13, 2020
This was a great book and a great peak into RBG’s life. It was a touch dry, HOWEVER, it did create the urge for me to want to read more about the notorious RBG.
May 9, 2020
Pretty good. Basically a hybrid between a biography and a self-help book. Good insight and info on RBG. Didn’t love that the author didn’t ever interview RBG. Everything is based off of interviews with people closer to her or reading other RBG books/accounts. I always forget RBG was so close to Scalia, which I guess is a good reminder that you can disagree with someone and still get along (prob important for this upcoming election year).
September 29, 2019
Interesting read but not quite what I was expecting. More another woman's perception on the success of RBG than an empowering sort of book. 2.5 stars
December 17, 2019
Well reported and written in a comfortable, engaging tone. The actionable lessons to take away from RBG’s life are great. Anyone who is inspired by RBG should read this one!
January 22, 2025
I’m not sure there was an original thought in this book, and I am beyond certain it wasn’t edited. The poor writing made it difficult to read.
March 27, 2024
Women's History Month: 03/25/24 - 03/27/24
January 9, 2021
An interesting combination of a biography and self-help book, but I think it works. It’s weird reading this book after she passed, but I still enjoyed it as it was almost like a eulogy.
October 10, 2019
Review: "The RGB Way, Secrets of Success of Ruth Bader Ginsburg" by Rebecca Gibian
There are several books regarding Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the shelves. While most of those books are biographical or quotes by Ms. Ginsburg, "The RBG Way" reaches another audience altogether.
Ms. Gibian writes in a comfortable and relaxed style at first while building up to many references from other books about RBG. Then the author takes us on an interview tour. You can tell she truly relished the interview process, and it shows in her writer's voice.
At times I found the author's relaxed style a bit too comfortable and sometimes meandering. Yet the real 'meat' of the book, the author's source interviews, was well written and engaging. I looked forward to those parts of the book.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a legend no matter which side of the aisle one may sit. Ms. Gibian's writing shows every aspect of how the Supreme Court Justice became the person we know. It was not a short road to the pinnacle of our legal system. Every bump in the way, the author highlights what got Ms. Ginsberg through the rough patch. And she does it in depth.
I want to quote from the book, yet it is an uncorrected bound gallery, so I can not. I will leave that to you, the future readers of "The RBG Way." You will find many places to highlight and re-read, I am sure.
If you enjoy reading about Ms. Ginsburg, you will want to read this book.
Recommended: (four books) 📗📗📗📗
#NetGallery #TheRBGWaySecretsToSuccessofRuthBaderGinsburg
There are several books regarding Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the shelves. While most of those books are biographical or quotes by Ms. Ginsburg, "The RBG Way" reaches another audience altogether.
Ms. Gibian writes in a comfortable and relaxed style at first while building up to many references from other books about RBG. Then the author takes us on an interview tour. You can tell she truly relished the interview process, and it shows in her writer's voice.
At times I found the author's relaxed style a bit too comfortable and sometimes meandering. Yet the real 'meat' of the book, the author's source interviews, was well written and engaging. I looked forward to those parts of the book.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a legend no matter which side of the aisle one may sit. Ms. Gibian's writing shows every aspect of how the Supreme Court Justice became the person we know. It was not a short road to the pinnacle of our legal system. Every bump in the way, the author highlights what got Ms. Ginsberg through the rough patch. And she does it in depth.
I want to quote from the book, yet it is an uncorrected bound gallery, so I can not. I will leave that to you, the future readers of "The RBG Way." You will find many places to highlight and re-read, I am sure.
If you enjoy reading about Ms. Ginsburg, you will want to read this book.
Recommended: (four books) 📗📗📗📗
#NetGallery #TheRBGWaySecretsToSuccessofRuthBaderGinsburg
November 7, 2019
3 Stars for The RBG Way by Rebecca Gibian. I had really high hopes for this one. I was thinking this book would be a great break from my thrillers and suspenseful fiction. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. This book had the right idea, but became very reference-y pretty quickly.
I thought this would be less about RBG's court cases and more about her grit. Some would probably argue with me and say there was an awful lot of mention of her grit in the pages of The RBG Way but there were so many quotes and referenced texts of other recent authors, it really felt like I was reading someone's research paper on RBG.
I must say, I did highlight a few passages that I liked. However, I lost interest quickly and was more interested in seeking out the other books and articles referenced than continuing to read this one. I liked Rebecca's' tone and voice, and did like reading about RBG's relationship with her husband, Marty. I was fascinated by the part of the book that discussed their love story, trials, and triumphs. I just couldn't stay interested in the case after case after case pieces in the book that continued from beginning to end.
If someone was looking for a good book on RBG that referenced lots of others, this would be perfect. And, I guess since Rebecca couldn't interview RBG for the book, she did the best she could with the data and information she had. It was clear that she spent a lot of time digging and putting pieces together. It just wasn't for me.
*I was provided this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
@oakcitybooks
I thought this would be less about RBG's court cases and more about her grit. Some would probably argue with me and say there was an awful lot of mention of her grit in the pages of The RBG Way but there were so many quotes and referenced texts of other recent authors, it really felt like I was reading someone's research paper on RBG.
I must say, I did highlight a few passages that I liked. However, I lost interest quickly and was more interested in seeking out the other books and articles referenced than continuing to read this one. I liked Rebecca's' tone and voice, and did like reading about RBG's relationship with her husband, Marty. I was fascinated by the part of the book that discussed their love story, trials, and triumphs. I just couldn't stay interested in the case after case after case pieces in the book that continued from beginning to end.
If someone was looking for a good book on RBG that referenced lots of others, this would be perfect. And, I guess since Rebecca couldn't interview RBG for the book, she did the best she could with the data and information she had. It was clear that she spent a lot of time digging and putting pieces together. It just wasn't for me.
*I was provided this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
@oakcitybooks
March 23, 2020
Like another GoodReads commentator noted, this book wasn't what I expected, nor wanted.
"The RBG Way: The Secrets of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Success" is a repetitive and sycophantic book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her ascent to the highest court in the land. The book covers many subjects but lots of attention is paid to her marriage, her lack of cooking skills, handwritten thank you notes, her love of opera and, oh yes, her work on bench. So sad that even a woman author makes repeated reference to Judge Bader Ginsburg's lack of cooking skills. Is this a necessary skill for a Supreme Court justice to have? Was Justice Thurgood Marshall disparaged because of his ability to cook risotto? I think not.
Yes, her marriage was phenomenal - so were my parents. Yes, her work ethic is strong. Yes, she's a woman - everyone is either one gender or another from birth. And yes, she's exceptionally smart. All that being said, Ruth Bader Ginsburg found her mission and passion in the law and her rare but persuasive dissents as a Supreme Court justice are legendary. That's what I craved to learn more about and not all of the other fluff about her husband's 50-step bread making process.
I will be seeking other resources with more literary meat on their bones to learn more about the Notorious RBG.
"The RBG Way: The Secrets of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Success" is a repetitive and sycophantic book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her ascent to the highest court in the land. The book covers many subjects but lots of attention is paid to her marriage, her lack of cooking skills, handwritten thank you notes, her love of opera and, oh yes, her work on bench. So sad that even a woman author makes repeated reference to Judge Bader Ginsburg's lack of cooking skills. Is this a necessary skill for a Supreme Court justice to have? Was Justice Thurgood Marshall disparaged because of his ability to cook risotto? I think not.
Yes, her marriage was phenomenal - so were my parents. Yes, her work ethic is strong. Yes, she's a woman - everyone is either one gender or another from birth. And yes, she's exceptionally smart. All that being said, Ruth Bader Ginsburg found her mission and passion in the law and her rare but persuasive dissents as a Supreme Court justice are legendary. That's what I craved to learn more about and not all of the other fluff about her husband's 50-step bread making process.
I will be seeking other resources with more literary meat on their bones to learn more about the Notorious RBG.
July 19, 2020
While the mighty RBG is a full 5-stars always, this book doesn't fully do the Justice justice. It gives a pretty good overview of her life so far, but there's no real detail, as the author has never actually met or spoken to her subject. As such, it's a relatively patchwork affair, quotes from people in RBG's orbit, and quotes sourced from existing interviews and printed articles.
It also attempts to be a quasi-self-help book, highlighting things RBG has done, and turning them into inspirational quotes. To be honest, just telling Ginsberg's story is inspiration enough as she smashed multiple glass ceilings and dissented her way into the history books, effecting significant changes for the rights of women along the way.
While an interesting read, it feels too light for the subject matter. And while there are plenty of references to explore and learn more (>30% of the ebook was filled with pages of them!), if you're looking for a self-contained comprehensive book about Ginsberg, then this didn't go deep enough for me.
It also attempts to be a quasi-self-help book, highlighting things RBG has done, and turning them into inspirational quotes. To be honest, just telling Ginsberg's story is inspiration enough as she smashed multiple glass ceilings and dissented her way into the history books, effecting significant changes for the rights of women along the way.
While an interesting read, it feels too light for the subject matter. And while there are plenty of references to explore and learn more (>30% of the ebook was filled with pages of them!), if you're looking for a self-contained comprehensive book about Ginsberg, then this didn't go deep enough for me.
December 11, 2019
THE RBG WAY is a delight! At once thoughtful and chatty, reverent and practical, it makes the feminist darling/earthly deity Ruth Bader Ginsburg feel actually accessible.
Gibian clearly did her research, and it shows in the many perspectives she tracked down and the compelling quotes and thoughts from the people around Ginsburg, a la "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold."
But the author didn’t just gather stories and ideas from Ginsburg’s clerks and colleagues; she organized them and wrapped them up neatly for us and tied a bow on and said, "Here — you use this now." She helps us relate to a living idol and tap into the secrets of Ginsburg’s success: Write handwritten notes; credit those on whose shoulders you stand on.
In these times of horrifying, heartbreaking paralyzing, political and social strife, THE RBG WAY is a blessing. In a clear, engaging voice, it tells us what we can do to make the world a little less awful.
Gibian clearly did her research, and it shows in the many perspectives she tracked down and the compelling quotes and thoughts from the people around Ginsburg, a la "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold."
But the author didn’t just gather stories and ideas from Ginsburg’s clerks and colleagues; she organized them and wrapped them up neatly for us and tied a bow on and said, "Here — you use this now." She helps us relate to a living idol and tap into the secrets of Ginsburg’s success: Write handwritten notes; credit those on whose shoulders you stand on.
In these times of horrifying, heartbreaking paralyzing, political and social strife, THE RBG WAY is a blessing. In a clear, engaging voice, it tells us what we can do to make the world a little less awful.
January 7, 2020
This is an excellent and well-reported look at the lessons we can take from RBG's professional life, as well as the way she treated people (and the way she loved her family). For those who were disappointed with this book or wanted it to be light and fluffy -- followers of Justice Ginsberg know she isn't light and fluffy. Publicly, she only speaks about a handful of personal stories and anecdotes. She takes her job, the law and her privacy seriously.
What you can expect is a deeply reported look at RBG's life, and the lessons we can take from her choices. Each chapter dives into different elements of what make her the legend she is, and real-life lessons to take away to emulate this kind of life.
I'm glad I read this book. If you love RBG and want to learn more about how to be like her, you will be too.
What you can expect is a deeply reported look at RBG's life, and the lessons we can take from her choices. Each chapter dives into different elements of what make her the legend she is, and real-life lessons to take away to emulate this kind of life.
I'm glad I read this book. If you love RBG and want to learn more about how to be like her, you will be too.
April 6, 2021
I would give RBG the highest possible rating for a life well-lived, if given the chance. She was absolutely amazing and her legacy will live on for generations. I did, however, have a few issues with this particular book about her. The most significant issue I had was that Gibian didn’t interview RBG for the book because she wasn’t able to arrange an interview with her. Since this is a book about RBG’s life, I just feel like an interview with the subject, herself, would have been a welcome addition to it. I also didn’t love the overall tone of the book. All in all, there were some interesting pieces of information in this book and it is a definite celebration of a life well-lived; I just wish those few issues would have been resolved.
December 31, 2019
I am a huge fan of Justice Ginsburg and her work and voice for feminism and equality for all. My rating is strictly of this book and not of RBG herself.
The Good: Rebecca Gibian's "The RGB Way: The Secrets of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Success" covers a large breadth of what has led to RBG becoming the icon she is today. If you don't know much about RBG beyond her recent dissenting Supreme Court opinions, this is a great book to learn about her history and what makes her tick.
The bad: It also leaves quite a bit to be desired. It covers a lot, but in very shallow, repetitive, broad strokes. I often found myself wishing that Gibian had dove deeper into potentially interesting aspects of RBG's life or work. I also started to notice that some of the same events and people were described over and over, as if the author was worried that the reader would forget who or what had been covered in previous chapters. Yes, they were important people and events to cover, but I don't need a refresher every chapter.
The Good: Rebecca Gibian's "The RGB Way: The Secrets of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Success" covers a large breadth of what has led to RBG becoming the icon she is today. If you don't know much about RBG beyond her recent dissenting Supreme Court opinions, this is a great book to learn about her history and what makes her tick.
The bad: It also leaves quite a bit to be desired. It covers a lot, but in very shallow, repetitive, broad strokes. I often found myself wishing that Gibian had dove deeper into potentially interesting aspects of RBG's life or work. I also started to notice that some of the same events and people were described over and over, as if the author was worried that the reader would forget who or what had been covered in previous chapters. Yes, they were important people and events to cover, but I don't need a refresher every chapter.
February 18, 2020
I'm a big fan of RBG, but this was just a poor excuse for a book. The writing was so overly coversational and redundant it was unpleasant to read. And the editing- was there an editor? This was just a badly repackaged version of much better RBG books (literally - a significant portion of the book is just excerpted from other RBG books) that didn't really provide any new lessons (do we all not know having close relationships is important already? WOW!!!) or add anything of substance to the RBG literary canon.
August 14, 2021
RBG will always be 5 stars in my view, but unfortunately this book missed the mark. Although I see the author's vision for the layout of the book by taking inspirations from RBG and how they could be applied to the reader's life, I found it poorly executed. The structure was confused, repetitive, and overly sourced. There was little, if any, original content unfortunately. This reads more like a research paper or a piece of informative journalism.
June 3, 2023
This book was alright. It had a hard time deciding on a tone, switching between a self help book and biography. However, the repetitive and dry word choices, along with the amount of references to other books made it feel more like a middle schooler’s book report or essay. That’s not to say there weren’t good qualities. I enjoyed learning more about RBG, and I especially found the chapters on her relationships and teaching background very interesting. Overall, two stars.
May 19, 2025
This was an odd one! It was sweet and the sentiments were very nice and I love RBG. But to me, this was kind of the epitome of “could have been an email.” Read more like a well researched college paper and was a tad repetitive. If I saw “she wouldn’t have made it to the Supreme Court without Marty” one more time, I was going to lose it. On the other hand, if you can get your college essay published, go off queen! I don’t know, it was cute and easy and long live Ruth.
October 20, 2019
This book was not what I thought it would be. And the writing style drove me a little crazy, as it seemed a little all over the place, and hard to follow. I get what Gibian was trying to do but didn't really get there. I was excited as its RBG and love her so many I had too high of hopes, but just missed the mark big time.
April 29, 2020
If you are trying to read a good book about RBG, this is NOT the book for you. The author repeated herself a lot, leading it to feel like she was just trying to fill space. It read like a paper I would write in college where I knew my professor probably wouldn't even read most of it, so why not just fill space? I was excited to read it, but it did not live up to expectations.
July 16, 2021
Reading anything about someone so inspiring as RBG is always something I enjoy. This book does a good job of applying how RBG lead her life and career into advice for people who want to live in a similar spirit. That being said, if you are looking for a book on facts about RBG's life then this will not be the book for you.
November 11, 2019
I liked how this book was structured, each section having a different focus. The book shows how badasss RBG is, but I felt the book referenced to other books/texts too much at times. Though it was a fun and enlightening book overall.
November 11, 2019
This was an amazing read about an amazing woman. I love how Marty, her beloved husband, was always there to support her. RBG is a role model for all women and this book is a great introduction to her for anyone that lives under a rock and has never heard of her.
April 4, 2020
A light read! Full analysis of why RBG's efforts paid off. Facing adversity was commonplace for RBG, and she handled it with a grace most people don't understand. Rebecca Gibian helped me learn how RBG did it and empowered me to apply it to my own life, as she has to hers.
January 7, 2021
This wasn't what I expected I guess - it was lovely to hear tidbits of RBG'S life - just would've been nicer as a genuine book vs clippings of other books strung together - but the 9 chapters & 3 sections format was cute
April 16, 2021
I feel that this is a book about the books about RBG. It’s pretty straightforward in the lessons to be learned from RBG. It either gets you more interested in RBG’s life or just gives you a big picture. Simple but nice. Quick read.
September 11, 2025
I liked the book, as I do most pieces about RBG. I found it to be repetitive. It was light and not one I would suggest as a first read into the life and wisdom of RBG. I recommend “Ruth Bader Ginsberg: A Life” by Jane Sherron de Hart.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews