Sonia Sotomayor's Book Tells of Life's Struggles
14 Jan 2013
In a memoir to be published on Tuesday, Sonia Sotomayor writes of the chronic disease, troubled family relationships and failed marriage that accompanied her rise from a housing project in the Bronx to a seat on America's highest court. The first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, the 58-year-old justice, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, describes the insecurities she has felt as a minority who benefited from racial remedies.
She signed on to write the sweeping, 315-page book, "My Beloved World," early in her tenure. She received a $1.175 million book advance in 2010 from publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, according to financial disclosure records.
Sitting down for a rare interview in her Supreme Court chambers, Sotomayor said that after being thrust into the public limelight with her nomination to the court, she felt the need for introspection to hold onto her identity.
The court's nine justices, appointed for life, typically decline to sit for interviews or offer any personal observations related to cases. Book tours offer rare opportunities to draw them out on issues, even if only a little.
< out >
< out >
< out >
TROUBLED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
She exudes the same energy when speaking on the phone or talking through the door to her assistant, often calling people "sweetie." Her chambers are spacious, bright and elegant, decorated with modern art on the walls.
Her environs have not always been so pristine. She describes the difficulty of growing up with a father who was an alcoholic and a mother who was frequently absent. Diagnosed with diabetes at a young age, she wet the bed, fainted in church and learned to inject daily doses of insulin to regulate her blood sugar.
Her father died when Sotomayor was nine, leaving a room full of drained liquor bottles hidden under his mattress, in jacket pockets and closets. While his death sent Sotomayor's mother into a state of grief, it was also a relief. Until then, her mother had worked long hours as a nurse to stay out of the house and avoid conflict.
< out >
< out >
< out >
VESTIGES OF DISCRIMINATION
The book comes out as the Supreme Court is weighing a landmark case about the role of race in college admissions. Sotomayor was careful in the Reuters interview not to discuss current cases, but said there was value to affirmative action programs.
"It's impossible to not recognize that the vestiges of discrimination take a long time to erase," she said. "It just doesn't happen overnight."
But she also called affirmative action a "double-edged sword." She said some people still attribute her position on the court to affirmative action, based on her identity as a Latina justice.
< out >
< out >
< out >
Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/sotomayor-book-life-struggles/2013/01/14/id/471404#ixzz2I3PbyZZa Urgent: Should Obamacare Be Repealed? Vote Here Now!
Poster Comment:
' double edged ' ... spoon - fork - knife to cook the American goose --- for marxists
