Autobiography

Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships

Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships

  • Downloads：6430
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-09-03 05:19:37
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Nina Totenberg
  • ISBN：B09SGN21HM
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Becki ，

I'm a longtime NPR listener， and *of course* a fan of the strong and mighty Ruth Bader Ginsburg。 Author （and NPR journalist） Nina Totenberg and Ginsburg had been friends for nearly 50 years at the time of RBG's death， and I read this book assuming that it would give more insight into the private life of RBG。 It did not。 Instead， "Dinners with Ruth" is Totenberg's own memoir and ode to friendship。 She shares the hardships that she and Ginsburg experienced as young women in male-dominated industri I'm a longtime NPR listener， and *of course* a fan of the strong and mighty Ruth Bader Ginsburg。 Author （and NPR journalist） Nina Totenberg and Ginsburg had been friends for nearly 50 years at the time of RBG's death， and I read this book assuming that it would give more insight into the private life of RBG。 It did not。 Instead， "Dinners with Ruth" is Totenberg's own memoir and ode to friendship。 She shares the hardships that she and Ginsburg experienced as young women in male-dominated industries in the 1970s， and how the sisterhood （including RBG， Cokie Roberts， her own sister Amy， and many others） carried her through her first husband's illness and death and celebrated with her as she found love again。 While Totenberg seemingly knows everyone in Washington and has dined with nearly all of them， don't expect this book to dish any scoops。 She's a consummate professional， painting her colleagues and friends in kind and generous light。 Expect a slightly bland， but lovely， read。I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion。 My thanks to the author， publisher， and #NetGalley。 #DinnersWithRuth 。。。more

Emily ，

This book was a lovely memoir of Nina Totenberg and the wonderful friendships that she has forged throughout her life。 I would say， though， that the title is a bit of a misnomer - while RBG is one of her dear friends， it is not solely about their friendship。 I would say that the subtitle should be the main title。 Or perhaps， Nina Totenberg on the Power of Friendships。I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。

Kristina ，

Nina Totenberg， famed NPR political/judicial reporter reflects on the meaningful friendships in her life in Dinners with Ruth。 She is known for her friendship to Ruth Bader Ginsburg， in which she always had to walk a thin line between the personal and professional as she covered the Supreme Court。 Totenberg tries to fit a lot in this book， and at times I am unsure where the focus is meant to be。 She has lived an interesting life， being a trailblazing journalist when women had a difficult time br Nina Totenberg， famed NPR political/judicial reporter reflects on the meaningful friendships in her life in Dinners with Ruth。 She is known for her friendship to Ruth Bader Ginsburg， in which she always had to walk a thin line between the personal and professional as she covered the Supreme Court。 Totenberg tries to fit a lot in this book， and at times I am unsure where the focus is meant to be。 She has lived an interesting life， being a trailblazing journalist when women had a difficult time breaking through。 Her career as a journalist alone would be book worthy （she highlights some noteworthy stories she broke during her career）， but in this book she really emphasizes the importance her friendships had in her life。 She recounts the strong bond she had with other trailblazing female journalists like Cokie Roberts and how they supporting themselves （and lifted up junior female journalists） through the ups and downs of careers and in their personal lives and health。 A friendship that takes center stage is with Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her husband Marty。 Nina and her second husband would frequently get together with them- out to an opera at the Kennedy Center or home cooked meals。 And after Marty died， they continued this tradition with Ruth， especially as her health became more of an issue。 The reader gains new insight on Ruth as a person outside of her robes， and it was fascinating。 I came away from this book feeling quite reflective on my own friendships， how meaningful they are， and how they could be improved。 Thank you to Simon & Schuster via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review。 。。。more

Kate Meyer ，

While I think the title is a bit misleading， because there is way more to this book than RBG stories， I still really enjoyed it。 Nina has lived an extraordinary life surrounded by amazing people。 I loved so many of the RBG stories but also the stories of all the women in her life。 Also what an interesting career to be able to call all of these judges friends。 I really enjoyed this one。 Also - I read it and didn’t do the audiobook but I think the audio would be great。

M ，

This is a light， pleasant， just-before-bed read for me。 In some senses， I wondered about the packaging / marketing of the book: indeed， the central friendship of the memoir was that with Ruth Bader Ginsberg， a woman who， indeed， reached a kind of cult status in her lifetime， but it's also about some of Totenberg's NPR friendships and a little about her marriages， and about dinners but not ABOUT dinners in that the conversations were light and it was really a lot about health--so many different c This is a light， pleasant， just-before-bed read for me。 In some senses， I wondered about the packaging / marketing of the book: indeed， the central friendship of the memoir was that with Ruth Bader Ginsberg， a woman who， indeed， reached a kind of cult status in her lifetime， but it's also about some of Totenberg's NPR friendships and a little about her marriages， and about dinners but not ABOUT dinners in that the conversations were light and it was really a lot about health--so many different cancers as they struck key players in the book。If you are looking for an in-depth look at politics or news from Totenberg， you won't get that， nor will you get much on Supreme Court cases， nor will you get much on the inner workings of the Supreme Court。 If you are looking for smart conversations between friends， you won't get that， but you will get a lot of loving moments。 Moments where one person would sit at another's bedside while experiencing impending widowhood or their own sicknesses。 We spend more time in hospitals in this book than we do in spaces of news or courts。I love NPR news and I love RBG， but I only liked this book。 And that's OK--books like this are nice to read just before bed， when your intellect can be a little sleepier and you're just reading nice things about people who seem really nice。 I read an advance copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Angie Boyter ，

4+I am not always a huge fan of memoirs， because most people’s lives simply are not interesting enough to fill a book， but as NPR justice reporter for almost half a century （！）， Nina Totenberg certainly qualifies， and I am pleased to report that the book was as good as I had hoped it would be。Do not be misled by the title。 Dinners with Ruth is Totenberg’s own memoir。 Her professional life， during which she had to deal with the sexism of the era and covered just about every major news event of th 4+I am not always a huge fan of memoirs， because most people’s lives simply are not interesting enough to fill a book， but as NPR justice reporter for almost half a century （！）， Nina Totenberg certainly qualifies， and I am pleased to report that the book was as good as I had hoped it would be。Do not be misled by the title。 Dinners with Ruth is Totenberg’s own memoir。 Her professional life， during which she had to deal with the sexism of the era and covered just about every major news event of the past 50 years， provides wonderful content in and of itself， but the theme around which the book is built is the importance of friendship for both professional and personal life。 Ruth Bader Ginsberg， whom she met before either of them was a prominent person， is the friend Totenberg discusses most in the book， and I came away with a lovely portrait of her through the lens of a friend who was also a reporter， but Ruth is not the primary focus of the book until the latter part， which beautifully discusses Ruth’s death and that of her beloved husband Marty。 There is a very moving description of RBG reading her last letter from Marty。 Ruth cried; so did I。There are stories in the book about the role of other friends in the author’s life， too， like Cokie Roberts， Linda Wertheimer， and many others whose names readers will not recognize。 It was also interesting to read about how a journalist tracks down information; I especially enjoyed her scavenging to try to learn who President Nixon was considering to nominate to the Supreme Court in 1971。 There is a lot of very interesting background on the various Supreme Court justices and her relationships with them。 Totenberg writes very well about the sensitivities involved in being a journalist covering news about prominent people who are also your friends。 This is an enjoyable and informative book on many levels that I have already recommended to several friends。 Just do not be misled by the title to expect a book about Justice Ginsberg， although I am sure such a book would be just as fascinating！I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from Edelweiss and Simon and Schuster; the review reflects my honest opinion。 。。。more

Valerie Adcock Dibblee ，

I love this book。 A stunningly beautiful story of how friendship， true unfailing friendship， can change your life in powerful ways。 Of course I love reading about Ruth， Linda and Cokie， but this was about so much more than the famous names。 I am so incredibly thankful to have been able to read this advance reader copy and I will surely be sharing this book far and wide when it's published！I read an advanced copy of this book from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review。 I love this book。 A stunningly beautiful story of how friendship， true unfailing friendship， can change your life in powerful ways。 Of course I love reading about Ruth， Linda and Cokie， but this was about so much more than the famous names。 I am so incredibly thankful to have been able to read this advance reader copy and I will surely be sharing this book far and wide when it's published！I read an advanced copy of this book from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Shirley Freeman ，

I enjoyed this memoir of two powerful women and their sustaining friendship。 NT and RBG are/were strong women who forged new paths in careers traditionally held by men。 Both women were driven to make their mark by making a positive difference in our world。 Both women are/were supported by loving， successful men。 Both faced tragedies and losses that would knock most of us off track。 Nina Totenberg makes a solid case for 'traditional' friendship -- being there for each other， inviting people to yo I enjoyed this memoir of two powerful women and their sustaining friendship。 NT and RBG are/were strong women who forged new paths in careers traditionally held by men。 Both women were driven to make their mark by making a positive difference in our world。 Both women are/were supported by loving， successful men。 Both faced tragedies and losses that would knock most of us off track。 Nina Totenberg makes a solid case for 'traditional' friendship -- being there for each other， inviting people to your home for dinner， taking food when it is needed， pulling strings and calling in favors when that is needed， consistent face-to-face contact。 Nina and Ruth weren't perfect but they had that sustaining， life-giving friendship that we all need。 （Coming in September 2022） 。。。more

Laura ，

I was so looking forward to Nina Totenberg's memoir Dinners with Ruth。 I did enjoy learning about the friendships that Ms。 Totenberg made throughout her career。 I was expecting and hoping to learn more about her relationship with the late Justice Ginsburg。 I was disappointed that there's really very little information about RBG that was new。 That is why I am giving this book 3 stars instead of 4。 Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC！ I was so looking forward to Nina Totenberg's memoir Dinners with Ruth。 I did enjoy learning about the friendships that Ms。 Totenberg made throughout her career。 I was expecting and hoping to learn more about her relationship with the late Justice Ginsburg。 I was disappointed that there's really very little information about RBG that was new。 That is why I am giving this book 3 stars instead of 4。 Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC！ 。。。more

Trena ，

I really enjoyed reading this book。 Nina Totenberg's years long friendship with RBG offers a fresh perspective of her personal life， career， and health struggles。 One of my favorite parts of the book is when Totenberg discusses weekly dinners she and her husband hosted with guests including Cokie Roberts， Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg。 It's a very intimate and humanizing portrait about DC powerbrokers friendships throughout the years and especially the close friendship between Ruth Bade I really enjoyed reading this book。 Nina Totenberg's years long friendship with RBG offers a fresh perspective of her personal life， career， and health struggles。 One of my favorite parts of the book is when Totenberg discusses weekly dinners she and her husband hosted with guests including Cokie Roberts， Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg。 It's a very intimate and humanizing portrait about DC powerbrokers friendships throughout the years and especially the close friendship between Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Nina Totenberg。Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an Advanced Reader Copy。 。。。more

Colleen ，

I had really hoped to have come away from Dinners with Ruth with a better insight to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg （RBG）; the "pull to this book" seemed to be that there was a special relationship between Nina Totenberg and RBG。 And there definitely was a special relationship between Nina Totenberg and RBG， I don't doubt that。 I don't feel like I gained any special insight into RBG， except that she really thought out what she was going to say well in advance and I loved how she chose I had really hoped to have come away from Dinners with Ruth with a better insight to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg （RBG）; the "pull to this book" seemed to be that there was a special relationship between Nina Totenberg and RBG。 And there definitely was a special relationship between Nina Totenberg and RBG， I don't doubt that。 I don't feel like I gained any special insight into RBG， except that she really thought out what she was going to say well in advance and I loved how she chose her words/wording。 The part of the book dove into early childhood of both the author Nna Totenberg and also Ruth Bader Ginsburg and their lineage。 The two women had not met in childhood， but in my opinion this part of the book muddles the families together。 Then a couple chapters later Nina details her first husband's （Floyd） injury and passing。 And then she brings she brings up Floyd again （huh 。。。 didn't he die？）。 And then goes on to discuss meeting her second husband and then something about Floyd again。 So I start thinking， ok 。。。 each chapter is some sort of essay about the title of the chapter 。。。 its not organized sequentially， I can deal with that。 So I get to the acknowledgements at the end of the book and just as soon as I think "she won't be referencing Floyd here"， there he is again on the last page （"Also， Floyd's family， especially his daughter Evie Maxwell and my granddaughter Cody。"）I really wanted to like this book much more than I liked it。 And I feel a bit disappointed that Nina Totenberg is a writer/journalist and such a close personal friend， that this book wasn't a little better。 I honestly think I would have liked the book better if it had been titled A Memoir on the Power of Love and Friendships and then subtitled friendships with Cokie Roberts and RBG somehow。 Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the Advance Read Copy of Dinners with Ruth in exchange for an honest review。 Also thank you to the author Nina Totenberg for sharing your memoir and to the publisher Simon & Schuster。 Publication date is 13 Sept 2022。 。。。more