My Beloved World: A Memoir by Sonia Sotomayor
When young Sonia Sotomayor was growing up in the Bronx she saw who she wanted to be on the television. While she watched episodes of Perry Mason she didn’t want to be Perry Mason or any of the other lawyers, she set her sights on becoming a judge. This is the story of how a girl from the projects followed her dream and became a judge, and as we all know went on from there to become a Justice of the Supreme Court.
It was inspiring to see how hard work, drive and dedication can pay off. Sotomayor overcame many personal hardships like juvenile diabetes, an absentee mother and an alcoholic father to find the need to succeed within herself. She had a strong and large family as a support system keeping her safe and reinforcing her Puerto Rican roots with frequent trips back to the island. You can see how her childhood influenced her later in life at Princeton, then Harvard Law School and finally as she started her career in law in New York City. My only complaint about the book was how inadequate my life seems compared to all she has accomplished! I wish she would write a book detailing how she managed to fit so much into her day to day life and still have time for friends and family; her time management skills are astounding. A great memoir about a very interesting, successful and likable person.
