Dinners With Ruth

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• In writing a memoir about a decades-long friendship, how does Totenberg balance her role as both participant and observer in her relationship with Ruth Bader Ginsburg? What effect does this dual perspective create?
• Totenberg describes multiple close friendships beyond her relationship with Ginsburg. How do these additional relationships contribute to the memoir’s exploration of connection and support?
• How does Diners with Ruth compare to other memoirs you’ve read—particularly ones by or concerning political figures?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Consider a time when you maintained a friendship despite significant differences in viewpoint or background. How does your experience compare to the friendship between Ginsburg and Scalia?
• The author describes how her female friends supported each other as they navigated male-dominated workplaces. Have you ever been part of a similar informal support system? How did it develop, and what did you gain from it?
• How has reading this memoir influenced your view of maintaining friendships (or other close personal relationships) amid professional demands?
• The author describes how she and Ginsburg helped one other through periods of loss and grief.