Growing up on a cattle ranch, Sandra Day O'Connor set her sights on Stanford University, but when she graduated near the top of her law school class in 1952, no firm would even interview her. She forged ahead, and in 1981, Ronald Reagan appointed O'Connor to the United States Supreme Court, where she spent 25 years hearing cases that ultimately shaped American law. Bringing O'Connor's uncommon poise and grace into focus, Evan Thomas's "illuminating and eminently readable" biography also recounts her quiet triumphs, caring for a husband with Alzheimer's and surviving her own battle with cancer.

"This is a landmark achievement about an American original that's also, blessedly, a delight to read."—Jon Meacham