Washington (CNN) -- Justice Antonin Scalia is a conservative in thought, but not in personality. A new biography of the colorful Supreme Court jurist paints a complete picture of his enormous ongoing influence on the law and society. "American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia" (Farrar, Straus, Giroux) offers the first comprehensive look at the first Italian-American on the high court, and the rhetorical battles he has waged on the court and off. CNN spoke with Joan Biskupic, the book's author, who also is a reporter for USA Today. Biskupic has covered the high court for two decades, holds a law degree from Georgetown University and has also written a biography of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
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Biography looks at conservative, confrontational jurist's influence on law, society
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Author describes Scalia as a product of contrasting families who has thrived on conflict
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She says Scalia's best friend on court is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a low-key, liberal justice
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Author says she wanted a book that would demystify Scalia, make people understand him
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
@placeholder, his closest friend on the court, sees his influence beyond the marble walls, and that's the way I've been mostly viewing him until the recent terms.
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And I thought there was so much to his background that was worth revealing in an objective way, to see what he was all about: How @placeholder became Scalia.