In America’s Constitution, one of this era’s most accomplished constitutional law scholars, Akhil Reed Amar, gives the first com...
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Dec 31, 2008
Ross
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This history of the United State's Constitution takes constitution to be an act rather than a text. It's focus, therefore, is not upon what the Supreme Court has said that the Constitution means, as law course and lawyers typically understand the Constitution, but rather upon the founding and the continuing activity of amending. While the Supreme Court does play a role in this activity (various of the amendments are responses to specific court cases), there is a much larger role in this narrat
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Nov 30, 2008
Howard
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I read a review of this book, which said it is the best book about the Constitution since the Federalist Papers. Hyperbole? A little, but it's not far off the mark. Actually, reading this book makes you realize how few good books there are about the Constitution. Most are either technical works for the law review crowd on one hand, and large print flag-wavers for the coloring book crowd on the other. Amar writes with clarity. Anyone with a high school education can read this book, and enjoy it.
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Apr 01, 2010
Gary
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Amar tries to provide what he calls a "biography" of the US Constitution, combining scholarship from law, history, and political science. He introduces some controversial ideas, such as his claim that the Philadelphia plan was essentially slavocratic--and became more so over time because of the unintended effects of the 3/5 compromise on the distribution of power in the house, the Senate, and (through the electoral college) the Presidency (and thus the Supreme Court). Amar shows how th
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Mar 10, 2009
Frank
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This book is jam-packed with surprisingly worthwhile information on almost every clause of the constitution.
Its structure follows the constitution itself, from preamble to amendments, and although this might have given it the feeling of a reference book, Amar's interest in the document more than makes up for the lack of narrative.
He plumbs the origins of the electoral system (slavery concerns were at the root of it, as in much else), the unforeseen consequences of More...
Aug 02, 2011
An ambitious blend of legal, historical, and political-science scholarship, this book examines in depth nearly ever aspect of our foundational document and how it got to be that way, including all 27 amendments so far. Law and history geeks will love it. Chapters 1-2 (on the Articles of Confederation, the process of enactment, and the basic structure of American government), 7 (state-federal relations), and 9-10 (the first 15 amendments) should be required reading for all Americans. Among other
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Sep 28, 2009
Referenced in Tribe's Invisible Constitution (p. 52-53): "As a committed "constitutional textualist," Professor Amar rejects the theory that the Constitution can be amended informally, without any change in its official text. His highly original work of Scholarship "America's Constitution: A biography" argues, however, that what constitutes the Constitution's text has been misunderstood by historians and legal scholars alike. By viewing the Constitution in historical con
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Nov 13, 2010
B e r n a r d
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-The Constitution was in fact democratic, pace Rush Limbaugh, who claims the founding fathers meant to create a Republic not a democracy.
-There was a step back in regard to slavery when the Constitution is compared to state constitutions or English law
-The major divide between the states was not between small and big states, as often taught in school, but between slave and non-slave states.
According to the author, this is the only book on the Constitution in its entirety; More...
-There was a step back in regard to slavery when the Constitution is compared to state constitutions or English law
-The major divide between the states was not between small and big states, as often taught in school, but between slave and non-slave states.
According to the author, this is the only book on the Constitution in its entirety; More...
Mar 06, 2009
Jessica
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Akhil Reed Amar united law, history and political science in his comprehensive account of the U.S. Constitution. He compares and contrasts the founding of this legal document, our Constitution, to the English government and to the Articles of Confederation preceding it to provide a background of where our ideas of democracy were grounded. Amar starts with the preamble and then every section of each article, and at times, he virtually breaks down the text line by line to explain the reasons why o
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Jan 15, 2012
Mark
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Absolutely wonderful history of the document everyone talks about but few understand. Amar provides context with lucidity and deep scholarly understanding, describing the whys and wherefores of how our founding legal basis was created, established, and added to. While fairly detailed, this is written in such language that the nonscholar will have no difficulty. I could almost suggest this be taught in high school. It would dispel many of the myths commonly believed by most people, even those
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Apr 29, 2008
Conrad
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I am apparently in the minority on this one - it has an average rating of 4.2 something at the moment - but I found Amar's approach to the subject a little too fussy. Got 3/4 of the way in and just lost steam. I was dismayed as I got into it that it was written in the form of a 400 page long close reading of the document, line by line, in order. There has to have been a more engaging way of organizing this.
Besides that, Amar is very - VERY - interested in how the issue of slavery (an More...
Besides that, Amar is very - VERY - interested in how the issue of slavery (an More...
Feb 18, 2009
Jackpl
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An absolutely fantastic history of how the constitution was written, and how it has been changed thru the years.
Teaser: did you know that the 3/5th rule ensured that the South would control the federal government for the next hundred years, and that the impact of slavery would continue after the civil war??
Amar is a great storyteller and a meticulous historian.
Jack
Teaser: did you know that the 3/5th rule ensured that the South would control the federal government for the next hundred years, and that the impact of slavery would continue after the civil war??
Amar is a great storyteller and a meticulous historian.
Jack
Jan 14, 2008
Tim
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This is a remarkable book. The author's knowledge, insight, analysis and synthesis are amazing. There's too much to praise about it, so I'll just mention one aspect: Amar makes a very compelling case that from the beginning slavery was a disease spreading infection in our society and political system (aided by the 3/5 clause), increasingly corrupting our character and institutions until a terribly bloody breaking point was reached. The evil was partially righted, then amorality returned, allo
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Mar 27, 2010
Chris
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Very relevant, especially now. I wish some Tea-Partiers and Neo-Cons would sit down and take a long, hard look at this book. Amar breaks down the entire constitution, why what is written is there, and the thoughts of the original framers. Pretty dry, but interesting if you care about politics and law.
Sep 25, 2011
The goto book on understanding the Constitution of the United States. Prof Amar has created a very readable history and reference text for the US Constitution. This book is a must for every American's bookshelf. It is clear that every a Yale law professor can talk to every American.
Aug 01, 2011
Ian
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The truth is, I put this down because I got bored but I'm sure I will finish it eventually. Lots of great background on the Constitution - the "biography" in the title is right on. The context of why various parts were put in is great.
Jun 05, 2009
Will
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I think even non-lawyers will like this, even though it gets into some minutia. He's pretty cocky, and I don't agree with all of his kooky theories, but he knows his stuff and this is an interesting twist on constitutional law.
Aug 27, 2009
Stephanie
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This is such an amazing book, but it is dense, dense, dense, and it's going to take me FOREVER to finish. I think Akil Amar is brilliant - he's a fantastic speaker who actually comes across just as powerfully on the page.
I get smarter every time I pick up the book (and stronger - it's huge!). I hope to pick it up more often.
I get smarter every time I pick up the book (and stronger - it's huge!). I hope to pick it up more often.
Jul 23, 2011
A very good book. You don't have to be an expert, but you do have to be interested in the subject. If you are, the book's informative and enjoyable.
Mar 13, 2009
Steve
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An excellent indispensible resource for anyone looking into the origins of the Constitution. Lengthy, but worth the read.
Jan 27, 2009
Derek
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A very dense book, but one very insightful as to the intent behind the construction of the Constitution and its evolution.
Jul 19, 2010
Staci
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Read parts of this for a conference and really enjoyed it. Well worth a read if you have any interest in American government.
Aug 01, 2010
Bill
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Really interesting history of how the social/political events have led to the constitutions formation and amendments.
Sep 21, 2011
biography to america's constitution.
not that hard, human words reading experience.
not that hard, human words reading experience.
Jul 15, 2008
Thanh
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I took Constitutional Law with Prof. Amar, who naturally assigned his own book for the class in addition to an enormous Case Book. Naturally, this book was my preferred of the two, and upon completing the assigned readings, I found myself actually genuinely enjoying the book. The chapters are divided topically and are easily manageable and readable, while still extremely informative and overflowing with facts and knowledge. Def. recommend this book to those interesting in the constitution, Ameri
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Feb 23, 2008
Matt
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A hell of a book. Not a trivial read, that's for sure. But to people like me who didn't have any history in college (and don't remember much from before then) it's a fantastic book, essentially about American history.
The book takes through our constitution line-by-line, explaining the historical context and relevance of each word and phrase. Although it seems somewhat tortured at times, it's enough to make even the most jaded American proud and patriotic.
Highly recommen
The book takes through our constitution line-by-line, explaining the historical context and relevance of each word and phrase. Although it seems somewhat tortured at times, it's enough to make even the most jaded American proud and patriotic.
Highly recommen
May 23, 2007
Zahreen
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This is actually a great book to read to understand the history and context of the American Constitution and it is well-written. I actually enjoyed reading it, despite the fact that I am not all that interested American history (though the topic is now growing on me!). It is written by a very famous constitutional law professor at Yale Law School, who also teaches Constitutional Law to the undergrads at Yale, one of the best classes I've taken!
Aug 18, 2008
Caren
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I definitely learned a lot about the Constitution from reading this book. Written in the form of a "biography" it gives the history of the Constitution but also a political and legal point of view. It tells American history through the perspective of the Constitution from the Preamble to Amendment XVII. Good stuff if you can get all the way through it!
Feb 19, 2008
Allen
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The BEST book in years on the intellectual origins, original meanings and significance of the constitution to the development of American government. Nearly every phrase in the constitution is explain with regards to its historical significance and its place in 18th century legal and governmental theory. Enormously entertaining and fascinating.
