Congress Reconsidered

by Lawrence C. Dodd, Bruce I. Oppenheimer

The seventh edition maintains the classic format that has made Congress Reconsidered such an effective text for classroom use as well as an effective research tool. The seventeen essays -- thirteen of which are new -- stand out as providing the broadest and most up-to-date discussion of the contemporary Congress that is available in any single volume.

Genres: Politics, Textbooks, Political Science, College, Nonfiction, School

452 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book from a course that I actually Withdrew from in college. It was a very informative read without being too boring.

[Daniel DeButts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay don't hate me, but I actually really liked this. It is a collection of academic articles about Congressional trends and theories over the last one hundred years. Despite the occasionally dry chapter, some of the concepts are novel and fascinating. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Congressional underpinnings.

[J. Tayler Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A required read for school. While insightful, this book was generally difficult to read. It is best for those who are looking to understand American Congress, not for those who are looking for an enjoyable read on American Congress.

[Indira Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

how did i forget to add a textbook to my reading list. Like excuse me, yes, it counts as a book, since it is a book, therefore it counts on reading challenge.

[Nikita Nikishin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good selection of good scholarship. A solid textbook.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

You pretty much get what you expect with this oft-assigned text for courses that study Congress. Essays in the 10-20 page range from many of the more well-respected political scientists on a variety of topics that relate the history, practices, and future of Congress as an institution.

As in any book of this kind, some of the essays are more engaging than others (and some academics are better writers than others). New editions are released every few years, and this may be one of the instances where it is worth a few extra dollars to get a newer version. I read the one from 2008, and some of the articles were already beginning to be dated.

Congress Reconsidered is a fine primer, but if you really want to dig into any of the topics it covers, you will need to find some of the book length treatments of some of the authors of these essays. As an entry point to the literature, it works just as intended.

[John Weibull · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in college and it is still filled with great information about how Congress operates. This is a timely read, especially now when Congress is reasserting its power against the Bush administration.