Finally; a book about the Constitution which doesn’t have an
agenda! I had almost given up hope. The only complaint I could possibly have
with this highly informative and unbiased look at our Nation’s most sacred
document is the same as with most books about the Constitution; they don’t
include a copy for reference. Since the authors refer to Articles and
Amendments on just about every page, it would have been convenient. Fortunately
I have several copies strategically located throughout the house and 2 more in
the car. Beyond that oversight, this book is a refreshing look at the
Constitution; absent of any political bent.
The authors begin at the beginning; a very good place to
start; and then take us chronologically through the history of the document
itself and it’s remarkable life through over 2 centuries of tumult, chaos and
division. The resiliency which the Founding Fathers built into this document is
clearly on view; and easily understood in the treatment afforded it by this
book.
Different readers will favor different parts of this work; but all readers will take away new insights and understandings from reading
it. So nuanced is the Constitution that; in many ways just as with the Talmud; you can read something several times over,
only to have the apparent meaning change with each successive reading. Add in
over 2 centuries of social change and you have quite a range of
interpretations!
From the beginnings of Marbury v Madison; all the way through
the latest controversial Supreme Court rulings; this book, and these authors, have presented us with a gift for these tumultuous times. To avail yourself of the
wonderful fruits this gift offers, you need only open the first page.
