General Books

The Constitution of the United States of America, with the Bill of Rights and all of the Amendments; The Declaration of Independence; and the Articles of Confederation

Thomas Jefferson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Copyright page is arrogant! 2 out of 5 stars.
12 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This Constitution is published by Wilder Publications. The copyright page says this:

"This book is a product of its time and does not reflect the same values as it would if it were written today. Parents might wish to discuss with their children how views on race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and interpersonal relations have changed since this book was written before allowing them to read this classic work."

I don't know what to make of that. If it says what I think it says I think I want a Constitution from another publisher! That statement seems to say that the Publisher is telling us how to read it! They are saying that it's principles couldn't possibly mean the same thing today! What arrogance! I hope they don't mean these things but how can I not come to these conclusions?

Editorial Review:

Collected here in one affordable volume are the most important documents of the United States of America: The Constitution of the United States of America, with the Bill of Rights and all of the Amendments; The Declaration of Independence; and the Articles of Confederation. These three documents are the basis for our entire way of life. Every citizen should have a copy.

The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to the Constitution (Politically Incorrect Guides)

Kevin R. C. Gutzman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 40 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good in the areas it addresses but too narrow in scope 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 6 people found this review helpful.

The areas that this book covers are generally covered well; however, I was hoping for a book that was broader in scope. It really ought to be called "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Judicial Tyranny" or something to that effect as this is the area that the author focuses the most on.

He did do a good job covering judicial tyranny and explaining how the judicial branch has far exceeded the power the Founding Fathers intended it to have. He also provides an excellent overview of the history of the Constitution and the various conventions, which I learned a great deal from.

However, legislative and executive tyranny and abuse of the Constitution only receive brief mentions; for example, he addresses some of Abraham Lincoln's more blatant violations of the Constitution and does a good job covering the problem of secession but doesn't address more contemporary Constitutional issues like the PATRIOT Act, military commissions, secret prisons, and undeclared wars. These are some of the most hotly contested issues in Constitutional law right now and there have been several court rulings on them, so the book would've been more relevant if these issues had been addressed.

Another issue I was surprised the author omitted was the whole issue of Constitutional interpretation, which I consider a serious problem with the book. He simply assumes originalism without explaining or defending it, and he doesn't really distinguish between the different kinds of textualism (textualism vs. authorial intent). Given his intended audience, there's a pretty good chance that many people will either not understand originalism or disagree with it outright (e.g. proponents of the "living Constitution" theory of interpretation), so he really should have addressed this.

With that said, this book is still very informative and provides an important perspective on a number of issues, so it receives my recommendation.

Editorial Review:

In The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution, readers will follow the Supreme Court as it uses the Constitution as a fig leaf to cover its blatant seizing of the people's right to govern themselves through elections. Gutzman unveils the radical inconsistency between constitutional law and the rule of law, and shows why and how the Supreme Court should be reined in to the proper role assigned to it by the Founders.

The Invisible Constitution (Inalienable Rights)

Laurence H. Tribe

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

As everyone knows, the United States Constitution is a tangible, visible document. Many see it in fact as a sacred text, holding no meaning other than that which is clearly visible on the page. Yet as renowned legal scholar Laurence Tribe shows, what is not written in the Constitution plays a key role in its interpretation. Indeed some of the most contentious Constitutional debates of our time hinge on the extent to which it can admit of divergent readings.
In The Invisible Constitution, Tribe argues that there is an unseen constitution--impalpable but powerful--that accompanies the parchment version. It is the visible document's shadow, its dark matter: always there and possessing some of its key meanings and values despite its absence on the page. As Tribe illustrates, some of our most cherished and widely held beliefs about constitutional rights are not part of the written document, but can only be deduced by piecing together hints and clues from it. Moreover, some passages of the Constitution do not even hold today despite their continuing existence. Amendments may have fundamentally altered what the Constitution originally said about slavery and voting rights, yet the old provisos about each are still in the text, unrevised. Through a variety of historical episodes and key constitutional cases, Tribe brings to life this invisible constitution, showing how it has evolved and how it works. Detailing its invisible structures and principles, Tribe compellingly demonstrates the invisible constitution's existence and operative power.
Remarkably original, keenly perceptive, and written with Tribe's trademark analytical flair, this latest volume in Oxford's Inalienable Rights series offers a new way of understanding many of the central constitutional debates of our time.

The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates (Signet Classics)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Origin of our Bill of Rights 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

"The Anti-Federalist Papers" along with the "Federalist Papers" is an excellent way to really learn about how our Constitution came about. Pseudonyms like The Centinel, The Pennsylvania Farmer, John DeWitt, Cato, et.al. set forth the cons against why various provisions of our Constitution should be viewed with great suspicion, and they offered counter proposals to safeguard our freedoms from ultimate despotism. I haven't read all the papers as I am also studying the Federalist Papers along with this book; but I am finding that many of the warnings the Anti-Federalists expressed have either come true or have come a long way toward becoming true.

I surely recommend purchasing this book if you want to learn the truth behind the reasons for our Constitution being as it is, and if you want to finally understand this very important basis for our government.

Editorial Review:

The dissenting opinions of Patrick Henry and others who saw the Constitution as a threat to our hard-won rights and liberties.

Edited and introduced by Ralph Ketcham.

Constitutional Law: Principles And Policies (Introduction to Law Series)

Erwin Chemerinsky

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

the bible for con-law 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If anyone is taking Constitutional Law and is using the Chemerinsky case book, this treatise is a MUST have. You can actually get along the semester perfectly without the big case book and just reading this treatise. It explains things way better than the big book. Unless you need to know the cases straight from the language in the case book, this is just enough to do very well in this class.

Recommeded for Con Law Class 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is very helpful if you are looking for a Con Law study aid or explanation book. Many of my classmates also felt they had a better understanding of Con Law while using this book with the class.

Best Book In Law School 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Constitutional Law is by far the best book that I've purchased in law school. The author writes clearly and organizes a vast amount of material in a concise and readable fashion. I used this book for four classes, Con Law I and II, First Amendment, and Administrative law, and I wish I could find another treatise this useful for other classes.

Editorial Review:

Written by leading scholars, each title in the "Introduction to Law" series contains comprehensive treatment in black-letter style. Featuring footnotes citing to case law, statutory and other authorities, these volumes are ideal for in-depth research on particular issues and points of law.

The U.S. Constitution: And Fascinating Facts About It

Terry L. Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Small and Easy to Use 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

You can't really write a review about the Constitution! But I can tell you that this little book is not too difficult on the eyes, easy to use and simple for carrying to class. It doesn't weigh much in a pocket or a backpack, and this is the version I've used throughout my grad-school days. And after several years of thumbing through it, the book still hasn't fallen apart!

US Constitution and Bill of Rights 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A very conveniently sized book that can be easily put into your pocket and places two of our country's most important documents within easy reach. I teach ESOL and I buy multiple copies so I can make sure that all my students can have a copy as they will hopefully begin studying for their US citizenship. Not only are the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in this book but also little known facts of our founding fathers, notes on famous Supreme Court decisions, Articles of Confederation, etc.

What's a matter with you. Not having a knowledge of the US Constitution???? 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Get this. It's thorough. I read it many times over. It keeps things in perspective of where we should be as a nation.
Sigh!
Tom

Editorial Review:

Features the entire text of The U.S Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, plus much more!

The Heritage Guide to the Constitution

Edwin Meese, Matthew Spalding, David F. Forte

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Marvelous Book! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Every American Citizen should read this book. Understanding the relationship between citizenship and the rules by which the people authorize governance are very well described. With the press for democracy in the world, we tend to forget that the United States is not a democracy but a republic. Likewise, compliance with the Constitution prevents the establishment of an aristocracy. With the current arrogance of elected officials, we as a people have an obligation to become better informed on the roots of our sovereign law (which comes from the people) and what should be enforced; and that enforcement comes from our knowledge of the Constitution! The Heritage Foundation has done a superb service for all Americans in preparing this guide!

Editorial Review:

This guide is the first of its kind, and presents the U.S. Constitution as never before, including a clause-by-clause analysis of the document, each amendment and relevant court case, and the documents that serve as the foundation of the Constitution.

The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms

Stephen P. Halbrook

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The depth and detail added to source material quotes makes this a fine pick 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

THE FOUNDERS' SECOND AMENDMENT: ORIGINS OF THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS considers the history of the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms in early America from 1768 to 1826, offering up the first book-length account of these origins based on the Founders' own statements from newspapers, debates, and legislative resolutions. The depth and detail added to source material quotes makes this a fine pick for both college and high school collections strong in American history and politics.

Editorial Review:

Stephen Halbrook's The Founders' Second Amendment is the first book-length account of the origins of the Second Amendment, based on the Founders' own statements as found in newspapers, correspondence, debates, and resolutions. Mr. Halbrook investigates the period from 1768 to 1826, from the last years of British rule and the American Revolution through to the adoption of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and the passing of the Founders' generation. His book offers the most comprehensive analysis of the arguments behind the drafting and adoption of the Second Amendment, and the intentions of the men who created it. With the question of the right to bear arms scheduled to come before the Supreme Court in the spring of 2008, The Founders' Second Amendment could scarcely be more timely.

America's Constitution: A Biography

Akhil Reed Amar

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Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In America’s Constitution, one of this era’s most accomplished constitutional law scholars, Akhil Reed Amar, gives the first comprehensive account of one of the world’s great political texts. Incisive, entertaining, and occasionally controversial, this “biography” of America’s framing document explains not only what the Constitution says but also why the Constitution says it.

We all know this much: the Constitution is neither immutable nor perfect. Amar shows us how the story of this one relatively compact document reflects the story of America more generally. (For example, much of the Constitution, including the glorious-sounding “We the People,” was lifted from existing American legal texts, including early state constitutions.) In short, the Constitution was as much a product of its environment as it was a product of its individual creators’ inspired genius.

Despite the Constitution’s flaws, its role in guiding our republic has been nothing short of amazing. Skillfully placing the document in the context of late-eighteenth-century American politics, America’s Constitution explains, for instance, whether there is anything in the Constitution that is unamendable; the reason America adopted an electoral college; why a president must be at least thirty-five years old; and why–for now, at least–only those citizens who were born under the American flag can become president.

From his unique perspective, Amar also gives us unconventional wisdom about the Constitution and its significance throughout the nation’s history. For one thing, we see that the Constitution has been far more democratic than is conventionally understood. Even though the document was drafted by white landholders, a remarkably large number of citizens (by the standards of 1787) were allowed to vote up or down on it, and the document’s later amendments eventually extended the vote to virtually all Americans.

We also learn that the Founders’ Constitution was far more slavocratic than many would acknowledge: the “three fifths” clause gave the South extra political clout for every slave it owned or acquired. As a result, slaveholding Virginians held the presidency all but four of the Republic’s first thirty-six years, and proslavery forces eventually came to dominate much of the federal government prior to Lincoln’s election.

Ambitious, even-handed, eminently accessible, and often surprising, America’s Constitution is an indispensable work, bound to become a standard reference for any student of history and all citizens of the United States.


From the Hardcover edition.

The Making of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution

W. Cleon Skousen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Making of America 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.

A remarkably clear and lucid explanation of how the Constitution was formed. The author's sensitivity to historical context is exceptional. The book is written in a breezy high-school style that makes it accessible to essentially any reader. The author quotes extensively from the writings of the Founders so that the reader doesn't have to take his word for anything. This book is a "must-read" for anyone who wants to be an informed and responsible citizen of our republic.

The Makeing of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful.

The Making of America is a must read for every American. This book gives an detailed account of what the Founding Fathers' intended our form of government to be, a Republic, not a Democracy. If you want to be a patriot that is not blown about by every wind of political sophistry, read this book! Did you realize that the Founding Fathers' had a different political spectrum that we use today? Read this book to find out more.

A Must Read 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This book is a must read for every American. This should be taught in our school system. Everyone should know the Constitution so they can see for themselves what the government is taking away. Liberty is for all not just a few.