Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. General    3. Political Science    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Constitution: government & the state    7. Political Science / General   

Reviews (12)

Interesting history...
This was an interesting read.Napolitano is a Fox News Contributor who is an advocate of interpreting via natural law and reading the Constitution literally for it's intended meaning.As a result, the Fox News bashers will tend to ignore the book but it's worthy of their attention too because the leftwing liberal idea of reinterpeting the Constitution for today is what lead to legislation like the Patriot Act.In an unbiased way (politically), his criticisms of the current administration are well-balanced with a good explanation and examples of abuse.I've traditionally been a supporter of the Republicans and the Patriot act but the Judge's book have made me rethink the Patriot Act.I was also surprised at how far back in time some of the interpretation contraversies go, some dating back to Hamilton and Jefferson themselves.

Outstanding work by Judge Napolitano
I have never written a review for Amazon but this book was so good that I felt compelled to go through the process.
For Freedom loving Americans
Judge Napolitano commicated what I been seeing happen. He has the legal background to explain how the Federal Government has sized power that was never intended for them to have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional history    2. Constitutions    3. Executive power    4. General    5. Government - General    6. Government - Legislative Branch    7. Government - U.S. Government    8. History    9. Political Freedom & Security - General    10. Political Science    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Popular works    14. Separation of powers    15. U.S. Constitutional History    16. United States    17. Political Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. Constitutions    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics and government    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Textbooks    9. United States    10. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    11. Political Science / General    12. USA   

Reviews (23)

Invaluable to anyone with an interest in the meaning of the Constitution.
This is a remarkable work with contributions from more than a hundred legal scholars. The intent is to "present the Founder's understanding of the Constitution and its various provisions" along with the judicial interpretations and political circumstances that make up the historical development of constitutional law. Intended for an audience of lawmakers, judges and lawyers, the Heritage Guide is also a valuable addition to the library of any person with an abiding interest in one of the most - if not the most - remarkable documents created by the hand of man.
Very solid reference of the Constitution
This book goes line by line through the Constitution explaining the original intent of the founders.It also has articles for each topic authored by the leading scholars in the respective areas.If you are interested in knowing the history of the Constitution, this book is a must.
Great Book
Very detailed coverage of the constitution and amendments.Each phrase is commented on and relevant and significant court cases and developments of interpretation are listed.I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in constitutional law and history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional law    3. Constitutions    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations    7. U.S. Constitutional History    8. United States    9. Political Science / General   

Reviews (21)

For the layman's library as well as the expert's
If you--like this reader--want to be an educated newspaper reader and voter, then this book is worth the investment in time and money.Professional reviews indicate Amar's brilliance in the field of constitutional law, but that brilliance translates into a highy readable book.
For lawyers and scholars only
America's Constitution follows the US Constitution, from the soaring brillinace of the preamble, through article 7 and each of the amendments.Amar describes in depth the historical and political background of each section and explains what the drafters had intended, why it was written with the particular words and expressions that were used, and the intended and unintended consequences of the choices made by the framers.
great intro to the constitution
Amar explains in his postscript that his aim in writing this book was "to offer a comprehensive account of America's Constitution, introducing the reader both to the legal text (and its consequences) and to the political deeds that gave rise to that text." He has achieved this aim splendidly. This phrase-by-phrase guided tour through the document never fails to inform and provoke, whether or not one agrees with its author (and I don't always). It's also a very approachable book, in terms of both style and content. The knowledge base assumed here is considerable, but not forbidding: anybody with a good working knowledge of the Seven Articles and the better-known Amendments ought to be able to thread his way profitably through Amar's lucid and energetic narrative.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional History    3. Constitutions    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. U.S. History - Constitutional Period To Civil War (1789-1860)    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. Political Science / Constitutions   

Reviews (18)

Hayek--Orwell's Mentor
At the height of socialist popularism in England, cir. 1944,George Orwell, a leading proponent of socialism, believing in its promises as did many,if not most of Eurpose's leading intellectuals and politicians, wrote a review of Hayek's famous book, "The Road to Serfdom."Orwell wrote the review in the "Observer," London April 9,1944.
Brilliant, timeless classic
The Constitution of Liberty is "a comprehensive restatement of the basic principles of a philosophy of freedom" (p. 3).It is often considered the magnum opus of Hayek's political writings, even if The Road to Serfdom is perhaps better known.
Shows why there is no elsewhere elsewhere
This is a book that can be right in ways that confound all expertise, a basic text of political economy, brilliant enough to summarize all the mistakes of the twentieth century while they were still happening.With an author born in Europe, aware of a society with classes based on great wealth, where culture was largely the activity of a few thousand incredibly intelligent people, but, due to a bestseller of his own, exposed to the dynamic economic growth of postwar America, teaching in an offbeat center like the University of Chicago, concerned about liberty, law, "The Decline of Socialism and the Rise of the Welfare State," Social Security, and utterly convinced of his main point:the necessity for taxation to pay for whatever benefits a government can contrive.Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History & Theory - General    3. History - General History    4. Liberty    5. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    6. Political Science    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Public Policy - Social Policy    9. Rule of law    10. Social policy    11. Constitution: government & the state    12. Political Science / History & Theory   

Reviews (7)

Historical analysis as it should be written (well, almost)
I will start my review with what I consider two weaknesses of this book.
Intresting, but is it reliable?
Lots of good thoughts here, and an interesting historical account of the rise of various types of governance.Unfortunately, when van Creveld talks about things I know about already, he gets a lot of them wrong -- for instance, p222, where he asserts that by 1939, 'every American' was 'issued his or her social security card', and that 'the Dept. of Health and Human Services had been created.'HHS was created in the 1970s, under Carter, and to this day not every citizen has a Soc. Sec. card. the coming new world disorder
This work illustrates that Martin van Creveld is more than one of our premier military historians and theorists. It demonstrates a grasp of political theory that escapes most of the learned professors that infest the upper strata of our current pundits and political science intelligensia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Theory - General    2. History: World    3. Political History    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. State, The    7. World - General    8. World politics    9. Constitution: government & the state    10. History / World    11. World history   

Reviews (10)

Obsolete.
Don't Bother.The 'US Constitution' has been obsolete since approximately 2001.Such quaint concepts as the so-called 'Bill of Rights' could presumably be of limited interest to niche scholars interested in archaic concepts such as civil rights and the mythical 'Rule of Law,' but are really of no interest in the modern era.

Perfect Pocket or Briefcase Reference
I have always been looking for a reference copy of the U.S. Consitution to carry with me.For me this volume is that reference.This volume is compact, well laid out, and contains no unwanted extraneous materials.

Great Pocket Reference
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States is a great pocket reference source.I would recommend looking into "The Heritage Guide to the Constitution" as a partner to this book."The Dec of Ind and the Con of the US" offers up no explaination of the Articles or of the Bill of Rights and Ammendments.This is why I would also recommend getting the Heritage Guide for a great explaination of everything.This pocket sized guide book is a great reference source for those of you who like to argue the Constitution around the dinner table.Just whip this little book out and you'll have the complete version of our Fore Fathers documents that created this great country right at your fingertips. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutions    2. General    3. History    4. History: World    5. Politics / Current Events    6. History / General   

Reviews (2)

On conditions for democracy
Having read this book, I understand why Linz has gained international reputation. (As an example, he was made honorary doctor at The Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Oslo, Norway, 2000.) This book is written in an engaging way, with lots of interesting information. Its clear structure and quite simple language also makes it easy to read. Those believing that political science is "heavy, dry and dull" will probably change their minds if they read "Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation". Personally, I found the chapters on South America very enlightening. The book gives information about how citizens view "democracy" in the respective countries, and the challenges each country faces in terms of democratic transition and consolidation. I agree with the first reviewer that this book is a must-have for all interested in the countries in question or political science in general. (Having just finished my dissertation in political science, I've read my share of less interesting and poorly written works!)

A clear and concise presentation
This is the book for everyone looking for the ultimate answer to the questions regarding democratic transitions in the east as well as in the west. Although somewhat fuzzy and unclear in the theoretical outline it does offer some serious answers as well as questions on the democratization waves in former communist countries and dictatorships all over the planet. This is a must for all political scientists as well as those with inclination towards contemporary political subjects. This will be a standard opus on this subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Democracy    3. Europe, Southern    4. Government - Comparative    5. History    6. Political Ideologies - Democracy    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. South America    10. Constitution: government & the state    11. Eastern Europe    12. Political science & theory    13. Political structures: democracy    14. Southern Europe   

Subjects:  1. 1722-1803    2. Adams, Samuel,    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Constitutions    6. Declaration of Independence    7. Historical - U.S.    8. Political Ideologies - Democracy    9. Political Science    10. Politicians    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Signers    14. United States    15. United States - Colonial Period    16. United States - Revolutionary War    17. United States.    18. Political Science / Constitutions   

Editorial Review

"The majority of historians seem to suggest that the founders knew just what to do--and did it, creating a government that would endure for centuries," writes CUNY historian Carol Berkin in the introduction to Read more

Reviews (5)

Nicely Done.
If you are looking for a short, understandable compendium of how the US Constitution evolved, then this is the book for you. Carol Berkin has done a very good job of putting these critical deliberations, the pros and the cons, forward in layman's terms. Better yet, the prose is clear, crisp and incisive. This is a succinct volume in which every word counts, so you will probably want to read it through more than once.
Not Brilliant but Worth the Read
Like so many elements of history, there is rampant ignorance or misunderstanding among the American public regarding the origins of our Constitution.Sadly, a significant majority surely have no concept whatsoever of the failed initial attempt at a United States government.More significantly, among the historically literate outside academic circles, there has been a common misperception of our Framers as a set of omniscient statesmen who shared a clear view of the ideal government and crafted a structure that remains unchanged in its essentials to this day.The purpose of Berkin's book is, through a focus on the papers of constitutional convention delegates, to provide insight into the reality behind these myths. an engaging and important book
Civics class ranked among the most horrendous when I was a student, compared to art studio, gym or field biology.The Federalist Papers seemed like the most stultifying tome one could ever be force-fed.So why would anybody inflict a book on the Constitution upon themselves for fun?Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional Law    2. Constitutions    3. History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. Political History    7. U.S. History - Revolution And Confederation (1775-1789)    8. United States - Revolutionary War    9. Political Science / Constitutions   

Reviews (2)

A good start ...
I found this book engaging for the most part. I especially appreciated some of the snippets of speeches and the description of the interplay between Madison and Patrick Henry and James Monroe and others.
Excellent!
Loved this book!I read it in one day...couldn't put it down.Learn how our precious Bill of Rights almost didn't come into being, and learn about the men who made sure it did. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1751-1836    2. 1st-10th Amendments    3. Civil rights    4. Constitution.    5. Constitutions    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History - U.S.    9. History: American    10. Madison, James,    11. Political History    12. United States    13. United States - 18th Century    14. United States - Revolutionary War    15. United States.    16. American history: c 1500 to c 1800    17. American studies    18. History / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)    19. History, American | Early National    20. Jurisprudence & General Issues    21. Political ideologies    22. USA    23. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (8)

Manditory reading for anyone interested in Laws and Rights
This is nothing less than an exact translation of the Federalist papers for perople of our generations to read and understand.I found this necessary, as the truth and the history of our country is so clouded by media and revisionism, that it becomes very important to really look and study why our country was set up like it is.I recommend it to everyone.But I especially recommend it to students of law and our country.It is interesting, and well written.It easily is equivalent to a number of college level classes in constitutional law.

Great FP Primer
I think this book would make a great high school text for students in American Government classes. I'm sure at college levels the FPs aren't too hard to read in their old English, but the index is great. And the book is a testament to how wise the founding fathers who made the case for our current constitution really were. Many of the things they warned us against are indeed coming true in our democracy today. An Aid To Understanding Our Political Heritage
Mary E. Webster has performed an invaluable public service with this book. The Federalist Papers are among the most significant documents of this nation's founding era, yet they go largely unread, primarily because of their legalistic tone and complex sentence structure. As Webster states in her introduction, she has no political or social axe to grind and no agenda to fulfill. She simply wished to make these important documents available to a wider audience, and has succeeded admirably in that goal.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional history    2. Constitutions    3. Essays    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. History - General History    6. Political Science    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Sources    9. United States    10. United States - Revolutionary War   

Reviews (5)

Brilliant
This is a remarkable, though not easy to digest, book.Pocock traces the development of modern republican political theory from its birth in Renaissance Florence to the end of the 18th century.This book incorporates both broad structural analysis of the the unfolding of this tradition and a detailed readings of the major and quite a few minor contributors to this tradition.Pocock starts out by demonstrating that the Christian-Medieval tradition of western Europe was not equipped with the conceptual apparatus to develop a theory of republican governance.Intellectuals in Renaissance Florence then had to look back to the Classical writings of Aristotle, the historian Polybius, and other classical writers, to develop a system of thought that could justify and guide the life of city-states in Italy.An underlying theme that Pocock stresses throughout the book is the struggle of intellectuals trying to develop systems of government that would produce fulfillment and stability but constantly confronted with the insecurity and unstable nature of the real world.Another recurrent theme is the pressure to articulate republican theory constantly being confronted with new circumstances.The development of republican theory, particularly by the brilliant Machiavelli and Guicciardini, being prompted by the specific historical circumstances faced by the Florentine state.Machiavelli is really the pivotal figure, developing political theory unmoored from the divine.After tracing the development of Florentine theory, Pocock moves onto the development of republican theory in the very different circumstances of 17th century Britain.Here, theory had to accomodate not the problems of a city-state but an entire nation and changed significantly under the stimulus of the English Civil War.Pocock presents James Harrington as the key modifier and transmitter of the Machiavellian tradition and who in particularemphasized the role of property as the basis for republican stability.Pocock then moves on to the challenges of the 18th century with the confrontation of republican theory with an emerging commercial and imperial society.The final chapter deals with what happened when the American revolutionaries attempted to construct to a new society based on classical republican ideas.The failure of these ideas prompted the development of a new version of republican theory.Pocock's close analysis of individual thinkers is sometimes tough reading but ultimately rewarding. The analyses of individual thinkers are punctuated by general analyses that are invariably insightful and sometimes brilliant.Among other things, this is a basic book for understanding the intellectual background of the American Revolution and many important topics in modern history.

Birth and growth of the modern republic-- in a nutshell
This is the best book that I have found to date that traces the development of the theory of the modern "res public" from Machiavelli and the Florentine city-state, to the Glorious revolution in 17th century England, to the foundation of the American republic.
Machiavelli?
This book is a masterful testament to man's ability to become immersed in the importance of the force of history. After reading Pocock, there is no way to deny that this same historical force eclipses everyone in its path. It will be years before speaking or writing about Machiavelli apart from his historical moment will be possible. Any student of Machiavelli should avoid Mr. Pocock's book for this very reason. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History: American    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Western Europe - General    6. Constitution: government & the state    7. European History    8. History / Europe / Western    9. History of ideas, intellectual history    10. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    11. Philosophy    12. Political Science and International Relations    13. Political science & theory    14. Social & political philosophy    15. USA    16. Western Continental Europe   

Reviews (17)

Carrying on the conversation...
Linda Monk's book on the American Constitution, `The Words We Live By', is a wonderfully accessible and interesting introduction to the foundational document of the American polity.She starts in her introductory material by presenting the Constitution not as a dry and dusty piece of parchment to be revered but essentially ignored, but rather as an engagement of peoples in open conversation, something that can and should have an impact on the daily life and work of all Americans.Drawing inspiration from Judge Learned Hand, she states, `For the Constitution to have meaning, it must be not only the words we recite, but also the words we live by.'
Constitution
As a student who began an in-depth study of the Constitution this year, this book was my introduction to the Constitution. Never having known that much about the government or Constitution, this book was incredibly helpful in giving a fairly deep overview of what the Constitution meant, clause by clause.

Useful for kids and internet newbies
I would recommend this book to two types of folks:
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional history    3. Constitutional law    4. Constitutions    5. History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. Popular works    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. History / United States / General   

Subjects:  1. Philosophy    2. Political    3. Political science    4. Social contract    5. Constitution: government & the state    6. Philosophy / Political    7. Political science & theory    8. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800    9. c 1700 to c 1800   

Subjects:  1. Constitutions    2. General    3. History & Theory - General    4. Political    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Strauss, Leo    9. Performing Arts / General    10. Political science & theory    11. Social & political philosophy