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We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution
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About This Book
The U.S. Constitution is among the oldest constitutions in the world--and one of the most difficult to amend. At what cost? In this landmark, lavishly illustrated book, Harvard professor of history and law Jill Lepore argues that the philosophy of amendment is foundational to American constitutionalism. Challenging both originalism and the Supreme Court's monopoly on constitutional interpretation, Lepore argues that the framers never intended for the Constitution to be kept, like a butterfly, under glass, but instead expected that future generations would be forever tinkering with it, improving the machinery of government. In an account as radical as Charles Beard's An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States, Lepore offers a sweeping, lyrical, and democratic constitutional history, telling the stories of generations of Americans who have attempted everything from abolishing the Electoral College to guaranteeing environmental rights, hoping to mend America by amending its constitution.
Reviews
"Asymmetries lie at the foundation of our government; as this gifted scholar reminds us, it's our duty to tend to them."
"Lepore warns that her book is neither 'a treatise on constitutional law' nor 'a compendium of Supreme Court decisions' ..."
"Those who recognise the constitution's defects can take heart from Lepore's history, which shows that it has been changed in the past and that even when such efforts have failed they have significantly enhanced democratic debate."
"Lepore provides the insights necessary to appreciate the struggles of the past and navigate present and future challenges."
"requires only a curiosity about American history, and not a law degree, to appreciate Lepore's lucid arguments."
"Lepore urges the public and legislators to seriously take up the cause of amendment once again."
"With the Constitution under daily threat, Lepore's outstanding book makes for urgent reading."
"Lepore highlights periods in American history when amending the Constitution was an important and accessible tool, and periods when amending faced great obstacles."
"Most illuminating when it unearths long-ignored but prescient provisions that sprang from groups excluded from the body politic ..."
"Each of her book's 13 chapters offers a vivid portrait of mostly unfamiliar voices of constitutional demurral from this archive and beyond ..."
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