Corwin and Peltason's Understanding the Constitution [Paperback]

Jack Walter Peltason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1997 | ISBN-10: 0155036858 | ISBN-13: 978-0155036857 | Edition: 14th

For close to fifty years, Understanding the Constitution has helped students understand and interpret the document that outlines America's fundamental rules and government structures. Always current and concise, this textbook is an indispensable supplement for courses in constitutional law, judicial process, and the American government. Features: * This handbook examines the Constitution clause by clause in light of judicial interpretation and current applications. * Peltason provides thorough commentary for key Constitutional issues, while encouraging students to explore different interpretations of the constitution. New to this edition: * Understanding the Constitution now covers the 1995-1996 Supreme Court Session. * Peltason discusses the Supreme Court's current consideration of such volatile issues as affirmative action, cyberspace and the First Amendment, and federalism.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sue Davis received her Ph.D. from the University of California – Santa Barbara, then joined the Political Science Department at the University of Delaware, where she specializes in Constitutional Law and Political Theory. Professor Davis teaches Civil Liberties, Constitutional Law, Politics and Literature, American Political Thought, and Mexican Politics. She is currently finishing a book that examines Elizabeth Cady Stanton's political thought in the context of the political environment of the second half of the nineteenth century. Other books published include AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT: FOUR HUNDRED YEARS OF IDEAS AND IDEOLOGIES. Prentice-Hall, 1996 and JUSTICE REHNQUIST AND THE CONSTITUTION. Princeton University Press, 1989. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 497 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt College Pub; 14th edition (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0155036858
• ISBN-13: 978-0155036857
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,700,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Step by step clarification, December 4, 2000

By 

"valerielovely" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding the Constitution (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful resource for someone interested in learning about the constition. This book walks you through the constitution line by line explaining and giving examples from actual court cases along the way. It's a little bit old, but I think it's definitly worth reading as a first look at the constitution.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the book I would choose for a class text, August 25, 2006

By 

professor - See all my reviews

This review is from: Corwin and Peltason's Understanding the Constitution (Paperback)

This is a well thought-out text that offers good clean insight into the historical background of the Constitution. I, personally, enjoyed reading it. My students, however, glaze over on the first page. It is written as more of a historical narrative and offers none of the washed out "end of chapter" ammenitites that we have come to rely upon. No powerpoints, test banks, etc.... It is simply too much of a "chunky monkey" that puts the reader in the position of intensely reading the material and constructing complex notes. This is the text I wish my students would eagerly read and engage themselves in, but then there is reality. Verdict - for use as an undergratuate class text - no. For use as a personal research primer or graduate text - yes.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poor Teacher, March 31, 2006

By 

Jonathan Edwards (Pismo Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Corwin and Peltason's Understanding the Constitution (Paperback)

Simply put, this book does relatively little in the way of actually teaching anything. Its main strength lies in explaining the Constitution line by line with commentary and extensive historical backing. However, the book simply lays out a TON of commentary without actually teaching the student anything at all. There are no questions for thought until the very end of the chapter, and the commentary following the Constitution's lines are most often altogether devoid of subheadings for organizational benefit. It is a very plain text that will provide a lot of information, but in a relatively meaningless manner for many individuals. Moreover, the commentary is interminably boring in nature, and thus an appeal to the reader's sense cannot be hoped for.

Regarding the review above naming this book a left-wing propaganda volume, the reviewer should not be heeded as his comments are completely ignorant and without support. I am a conservative, and I find that this book is not a convoluted view of the Constitution's meaning and interpretation by the Supreme Court. It really makes a good attempt at remaining quite neutral politically while being fair to the development of the Constitution historically.

However, the ability of the book to actually imbue the reader with knowledge through means of teaching a subject is what I am concerned with reviewing. For the lack thereof, I give the book a low rating.