Customer Reviews

Decision in Philadelphia

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Collier brothers are an amazing act. Authors of the classic children's novel, "My Brother Sam is Dead," they also carry on careers individually as a history professor and writer on jazz respectively. "Decision in Philadelphia" is the story of the Constitutional Convention from start to finish. Told with novel-like drama and narrative flow, this is the first choice for any general reader who wants to know more about the issues driving our country's second national government (the first, the Articles of Confederation, had failed miserably). Very readable, and very interesting, "Decision in Philadelphia" is a book I have my own AP US History students read for its depth of knowledge and ease of reading (although I wouldn't recommend it for anybody lower than high school, unless exceptionally precocious and obsessed with history). All in all, one of the great popular histories available on any subject.

I enjoyed reading this book. In it, the authors explain what happened at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Most enthusiasts of the period know about Madison and Hamilton and that the Convention was convened to write a new Constitution, but what many don't know is that there were many characters besides Madison and Hamilton that attended and held sway. And in bringing to light these other characters the book shines.

There are individual chapters on Charles Pinckney, Roger Sherman, William Paterson, Luther Martin, James Wilson, Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and more. The chapters are written in a lively manner without getting bogged down in details. Collier and Collier give you the "flavor" and most important aspects of each of these characters. There was a lot of "juice". The reading never got dull.

There were also many issues that I was totally unaware of, such as the alliance of several southern states with the "big" states, as well as Connecticut's frequent alliance with the southern states. I was surprised that the issue of slavery, 80 years before the Civil War, played such a central role at the Convention. I enjoyed learning how each of the colonies fared during the period of the Articles of Confederation and how this affected their bargaining positions. It was fascinating to learn about the process itself, the vote counting among the representatives, and the pure politics that went on during the Convention.

All in all, the book was a very quick, informative, and entertaining read. It also fills a gap, as there is not much in the "popular" press written about the Convention. The book is appropriate for those who have already done some reading on early American history as well as those who take a passing interest.

This book tells the story of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia which resulted in the writing of the U.S. Constitution. It starts by describing the dissatisfaction that some states had with the Articles of Confederation. Then, it goes through the issues important to the framers one at a time, describing the conflicts involved and how they were resolved.

Two issues are discussed at some length. First, the authors detail the battle over proportional representation versus equal representation for the states in the (new) Congress, which pitted the smaller states against an alliance between the biggest states and the Deep South states. Next, they discuss all the issues regarding slavery. The last several chapters of the book describe the ideas and compromises about how the government functions -- the role of the president, the method of choosing the president, the presence of a bill of rights, etc...

The book was well written and in most parts a joy to read. It left me wanting to read biographies of several of the men involved in creating the Constitution.

Last summer, before attending the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, I read this work to get a perspective on the city's past and present. Although I am a lawyer, I was unaware of all of the compromises and contentions that went into the forming of the US Constitution. Fortunately, the book is not written chronologically. Rather, the authors deal with their topics issue-by-issue: the separation of powers, the role of the House and the Senate, etc. This provides an even, uninterrupted flow to the narrative. It also helped in December when I reread the sections on the electoral college. Anyone interested in the framers' intent during last year's political circus should buy this book.

Giving great insight not only into the convention but also into the men who attended it, the Colliers provide a fascinating glimpse into one of the most important events in American history. The book is written so that any level reader would enjoy it, but at the same time gives accurate detail on the proceedings of the convention and the crucial moments at which our Constitution almost didn't come to be. By far, the best account of the Consitutional Convention I've read!!

Christopher and James Collier started very strongly in this telling of the Constitutional Convention. The book tends to bog down in the middle, particularly on the slave issues and then finishes better (until the last chapter that is mainly an editorial). The Colliers took a different approach writing this book - they decided to write about each different major issue as a separate topic and then follow that topic chronologically through to its conclusion. I'm not sure why they took that approach, but my guess that it made it easier for two individuals to write up their separate pieces and then put it back together again. However, for the reader, it is not the best approach. It causes repetition, confusion as to the timeline, it affects the rhythm of the story, kluges together the biographies of the main players and slows down the pace.

Other dislikes are the bibliography and the often thrown in opinions. Because the bibliography is sloppy and not very well documented, it is difficult to know when facts are being presented or opinions. I'm okay with historians giving me their read on the situation, but it is nice to know when that is occurring. Since most of the book is secondary references, the sloppiness is not acceptable. The authors stated that they used Madison's "Notes", but they are not documented in a way to show when they are used versus when a secondary reference is being used.

I did enjoy the quick biographies of many of the players, George Mason, Elbridge Gerry, James Wilson, William Paterson, Roger Sherman, Charles Pinckney, and James Madison - many of which I had very little previous knowledge. Although the manor in which the biographies were brought into the story caused me to confuse some of them by the end.

It is a very readable account and one that every American should at least attempt to read in order to understand the accomplishment of these very patriotic men. How many of us would leave their families and their work for nearly four months and live in 90 degree heat without air conditioning and dress formally each day. Yet, these men did something that our Congress today can't seem to do - they found the pieces that they agreed upon and built from there. They didn't try to tear each apart in order to feed any egos. This was a truly remarkable feat.

I'm sure that this is not the best documentary on this subject, but it is certainly good enough for a primer and it's probably a little better than that. I'd give it 3.5 stars, but since I can't - it's 3 stars.

This is a great book for anyone wanting to know about our Constitution. There are so many fascinating charachters that come to life in this book. Though we were taught about this subject in school, this book reveals many details we never learned. This is an easy to read yet in depth piece of literature.

Simply written, this wonderful book is engaging and makes you not only appreciate the greatness of the men involved with the forming of our nation; but, more importanly, helps you appreciate the rich history our country is founded on. Many years ago, I enjoyed being taught by a brillant history professor. He made a comment that I found intriguing. He said the greatest minds our country has ever had lived within 50 years of each other. "Decision in Philadelphia" does a magnificent job illustrating this point.

The title of this review says it all. There are more scholarly reviews of the Constitutional Convention but none that reads as well. Take it to the beach. It's that readable. And it teaches. The Colliers have real insight into what happened during that hot but memorable summer in 1787.

This book is a great read for people who wish to learn about the constitutional convention and the trials that that Founders faced in creating our system of government. The book also uncovers the personality traits of many of the Founders who played significant roles at the convention and discusses the disputes that served as stumbling blocks. As a person who is facinated by the U.S. Constitution, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in the early stages of learning about it. The book is very accessable and not written in a scholarly fashion which makes it very enjoyable as well as educational.