Customer Reviews

The Federalist Papers In Modern Language: Indexed for Today's Political Issues

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mary Webster's new book "The Federalist Papers--In Modern Language Indexed for Today's Political Issues" is a "must-have" reference work. If you are a serious student, a teacher, a professional or just interested in Constitutional issues, Miss Webster's book should be there next to your dictionary. Any of us who have delved into the original Federalist Papers know what a confusing morass of run-on, page long sentences you sometimes find. Miss Webster's book can save you hours of trying to parse those difficult sentences written in antique English. But don't expect some of those troubling ambiguities--like, "What does this 'it' refer to?"--to be cleared up. Miss Webster's stated objective was to TRANSLATE rather than to interpret. However, the cleaned up text will make it easier for you to make your own interpretation. Near the front of the book you will find a complete copy of The US Constitution. That's very handy for those of us who go off looking for our lost copy whenever our ire is aroused by some questionable interpretation. Almost as handy is the "map" provided next to the Constitution showing which parts are associated with which paragraphs in the Federalist Papers. Worth the price alone is the extensive index associating political issues with the appropriate paragraphs in the Federalist Papers. You no longer have to be an "expert" who has memorized the "Papers" to quickly turn to the proper paragraphs. Miss Webster's book might not be something we'd sit down and read from cover to cover. How many of us do that with an encyclopedia or dictionary? But when the need arises, they are extremely handy to have on the bookshelf.

Mary Webster has performed a great service She has edited the Federalist into modern language and indexed it for present-day political issues. We hear a great deal today of what the Founding Fathers intended. But today for the most part our children are denied the privilige of reading the Federalist, Which tells us what the framers really thought. Reading these documents tells us that much of what our government does in the name of the constitution is the farthest thing from the mind of the Founders. How many people out there know what the Founders thought about impeachment, taxes, gun control. All you have to do to find out is read the Federalist papers. I am a teacher at one of the few schools that still require their students to read the Federalist. And I can tell you first hand that Mary Webster's book was a major asset to me in teaching this past year. Because of her book I was able to relate the Federalist to the great issues of our time and the students interest came alive. Wheather you are a teacher or not I highly reccomend this book.

Although I thought I had a fairly good command of American history, the Federalist Papers reminds me of what it means to be American, and that I needed to learn a great deal more. It describes something lost. It reminds us that there was a time when everyone was involved in society and government, that people took pride in political discussion, and lacked the cynicism and neglect that Americans have today. It was political discussion that lacked name-calling, rabid conservatism or liberalism that so divides us deeply. And in the middle, are the people who just don't care. Being American is not just about waving the flag, it really is about earning a Ph.d in citizenship, and the Federalist Papers provides the opportunity for achieving it.

Many reviews describe books they think should be textbooks for school. These screeds are usually attempts at revisionism that should be anything but textbooks or required reading. The Federalist Papers should be both. They should be discussed daily and the earlier, the better. It should be the New Testament of America, and the Constitution should be the Old.

I was drawn toward this edition for two reasons: 1) it is modern language that made it a bit easier for me to comprehend. 2) After listening to arguments by Senator Byrd of West Virginia, and the misinterpretation of the Constitution by Sean Hannity, I felt it almost a civic duty to make the purchase. Much of it is now highlighted in yellow.

I hope you too will feel bound to purchase the Federalist Papers in any form. It's what it means to be American.

This book does it's "job" tolerably well. But many of the good things here noted by other reviewers (a 'map' of the Constitution, its text, etc) are in the classic Rossiter edition of the Federalist Papers too. And there, you get the full flavor of the 18th century. I'm not sure "translation" does us much of a favor -- this isn't the King James Bible, translated literally out of Greek and Hebrew. This is English, and good English. Yes, Madison, Jay, and Hamilton wrote long sentences. But they aren't run-on sentences; they happened to know how to use punctuation. I worry that this book makes it easier for students (not serious students of history for whom this may indeed be a useful reference, but high school and college students) easier to fudge their knowledge of this vital part of American political philosophy. The problem isn't that the Federalist Papers are too hard -- the problem is that students are too lazy to read them slowly and closely. There, I'm done, and will go back to trudging 10 miles to school up hill both ways.

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.

Webster's background allowed her to bring a one-of-a-kind approach to this project. She's not a political scholar; she is a published novelist, and a certified interpreter for the deaf. She says this was her best preparation for conveying what Hamilton, Madison and Jay actually meant. Also, she cautions this work is not meant as a substitute for reading the papers themselves; rather she hopes it will inspire readers (as it did this one) to go to the originals with greater interest and confidence.

In addition to the "translation" of the papers, Webster has also provided a comprehensive index to their contents. There's been much debate in recent years about the "original intent" of the men who drafted the constitution. The best places to find their true intentions are in the records of the constitutional convention itself and in the Federalist Papers. It's all here, from taxation and property rights, to gun rights and the impeachment process. This is a book for the scholar, the student and any citizen who cares about our most fundamental rights.--William C. Hall

While reading The Federalist in the original language of Madison, Hamilton and Jay is still my first choice, this modern language version is perfect for those students who struggle with the original. It also indexes the papers to some of the major issues of the day and provides a good contemporary slant to these important American documents.

Professor James Kee
George Washington University

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.

The title suggests that this book is the Federalist Papers with updated language. That's not really it (although there is a glossary but I can't imagine you'll actually need it). This is basically a condensed version of the FP. Let's face it, many of the papers have some tangents that aren't terribly relevant. This book excerpts relevant sentences and paragraphs for you so that you can quickly read it and follow the argument in each paper. Plus it's indexed which is nice.

Basically just think of this book as a time saver. I would read it instead of the full FP when I was pressed for time before class and never had trouble following the class discussion. It's obviously not going to replace the FP completely.

A great read. Everyone should buy an extra book and donate to your local school library. Make a difference on your own.

Mary Webster's book is a must-have reference for all Americans. Whether you are a student, a teacher, an historian, or simply an American citizen who wants to understand our Constitution, this book is for you. Translated into modern English, the book does not interpret, evaluate or pass judgment on the original text - it merely translates the words and phrases into language that we would use today to convey the same message. I applaud Ms. Webster's work, and her dedication in undertaking such a momentous task. I have read her book cover-to-cover and now refer to it quite often when a Constitutional issue is raised either in the media or in private conversations.