Customer Reviews

Understanding the Constitution

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

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This is an excellent reference for those who require (frequently, in some cases) a concise reference to the US constitution and its amendments. I have used this book many times as a reference for academic papers and discussions.

We bought a text book from this seller and was given a bad tracking number and was told that the package was waiting at the postoffice when we received no such notice. Very upset with the seller.

They removed my last review, maybe this one will make it. Don't buy this book. Its written by a pack of convoluted thinking leftist bedwetters. if you want a factual book about the U.S. Constitution buy one published by the Cato Institute.