Reader Reflection on a Pulitzer-Winning U.S. Constitution History Book
By
Frank Lynch
A bagel-shaped object. The form is there, the soul isn't.
Summary
A reader shares their experience reading a Pulitzer Prize-winning book (likely Jill Lepore's "These Truths") about the U.S. Constitution and American history. The reader notes the book's focus on the compromises and processes behind constitutional amendments, highlighting that the Founding Fathers were not a monolithic group and represented only a subset of the population. As they progress further into the book (about one-third in, up to 1861), they realize the book's scope is broader than expected—covering the intersection of U.S. history and the Constitution rather than focusing narrowly on the original constitutional compromises. The reader expresses some disappointment about this broader scope and doubts they have time to finish it.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledthe Founding Fathers were not a monolithic group, and that they represented only a subset of the American population (no women, no slaves, no Native Americans, and only property holders)
it seems like this book isn't about the Constitution itself but about the intersection of the history of the United States and the Constitution... that is, its scope is broader than I expected and more than I wanted
I really wanted greater focus on all the compromises etc that got us to the original constitution and how it got us to the point where California and Wyoming have the same number of Senators and how nothing can be done about it
I'm looking at my body clock and doubting I have time for all of the rest of this book, as good as I'm sure it is
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