Reviews (2)

Legends Series Always Delivers
The first reviewer is trying to hawk his own site, which offers bland computer-voice generated recitations of casebook opinions. They are horrible. Great concept, but in my opinion would be much more effective and enjoyable if these were read by actual human voices.
Not bad, but depends a lot on how your Prof teaches the course.
This series by necessity paints in broad strokes.There is too much variation in the way different professors teach con law.I found it much more effective to listen to audio versions of cases from sites like audiocasebook than listening to this. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Law   

Reviews (6)

A monument
This book is a monument to prodigious research, careful scholarship, and thoughtful analysis.It is much more than a history of the Dred Scott case.It places the decision in its historical context, describing in great detail the political and judicial conditions that preceded it and the effect the decision itself had on events that followed.
A masterpiece of historical exposition
There is little that I can add to what has already been written.Fehrenbacher is clear, thoughtful, and comprehensive.

A Really Wonderful Read
I read the abridged edition of 1981, titled Slavery, Law and Politics. I can only echo what the other reviwers have said. It's about a court opinion but it is anything but dry. You learn much about the law and politics of slavery, from the founding of the nation forward. You learn about the Dred Scott case itself, including the legal maneuverings in the lower courts. The author's analysis of Chief Justice Taney's opinion for the Court is one of the best single chapters I have read in a history book in a long time. The author is learned but the prose is engaging--elegant, even. You feel you are in the company of a wise teacher, who is not trying to impress you but simply to impart his considerable knowledge without ego on a topic that turns out to be an excellent prism through which to view an important swath of our history. Read it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional Law    3. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    4. History    5. History: American    6. Legal History    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Political History    9. Slavery    10. United States - Civil War    11. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    12. Black studies    13. Constitutional & administrative law    14. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    15. Law | Legal History    16. Slavery & emancipation    17. USA    18. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (48)

Easy to believe!!
A very informative book. Recommend to anyone who wants to find out more about how our government can do what it wants to do without regard to ITS own laws. They can make the laws, but no one says they have to follow those laws!! It just goes to show how they (the Congress and other law makers)are not accountable for there actions!!

I'm from the government and I'm here to help--Danger, Danger
He is the Fox News senior judicial analyst, and former New Jersey judge.He calls himself a born again individualist.Napolitano reads the constitution just fine, why is it so hard for the rest.
Required reading for everyone
This book should be required reading for everyone.If you think we live in a free country, this book will open your eyes.Our forefathers are spinning in their graves.Judge Napolitano is right on the money and it is scary to think what is going to happen to our country and more importantly to our citizens.Because of the Patriot Act, law enforcement no longer has to get a search warrant issued by a judge.Nope, they can write it themselves and bust into your house at any time.If you don't believe anything in this book, you need to get out of town because my husband and I have been living this injustice every day for the last 6 years. I sent this book to him in prison and it has become the most popular book to read and every inmate can testify to the truth of this book because they too are living it every day.The only thing that Judge Napolitano doesn't tell us is what we as Americans can do about this besides vote in the next election.It is so hard to use your voting rights (one of the few rights we have left) when there is no one worth voting for anymore.Please read this book as soon as you can and together we can get our nation back on track!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Corrupt practices    3. Criminal justice, Administrati    4. Criminal justice, Administration of    5. Essays    6. General    7. Government - U.S. Government    8. History    9. Justice, Administration of    10. Police corruption    11. Political Science    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics/International Relations    14. United States    15. Political Science / Constitutions   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Courts - General    3. General    4. Law    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Courts & procedure    7. JUDICIAL POWER    8. Jurisprudence & philosophy of law    9. Law / Judicial Power    10. Political structure & processes   

Reviews (1)

Civics you probably didn't get in high school
Garry Wills' Explaining America - The Federalist (1982) presents civics as I never learned it in high school. Wills is probably better known for more recent books (e.g. Lincoln at Gettysburg), or his coverage of the 1988 Presidential campaign. There is substance here - a detailed consideration of the context in which Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote The Federalist Papers, and their understanding of how the government would work under the Constitution. [Some of this conceptual framework was re-presented in A Necessary Evil.] The preface identifies this to be volume 2 of a 4-book series on the foundations of the U.S. government. I have been unable to locate the promised volumes 3&4, on the Constitution itself, and on the Supreme Court.Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutions    2. Federalist    3. History    4. History & Theory - General    5. History - General History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. United States - General    9. History / United States / General   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional law    3. Judicial review    4. Law    5. Legal History    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Privacy, Right of    8. United States    9. Constitutional & administrative law    10. Law / Legal History    11. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    12. USA   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Law   

Reviews (9)

Oustanding in spite of a few off-point flaws
J.R. Graham has written an excellent book giving history and legal perspectives. Other reviews have made excellent observations of the content.
Timely and important
Peaceful secession seems to be the answer to the world's worst ills.Professor Livingston convinces me with his scholarly, cogent, and practical analysis of the devolutionary process.

The Best Modern Book I Have Found on the Subject of Government and Law
I have read and studied hundrens of books on the subject of law and government and power. None cut as concisely or authoritatively to the heart of the matter as Mr Graham's wonderful book. Quite honestly I can say that it should be a main text in any study of civivs and that if just 10% of Americans read and comprehended it seriously there would be a revolution tomorrow. What's more, the world afterward would be more just, more peaceful, and more happy than today's ersatz "America" will ever be.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional law    3. Great Britain    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. Secession    9. United States    10. United States - Civil War    11. American history    12. USA   

Reviews (1)

Nicely condensed
I like this book because it is condensed. It does a good job of quickly going over all of the issues and cases.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional law    3. Law    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. United States   

Reviews (7)

Needs a footnote
Ralph Ketcham certainly some respect I had for him when he, in the middle of Patrick Henry's speech, inserted, "Here Mr. Henry strongly and pathetically expatiated on the probability of the president's enslaving America..."
The political background of the birth of our Constitution
I highly recommend "The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates" along with the companion volume "The Federalist Papers."Reading these two books will give you both sides of the arguments that revolved around the creation and adoption of our Constitutional government."The Anit-Federalist Papers.." contains an excellent introduction by Ralph Ketcham, the complete Anti-Federalist papers and Constitutional Convention Debates with commentaries, an Index of Ideas, and cross-references to "The Federalist Papers." The Anti-Federalist Papers
The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutuional Convention Debates edited by Ralph Ketcham is the counter to the Federalist Papers we know so much about.Yes, debate was strong as were the opinions expressed by the people between 1765 and 1787, as nothing was certain and the fledgling United States of America was going through dissenting opinions and concepts to ensure that the threats to the rights and liberties that were recently won from England were not thrown to the wind.Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Constitutional    3. Fiction    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Literature: Classics    6. Fiction / Classics   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Law    3. Legal Reference / Law Profession   

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Disability    3. Discrimination in employment    4. Employment    5. Law    6. Law and legislation    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Legal status, laws, etc.    9. People with disabilities    10. United States    11. Constitutional & administrative law    12. Disability: social aspects    13. Law / Disability    14. Social law    15. USA    16. Work & labour   

Reviews (4)

Why not Marriage Equality? Here's why
This is an invaluable source and resource for anyone interested in the subject of marriage equality.
Advance Praise for Gay Marriage: For Better or For Worse?

Is it really gay marriage?
I am in favor of gay marriage.However, the cause is not advanced by methodological confusion.As I understand the matter, Scandinavian countries do not have gay marriage, but a version of domestic partnership, which is less sweeping.Gay marriage exists in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Canada.Why not study those countries? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Family Law - Marriage    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay couples    5. Law    6. Law and legislation    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Legal status, laws, etc.    9. Public Policy - General    10. Same-sex marriage    11. Scandinavia    12. United States    13. Law / Domestic Relations / Marriage    14. Law | Family and Child Law   

Subjects:  1. 1893-1935    2. 1st Amendment    3. 20th century    4. Constitution    5. Freedom of the press    6. Government - National    7. History    8. Law Of The Press    9. Long, Huey Pierce,    10. Louisiana    11. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    12. Political Science    13. Politics - Current Events    14. Politics / Current Events    15. Politics/International Relations    16. Press law    17. United States    18. American history: from c 1900 -    19. Constitutional & administrative law    20. Long, Huey Pierce    21. Media studies    22. Political Science / Government / National    23. Political structure & processes    24. USA   

Reviews (5)

Major flaw of this book are misconceptions...
Law of peoples has a major flaw: misconceptions, and this are:
An unfortunate book
First, some disclosure regarding my opinion of Rawls (may he rest in peace).I am no fan of Rawls' work, be it this work or his others.As such, my own views will no doubt influence my opinion, so keep that in mind as you read on. Perhaps a little too scholarly for the lay reader.
John Rawl's "Law of People" is divided into two parts: "The Law of Peoples" (a paper based on Rawl's article by the same name published in 1993), and "The Idea of Public Reason Revisited" (1997). Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. History & Theory - General    3. Law    4. Philosophy    5. Political    6. Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies    7. Philosophy / Political   

Reviews (3)

Historically inacurate
As was suggested in the previous reviews reading this to find a cogent methodology for Constitutional exegesis is futile, and it was with that expectation I bought the book, relying on the reputation of it's authors. Doesn't offer much original insight
If you find youself reading this or any other work by Laurence Tribe, it is pretty safe to assume that you also find youself somewhere on the left of the political spectrum. I can only imagine that you would come to this book looking for a coherent theory on how to read and interpret that sometimes vague and confusing document upon which our country was founded.Unfortunately, you will not find much original insight in this book, though if you are merely looking for an argument with which to attack so-called "strict constructionism," this will serve that purpose quite well. Thought Provoking Read
Dr. Tribe of Harvard Law makes many interesting points in his book concerning the methods and approach one ought to take while reading or interpreting the Constitution.I would suggest this book to people thathave read the Constitution not once but many times and who are looking tofurther their understanding.On the contrary you should not purchase thisbook looking for a formula to understand the Constitution!Rather thisbook promotes one's thoughts and helps the reader develop an approach inwhich they ought and ought not read the Constitution.Interestinglyenough, for Tribe to claim that he knows the manner in which we ought notread the Constitution presupposes that he knows how we ought to.This thencontradicts his final chapters when he claims that there is no correctapproach to the Constitution and that any one person's interpretation is nomore right nor wrong than the next reader's. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. General    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. History - General History    5. History: American    6. Political Science    7. Politics/International Relations    8. History    9. Political Science / General    10. USA   

Reviews (2)

A Great History of the First "federal" Constitution
Merrill Jensen's "The Articles of Confederation" is a great review of a truly neglected form of government. Jensen shatters the Federalists myths of "national government" and the Continental Congress inheriting the powers of the British Parliament. A Continuing Debate in American Politics
I don't suppose one in ten Americans realize there was a first constitution of the United States before there was "the" Constitution of the United States. Merrill Jensen is the definitive historian of that period - up to 1789 when the present Constitution took effect - and this book is one of several of his covering the topic. Reading of this period would do much to remind Americans that the debate over the nature of American government has been going on since 1776. The debate concerns "weak" central government (the Articles of Confederation) vs. "strong" central government (the Constitution). The Federalists (favoring the Constitution) won politically, but their victory did not settle the argument. Any American presidential or congressional election campaign brings out the same themes sounded 200 years ago as the Constitution faced ratification. In any event, Jensen does much to rehabilitate the history of the Confederation, clarify the agruments, and takes care to note the remarkable accomplishments of the Confederation congress. His writing style is very accessible and the book is a quick read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Articles of Confederation    2. Constitutional history    3. History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. Political History    7. Revolution, 1775-1783    8. United States    9. United States - Revolutionary War    10. United States.    11. American history    12. History / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)    13. USA   

Subjects:  1. Emigration & Immigration    2. Emigration and immigration    3. Emigration and immigration law    4. General    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Political Science    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Public Policy - Social Policy    9. Central government    10. Immigration & emigration    11. Political Science / General    12. USA   

Reviews (5)

Great way to get started!
My son in 6th grade had to write an essay regarding the 7th amendment, its history, impact today, legal cases regarding etc.I was unable to find sources for him to read that I didn't have to decipher legalese for him to understand frustrating him and me.My cousin, a librarian, recommended the book and once he read about his amendment he really began to enjoy his topic and easily wrote his paper without any more assistance from me.He even wanted to read about the 5th amendment which someone else in his class had to do.This book was a Great way to learn about a complicated amendment.

Vibrant writing makes a sometimes dull topic sparkle
In this well researched, well-written book, Krull describes the history of the Bill of Rights and remarks on its significance, historically and for our future.She begins by giving props to James Madison, the "100 pound giant" responsible for creating the Bill of Rights and goes on to relay the explanation behind each amendment, and weaving in recent issues to show how relevant the 462 words of the Bill of Rights still are today. fairly readable, sometimes good, a bit biased.
Actually, we have her "lives of the Presidents" book, too, and I'd give a review of it about the same title!Read more

Subjects:  1. 1st-10th Amendments    2. Children's 9-12 - Politics / Current Events    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Civil rights    6. Constitution    7. Constitutional amendments    8. History - United States/General    9. Juvenile literature    10. Politics & Government    11. Social Science - Politics & Government    12. United States    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / United States / General   

Reviews (1)

Impressive Overview of Justice Scalia's Approach to Law and the Constitution
Accomplished scholar Prof. Ralph Rossum has penned a well-crafted book analyzing the legal opinions and writings of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.The result is a solid read about how Justice Scalia views the role of a judge and how he sees himself.At least, Rossum gives his own take on how Justice Scalia sees himself.Obviously, the only person who truly knows how he sees himself is Justice Scalia.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Constitutional    4. Constitutional Law    5. Constitutional history    6. Courts - General    7. General    8. Historical - U.S.    9. Law    10. Lawyers & Judges    11. Political    12. U.S. Supreme Court    13. United States