The US Constitution and Other Writings Review

From the start, I should be clear: this is a review for the collection of American writings assembled by Canterbury Classics, and not a review of the US Constitution.  Nor will I be reviewing each piece in the book individually, since many of them are quite brief.  In a sense, therefore, this will be more a review of editorial and publication decisions than it is a review of the contents.  Since I spread out my reading of this book, which was a Christmas present, over several months, I had plenty of time to think about how I wanted to format this review, and I think this is the best way.

Physically, the book is a lovely addition to any patriotic bookshelf.  It contains some of the usual suspects for such a collection, which I (and probably you) have already read: the Constitution (obviously), the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, a selection from the Federalist Papers, the Gettysburg Address, et cetera.  Aside from these, it includes various speeches, laws, essays, and other documents pertaining to US history, starting with the Mayflower Compact and concluding with Hillary Clinton’s acceptance of the presidential nomination in 2016 (the book was published in 2017, for reference).

Some of the decisions about what to include are questionable.  George Washington’s farewell address, in which he warned of factionalism and relinquished the opportunity for something close to ultimate power for the second time in his career, setting a precedent for the peaceful transition, is notably absent, while the book chooses to highlight pieces like the first official baseball rules, and speeches by losing vice presidential nominees (the latter reminded me of a US history class in which I was required to memorize information about a third party candidate for president who ran from prison and whose final vote count did not amount to even a blip).  It is difficult to tell if the collectors really believe that some of the pieces included from more recent years are comparable to those from earlier times, or if they were simply attempting to achieve some level of chronological symmetry.  We are also subjected to the full text of certain laws and treaties, which can be tiresome reads, even by my standards.  As significant as the social security act may be, including its full text felt a little like filler.  Then there’s the UN Charter, which is only slightly less laborious and useless than the actual United Nations.

Preceding each piece is a brief blurb informing the reader of some context about the piece.  Especially for the lesser-known pieces, context is appreciated, though some of these blurbs are a little too light on facts and heavy on commentary for my taste.  They seem determined to make judgements on the pieces and their contexts, when, regardless of whether I agree or disagree with them, I would prefer merely the facts, and to allow the pieces to stand on their own.

Since I already read, or was reasonably familiar with, the more significant pieces included in the collection, my reading experience was more informed by the unique circumstance of bringing them together and reading them chronologically.  The impression this gives, alas, is one of decline, especially in the post WWII period, for reading recent political speeches close upon the heels of reading ones from the founding period draws a stark contrast.  I shall not quote them here, but if you read George Washington’s inaugural address and then read Barak Obama’s, you will see what I mean.  Somehow, the more recent writings can sound grander, and yet be more trivial.  I do not believe that this decline is inevitable, but it is on display here in a way that is not always obvious, and I worry that the present trajectory is not a corrective one. 

Most, if not all, of these pieces are available without paying for them, many of them with a simple internet search.  The question therefore becomes one, not of the quality or interest of the writing, but of whether it is worth spending the money on a gilt-edged leather-bound collection of them with some minor and sometimes detracting commentary?  That’s a decision that only you can make.  As for me, I’m satisfied to have it on my bookshelf, and I’m pleased with reading it.  Besides, I can never have too many copies of the Constitution.