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meliagelinas's review against another edition
4.0
This book does a good job of taking you through the creation of the Constitution and offered good insight into the processes and people that were involved. However, my complaint would be that at times it was too detailed, in the sense that it just got repetitive. Three pages could have been said in one. Good writing, especially for something historical like this, is concise. The chapters in the book were SO LONG, they felt never ending...
All in all, it stayed interesting enough that I didn't zone out too much, and it is a good resource for learning about the Constitutional convention in a way that is not dry or bland.
All in all, it stayed interesting enough that I didn't zone out too much, and it is a good resource for learning about the Constitutional convention in a way that is not dry or bland.
finnthehuman217's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't read the whole book, only up to chapter 7 because that is what we were assigned for Ms. Moore's class. I thought it was interesting of the whole concept of going back to history to try to solve present problems. Berkin, in being a historian/professor, knows that its her job to ask these questions, like "What would the Founding Fathers think about this?" When you think about it, the founding fathers would be appalled at the actions taken in the November 2000 election, how a corruption in the system accidentally made the loser, George W. Bush win the election. Just because of one little state, Florida! I liked the way Berkin named each chapter with a clever name and a quote. It was brilliant. At times the reading became a little dry, but that is how history works most of the time. If I had to choose a favorite chapter it would be "A Gathering of Demigods:Men of 'Ability, Weight, and Experience'" because it gave us a better understanding of the delegates and who they were. I give this three stars because I felt it was okay but not the best.
nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
A Brilliant Solution offers a detailed narrative account of the goings-on in the "room where it happened" during the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention based on the notes of James Madison and a few others. Much like Thomas A. Bailey in An American Paegent, Berkin relies on physical descriptions and entertaining personal details to bring her characters to life, breaking down the barriers of centuries.
However, the book actually felt quite superficial, and I don't think that I learned substantially more about the Constitution or these months of conventions. That is, I don't think that Berkin drew any notable conclusions or even conducted a true analysis of the convention or its delegates, so while I did learn about the specific players and their contributions, I am not convinced that this book is effective as a standalone for learning about U.S. Constitutional history. It would best serve as supplemental reading in a history course.
However, the book actually felt quite superficial, and I don't think that I learned substantially more about the Constitution or these months of conventions. That is, I don't think that Berkin drew any notable conclusions or even conducted a true analysis of the convention or its delegates, so while I did learn about the specific players and their contributions, I am not convinced that this book is effective as a standalone for learning about U.S. Constitutional history. It would best serve as supplemental reading in a history course.
lord_petros's review against another edition
informative
5.0
This is a great book for high school students to read (provided they have time, which I'm sure they don't) alongside their textbook. This popular history shows the men involved in creating the new government for the United States as humans with both virtues and flaws, not mythologized figures or caricatures. Both their virtues and flaws significantly influenced the form of government that came out of the Constitutional Convention.
I think this is a good historical introduction for people looking to delve deeper into this topic. As a popular history with a strong narrative, the book is a bit short on the political theory and analysis, but it provides enough of it to do what this book is trying to do, and to be a starting place for those who are trying to decide if they want to dive deeper into the topic.
I think this is a good historical introduction for people looking to delve deeper into this topic. As a popular history with a strong narrative, the book is a bit short on the political theory and analysis, but it provides enough of it to do what this book is trying to do, and to be a starting place for those who are trying to decide if they want to dive deeper into the topic.
nzoeller's review
3.0
A great scan of the development of the Constitution and the ratification. Goes into enough detail in enjoyable prose to give the reader a strong gist of what happened and why. I liked it.
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