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121 reviews for:
The Federalist Papers: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
3.85 AVERAGE
121 reviews for:
The Federalist Papers: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
3.85 AVERAGE
Well, folks, I finally did it. It took a combination of audio and print but I finally finished The Federalist Papers.
Whew.
I went in expecting to love it. I loved [b:Two Treatises of Government|137437|Two Treatises of Government (Library of Primary Sources)|John Locke|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|3078362]. And I loved [b:An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations|25698|An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations|Adam Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567191193l/25698._SY75_.jpg|1373762]. (Though I haven't finished it yet.) And I loved [b:The Spirit of the Laws|141958|The Spirit of the Laws|Montesquieu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380945124l/141958._SY75_.jpg|136922]. So, it isn't like dense political theory phases me. Particularly when it connects to American constitutional law--one of my favorite subjects. This was going to be easy, right?
WRONG.
I think the problem is you go in expecting theory and get procedure instead. This is the nitty-gritty details of constitutional governance. It references historical examples and quotes political philosophers, but mostly to explain why the constitution was written the way it was. There are details about why state governments will hold more loyalty than the federal government, why the states must unite, why a term limit of four years will curb presidential power, and how pride (if not patriotism) will keep representatives in check.
At the end of the day, I have to go with 5 stars. It is the Federalist Papers. I remain in awe of what these men managed to accomplish with their writing. But I will freely say this was not an interesting or even enjoyable read.
Also, shoutout to Dan who I convinced to read the Federalist Papers with me in high school which I obviously then did not do even though he did and still holds it against me. Sorry 'bout that.
Okay, I was blown away by this book. I knew that our Founding Fathers were brilliant, but this...to me, was next level. Also, being a fan of the Hamilton Musical, I wanted to see what Alexander Hamilton actually wrote (and so prolifically). Kudos, indeed.
I believe that every American should read this book. It inspired me. It showed me that this country was crafted in love.
To create a government, then to change the government to something that actually works took a lot of brilliance...and these three men had it in spades. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison. Wow.
I am grateful for Dakota Lopez who first sparked the interest for me to read this book...when he was reading it a year or two ago. Then I got interested in reading about the Presidents of the United States with the:
#presidentialreadathon
#presidentialreadalong
#presidentialreads
I believe that every American should read this book. It inspired me. It showed me that this country was crafted in love.
To create a government, then to change the government to something that actually works took a lot of brilliance...and these three men had it in spades. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison. Wow.
I am grateful for Dakota Lopez who first sparked the interest for me to read this book...when he was reading it a year or two ago. Then I got interested in reading about the Presidents of the United States with the:
#presidentialreadathon
#presidentialreadalong
#presidentialreads
It took me forever to get through this book—partly because I took extensive notes—but it was worth it.
Hamilton, Madison and Jay wrote this series of esseys in defence of the U.S. Constitution, and it's a fantastic look at the philosophical insight that went into forming that document and structuring our government. They provide ideological support to show that the intent behind each decision was right. And they provide historical support to show that the logic behind each decision was sound. A good idea didn't just need a good motivation—it lso needed to actually work. ...I wish today's politicians were required to provide such compresenhive rational for their own decisions.
The papers arn't perfect, of course. Hamilton comes across as condescending and arrogant, and the paper about the "partial personhood" of African Americans is deeply disturbing.
But there are some timeless lines about the importance of individual liberty, the necessity of structure and the need for reins on power. And these papers will continue to be a reference for interpreting the Constitution and an example of what political discourse should look like into the future.
I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, because it's dense. But if you're interested in government and liberty, there's a lot good to be found here.
Hamilton, Madison and Jay wrote this series of esseys in defence of the U.S. Constitution, and it's a fantastic look at the philosophical insight that went into forming that document and structuring our government. They provide ideological support to show that the intent behind each decision was right. And they provide historical support to show that the logic behind each decision was sound. A good idea didn't just need a good motivation—it lso needed to actually work. ...I wish today's politicians were required to provide such compresenhive rational for their own decisions.
The papers arn't perfect, of course. Hamilton comes across as condescending and arrogant, and the paper about the "partial personhood" of African Americans is deeply disturbing.
But there are some timeless lines about the importance of individual liberty, the necessity of structure and the need for reins on power. And these papers will continue to be a reference for interpreting the Constitution and an example of what political discourse should look like into the future.
I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, because it's dense. But if you're interested in government and liberty, there's a lot good to be found here.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
It was a really hard book to read, but really interesting.
informative
slow-paced
Why didn't I have to read this in high school? (I find myself saying that about most of the literature I read in college.)
This was never intended as pleasurable reading, and it wasn't. Mostly, I just felt depressed at how far short our current politics falls from what Hamilton assumed we would never tolerate.
A fascinating and bite-sized look at the reasoning behind the details of the US Constitution. I had to skip a couple of papers that pertained to current events. Madison, Jay, and Hamilton had timeless vision. This is interesting, not only to see why the Constitution was built this way, but also to see what aspects didn't age well. Sometimes the situation that Madison et al. feared just isn't an issue anymore. Then again, some is in action today.
This is very tedious to read on it's own. I would really love to do some sort of moderated or guided study that take The Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers together and adds additional historic context and commentary.