My book club’s choice this month is A.J. Jabcobs’ The Year of Living Constitutionally. He writes about his year long quest to follow the Constitution‘s original meaning. This is a fascinating, educational, and often humorous dive into one guy’s attempt to get into the mindset of the 18th century foundering fathers and how the document should be interpreted today.
Some of his attempts to live as closely to the original meaning of the Constitution included asserting his right to free speech by writing his opinions on parchment paper with a quill & ink and then handing out them out to strangers on the street. He used beeswax candles at home in place of lights. He exercised his Article I right by writing to Congress to request a letter of marque to become a privateer (which is kind of a government sanctioned pirate). He bought a tricorn hat & joined a Revolutionary War reenactment group. He also consulted with scholars, lawyers, and historians about the Constitution and read a mountain of books and documents about the Constitution. He discusses the disagreements the founders had when writing it and their compromises. He looks at the question of how the Constitution should be interpreted today-as it was originally written or as a living document whose interpretation should change with the times. Thomas Jefferson thought the Constitution should be rewritten every few years. Jacobs also notes how difficult it is to change the Constitution. Jacobs breaks down the heady thoughts and 18th century language and makes it more accessible for today’s readers. Jacobs narrates the audiobook himself and he’s very funny.
I think I learned more about the Constitution from this book than I learned in school. No matter what side of the aisle you sit on or if you’re just trying to make sense of current events in America, I highly recommend this book. It’s definitely thought provoking, fascinating, informative, and inspiring.
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About the Author
A.J. Jacobs is an author, journalist, lecturer and human guinea pig. He has written four New York Times bestsellers that combine memoir, science, humor and a dash of self-help. Among his books are The Know-It-All, The Year of Living Biblically, and Thanks a Thousand, in which he travels the globe to thank everyone who had even the slightest role in making his morning cup of coffee. He is a contributor to NPR, The New York Times, and Esquire, among others. He has given several TED talks, including ones about living biblically, creating a one-world family, and living healthily that have amassed over 10 million views.
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