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Summary: As important as it gets
Review: "The Federalist Papers", consisting of 85 essays written by three of our founding fathers, is the quintessential explanation of why are government is the way it is, and how it was originally intended to be.This is the stuff you learned in your high-school civics class - directly from the minds that envisioned the least imperfect government ever created. While some of the parts are now irrelevant, and some so ingrained into our culture as to no longer be questioned, many remain contentious to this very day. If you have any doubt about the meaning of the interstate commerce clause or the general welfare clause (the two of which form the justification for most modern federal powers), Madison leaves no doubt as to what they really meant at the time. As an added bonus, this edition contains the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and helpful notes and introductions that further elucidate the thoughts of the authors. Powerful, persuasive, and important. A third of the book is absolutely necessary reading for anyone who cares about politics or government in the least. It is also a great reference, allowing one to draw powerful arguments straight from the horses' mouths. Every American should own this book.
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Summary: Freedom is no Fluke
Review: After reading the Federalist Papers you'll understand better how this great country was created. It was the brilliant thinking and writings of a surprising few that formed the unique U.S Constitution--the foundation for the most powerful, just, and free nation on the planet. The Papers are a series of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison and published in various colonial publications during 1787 and 1788, just as the great Constitutional Convention takes place in Philadelphia. They cover a wide variety of topics, each designed to describe the design and justification for the new republican federal government: the House, the Senate, the Presidency, the Judiciary, States' Rights, the Bill of Rights, etc. The essays are difficult to read in today's language. The writing style is verbose and stuffed with big words. Some of the longest sentences ever written are in there. But by plowing through this national treasure, one makes these observations: One, these guys were smart. Hamilton and Madison possessed intellects unsurpassed by anyone in our federal government before or since. They envisioned literally the entire complex structure of the government before it even existed. And two, they did their homework. They applied their great brilliance to the study of political science and the vast wealth of historical experience offered by all the countries of the world. To make their points they often reference the examples of England, France, Spain, and the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and more. After reading the Federalist Papers, one can't help but come away with a renewed sense of patriotism, a sense of awe at the rare beauty of our democracy, and a glowing appreciation for U.S. citizenship. It's amazing to me that these documents aren't more popular. I went all the way through school, and never heard of the Federalist Papers. I don't think they're appropriate in raw form for most school kids (they'd be bored to death), but we ought to at least teach that the Papers exist. Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.
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Summary: Important
Review: An important historical document setting out the reasons for federalism, and the important political, eocnomic and socio reasons/deabtes and discussions.
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Summary: The rich keep getting richer...
Review: and the Mentor Federalist Papers keep getting better. Yes, that's right. They actually managed to improve on it. The great new additions include the Declaration, the Articles, and an excellent new introduction by Charles Kessler. I think the killer feature for new readers will be the notes in the back, which, if you (like me) are shaky in your Greek history (and the finer points of European), do a great job of explaining allusions and references by the Papers. Be sure to use this feature -- there's no indication in the text that a note exists, but you should just look if you're unsure of a historical setting (or something similar), and there probably will be one. On the minus side, I do miss Rossiter's introduction. It wasn't as good for laying out the plan of the work, but it should have been included (along with Kessler's) for its excellent overview of the contemporary situation and the philosophy behind the papers. Also, I feel that Rossiter's contents were slightly better than Kessler's. And, the page numbers are changed, invalidating older references to them. But all in all it's an improvement, and certainly the Mentor edition is the only one to have. Period. It's the one used by at least some of the Supreme Court Justices, and it retains that single dominating feature, Rossiter's cross-referenced Constitution (and index of ideas). As for the Papers themselves, of course, they need no review. They are the first and ultimate Constitutional commentary, and fascinating reading besides. As literature they stand out for the exceptional style (all the more remarkable considering the haste in which they were written) and clear thinking, and more than any other book they define how the U.S. _should_ work. All in all, this is one of the best book bargains on the market, that rare coincidence where best edition meets mass-market paperback. What are you waiting for? -Stephen
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Summary: That Fellow Hamilton Was On To Something
Review: As mystery writer, I have found that reading a variety of materials is essential to my work. THE FEDERALIST PAPERS is one such book I find myself referring to constantly. I first read the book during my college days at Claremont McKenna College. I have read it several times since then. Plenty of wisdom on these pages.
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Summary: The genius of these men is evident
Review: Be prepared for an academic exercise! These essays, primarily written by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, show the great care and forethought the founders put into constructing our constitution. This book is a tough read, and I found myself referring to a dictionary quite often. The arguments are very precise and methodical, but sometimes difficult to follow. The fact that our Constitution has endured this long is a tribute to the genius of these men. It's unfortunate that our schools seem to be glossing over the enormous significance and importance of these men's contribution of the very liberty our people live under. An important work for any American to read.
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Summary: Elocuent
Review: Elocuent exhortation of americans to join the cause of the union and good arguments for the strength of one single nation as opposed to a group of separate confederacies. Applies to common sense, good enough so that anybody can understand it. Possesses the spirit of the enlightenment.
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Summary: Most definitely worth reading
Review: Every American citizen -- and those who want to be one -- should read this and related documents. However, please let's not forget the great influence the Iroquois constititution had on the "Papers" and the US Constitution. No one seems to know about it, but that constitution was so important in the drafting of our own.
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Summary: Must be read to understand the U.S. Constitution
Review: Every Citizen of the U.S. should read this book. It is the foundation of our form of government. The Declaration of Independence and the Federalist Papers contain the principals upon which the U.S. Constitution was written. Our Founding Fathers were very wise to build upon time tested principals. Their documents and arguments are as valid and important today as they were then. The Federalist Papers are proof that our nation was born out of a strong desire to do what was morally right.
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Summary: A great revision of a classic work
Review: Everyone who has taken a civics, government or American history class has heard of the Federalist Papers. These 85 essays, published anonymously in New York newspapers during the debate over whether New York would ratify the Constitution, are the best "footnotes" for the Framers' intent when devising the Constitution, the powers of the three branches of government, and the overall shape of the federal government. It is simply impossible to understand the Constitution without taking the time to read the Federalist Papers. And this edition has the very useful feature of cross-references in the Constitution back to the relevant essays of the Federalist Papers.
Some of the essays now seem irrelvant (i.e., the ones dealing with minting of coins). But others are just as powerful now as they were when first written - the role of the judiciary; the conduct of foreign affairs; the division of governing authority between the President and the Congress; the destructive power that special interest groups could have on the legislative process.
The Federalist Papers are often-cited by those who argue that it is the only source of interpretation of the Framers' intent. This may be true. But even the Framers themselves later argued vehemently over what their intent was. While Hamilton supported a strong centralized federal government, Madison eventually supported a weak federal government with strong states acting almost as independent sovereigns. That same political division - between states' rights supporters and strong federalists - continues today among Democrats and Republicans. Both sides cite to the Federalist Papers as supporting their respective positions. Yet neither side can conclusively resolve what the Framers' intent truly was since the Framers themselves seemed to have changed their original intentions as the political winds changed in the years following ratification of the Constitution.
This book is an essential reference guide for anyone with an interest in the American system of government. It is a valuable tool to probe the truth behind politicians' talk of "activist judges" versus "strict constructionist judges". For those who want to be educated on the topic, rely on the Federalist Papers thmselves rather than on others telling you what the Federalist Papers really mean.
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