search for books and compare prices
cover image
America's Unwritten Constitution: The Precedents and Principles We Live By
Price
Store
Arrives
Preparing
Shipping
The price is the lowest for any condition, which may be new or used; other conditions may also be available. Rental copies must be returned at the end of the designated period, and may involve a deposit.
Jump down to see edition details for: Hardcover | Paperback
Bibliographic Detail
Publisher Basic Books
Publication date January 6, 2015
Pages 615
Binding Paperback
Edition Reprint
Book category Adult Non-Fiction
ISBN-13 9780465064908
ISBN-10 0465064906
Dimensions 2 by 6.25 by 9 in.
Weight 1.65 lbs.
Original list price $21.99
Summaries and Reviews
Amazon.com description: Product Description:
Despite its venerated place atop American law and politics, our written Constitution does not enumerate all of the rules and rights, principles and procedures that actually govern modern America. The document makes no explicit mention of cherished concepts like the separation of powers and the rule of law. On some issues, the plain meaning of the text misleads. For example, the text seems to say that the vice president presides over his own impeachment trial-but surely this cannot be right. As esteemed legal scholar Akhil Reed Amar explains in America's Unwritten Constitution, the solution to many constitutional puzzles lies not solely within the written document, but beyond it-in the vast trove of values, precedents, and practices that complement and complete the terse text.

In this sequel to America's Constitution: A Biography, Amar takes readers on a tour of our nation's unwritten Constitution, showing how America's foundational document cannot be understood in textual isolation. Proper constitutional interpretation depends on a variety of factors, such as the precedents set by early presidents and Congresses; common practices of modern American citizens; venerable judicial decisions; and particularly privileged sources of inspiration and guidance, including the Federalist papers, William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. These diverse supplements are indispensible instruments for making sense of the written Constitution. When used correctly, these extra-textual aids support and enrich the written document without supplanting it.

An authoritative work by one of America's preeminent legal scholars, America's Unwritten Constitution presents a bold new vision of the American constitutional system, showing how the complementary relationship between the Constitution's written and unwritten components is one of America's greatest and most enduring strengths.


Editions
Hardcover
Book cover for 9780465029570
 
from Basic Books (September 11, 2012)
9780465029570 | details & prices | 615 pages | 6.50 × 9.50 × 2.00 in. | 2.05 lbs | List price $29.99
About: Despite its venerated place atop American law and politics, our written Constitution does not enumerate all of the rules and rights, principles and procedures that actually govern modern America.
Paperback
Book cover for 9780465064908
 
The price comparison is for this edition
Reprint edition from Basic Books (January 6, 2015)
9780465064908 | details & prices | 615 pages | 6.25 × 9.00 × 2.00 in. | 1.65 lbs | List price $21.99
About: Despite its venerated place atop American law and politics, our written Constitution does not enumerate all of the rules and rights, principles and procedures that actually govern modern America.

Pricing is shown for items sent to or within the U.S., excluding shipping and tax. Please consult the store to determine exact fees. No warranties are made express or implied about the accuracy, timeliness, merit, or value of the information provided. Information subject to change without notice. isbn.nu is not a bookseller, just an information source.