A More Perfect Union

by William Ernest Peters Jr.

s/t: The Making of the United States Constitution
A narrative with all the drama of good fiction, this book is an accurate, day-by-day account of the pivotal event of American history--the 1787 Convention that drafted the Constitution. Transported to Philadelphia with 55 delegates from 12 states, the reader shares their 4-month struggle to create a new framework of government to preserve a shaky Union. Written with the immediacy of vivid reporting, the book reverberates with great speeches for & against principles that today form the bedrock of American government. From the sometimes angry debates of men whose characters & motivations are revealed thru their actual words & acts, readers will see the Constitution take form, vote by vote, clause by clause. The book also follows the delegates as they dine in Philadelphia's inns & taverns, meet to devise strategy, attend church or sample the pleasures of the country's largest city. Readers will be left with a new understanding of the nation's beginnings & the closest thing to a sense of having been there.--Publisher description.

Genres: History, Politics, American History, Nonfiction

301 pages, Hardcover

First published December 16, 1987

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an abbreviated, day-by-day account of the proceedings of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. According to author Peters, nothing quite like it had been published previously--nothing except James Madison's records, upon which the text very much relies.

Reading about the formulation of the US Constitution does have the salutory effect of demystifying it. After all, only 55 persons participated, few of them throughout, most all of them representative only of the upper strata of society.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not disappoint. A literal clause by clause break down of the Constitution and the discussions and negotiations that took place at the convention. Fascinating read for a Constitution and founding junkie. Loved.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

History books are usually filled with dull descriptions and dates. This was filled with people and their personalities and actions. It was a quick, fun read about what could have been a very weighty topic.

[Bill Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

A more perfect story of the constitution

[VPM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic.

[Sean Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic novelization of the constitutional convention. It's fascinating because as the convention progresses, you can actually see the shift from small states vs big states towards north vs south take shape. Already, by the end of that convention, the battle lines of the civil war sixty years later were being drawn. There is also the appearance of one Elbridge Gerry, he of gerrymander fame and many other important historical figures, brought to life through Peters' storytelling. This book should be required reading for high school students - it'd certainly make history much more real and interesting to them.

[Gabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't really tell me much I didn't already know, but it would make a good introduction to the Constitutional Convention. The plates of the delegates' portraits were nice - I don't think I've seen those collected in one place before.

[Matthew Dambro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this many years ago, sitting in my courtroom between cases. It was wonderful to finally see the whole forest rather than just individual trees. We have strayed far from what those men designed and desired. We need to rethink our path.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book I read about the Constitution. It explained the stories and the people in an interesting and easy to understand style. Reads like a novel.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I thought it was an informational but not very exciting read about the making of the US Constitution.