A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties

by Ben Carson, Candy Carson, J.D. Jackson (Reader)

Dear Reader,

Many people have wondered why I’ve been speaking out on controversial issues for the last few years. They say I’ve never held political office. I’m not a constitutional scholar. I’m not even a lawyer. All I can say to that is “Guilty as charged.”

It’s true that I’ve never voted for a budget America could not afford. I’ve never raised anyone’s taxes. And I’ve never promised a lobbyist anything in exchange for a donation.

Luckily, none of that really matters. Our founding fathers didn’t want a permanent governing class of professional politicians. They wanted a republic, in Lincoln’s words, "of the people, by the people, and for the people." A country where any farmer, small-business owner, manual laborer, or doctor could speak up and make a difference.

I believe that making a difference starts with understanding our amazing founding document, the U.S. Constitution. And as someone who has performed brain surgery thousands of times, I can assure you that the Constitution isn’t brain surgery.

The founders wrote it for ordinary men and women, in clear, precise, simple language. They intentionally made it short enough to read in a single sitting and to carry in your pocket.

I wrote this book to encourage every citizen to read and think about the Constitution, and to help defend it from those who misinterpret and undermine it. In our age of political correctness it’s especially important to defend the Bill of Rights, which guarantees our freedom to speak, bear arms, practice our religion, and much more.

The Constitution isn’t history—it’s about your life in America today. And defending it is about what kind of country our children and grandchildren will inherit.

I hope you’ll enjoy learning about the fascinating ways that the founders established the greatest democracy in history—and the ways that recent presidents, congresses, and courts have threatened that democracy.

As the Preamble says, the purpose of the Constitution is to create a more perfect union. My goal is to empower you to help protect that union and secure the blessings of liberty.

Sincerely,
Ben Carson

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Education, Biography, Audiobook, Political Science

7 pages, Audio CD

First published October 2, 2015

About the author

Benjamin Solomon "Ben" Carson, Sr., M.D. is an American neurosurgeon and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States by President George W. Bush in 2008.

Reviews

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up because my daughter is taking an American History course and is about to take a test on the formation of the U.S. Constitution. This book has an excellent chapter on precisely what she will be tested on. The rest of the book is an examination of the constitution along with some anecdotes from Ben Carson's life. Everyone should know their constitutional rights. The founding fathers put in place a brilliant document that has stood the test of time. The federalists insured we would have a government strong enough to take it's place as a world leader and the anti-federalists left us the legacy of the first ten amendments that protect our personal freedom. The founding fathers were able to achieve the delicate balance between personal rights and the protection afforded us by a strong central government. They set up such an amazing system that you don't have to be born with a title to succeed, we reward ingenuity and inventiveness. So why is it important for Americans to study the constitution? Because there are those in the federal government who are trying usurp your rights via unconstitutional laws like the Patriot Act. Constitutional rights aren't something most people think about until they have been violated. The founding fathers set up a government that is supposed to operate according to the will of the people not just the wealthy and privileged. In order to make sure that happens it is incumbent on us to know our rights. You don't have to support Ben Carson as a presidential candidate in order to benefit from this book, though personally I think a lot of what he has to say is relevant which is probably why he is leading in the polls. The more I study the constitution the more I am awed at it's brilliance. The presidential candidate whose platform most closely adheres to the constitution will be the one who gets my vote.

[Rama Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Republican Presidential Candidate Ben Carson expounds on the US Constitution

In this book entitled, "A More Perfect Union" The Republican Presidential Candidate Ben Carson expounds on the US Constitution. This is an inspiring book to understand and defend our Constitution. Written in plain and easy to understand English, the presidential candidate explains the basic teachings of the American Constitution and what it stands for, and how they inspired the founding fathers. He elaborates on the freedom guaranteed to us, and how we can protect and defend our rights, and the American way of living. He explains the current events and controversial issues facing the nation. He stresses that it is important for Americans to defend the Bill of Rights, which guarantees our freedom to speech, right to bear arms, practice our religion, and much more.

Ben Carson is one of the few candidates who understands the dangers of Islam and explains how it is incompatible with the Constitution that upholds a democratic society. The teachings of Islam contrasts the very principles that upholds the Western civilization.

Ben Carson is a 2016 Republican Party candidate for President of the United States and a retired Johns Hopkins Medical School Neurosurgeon. After delivering a widely publicized speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast meeting, he became a popular conservative figure in political media for his views on social and political issues. A More Perfect Union" is one of at least seven books from Ben Carson that have become bestsellers. Strongly recommended to all conservative readers who like to uphold the constitution, and the supporters of Ben Carson.

[Book Shark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A More Perfect Union: What We The People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties by Ben Carson, MD

“A More Perfect Union" is an informative introduction to the key elements of the Constitution. Dr. Ben Carson provides the general public with his views on why understanding the Constitution is vital to preserving liberty for all. Find out why this progressive reviewer found this book to be an upgrade to his previous book, “One Nation”. This educational 253-page book includes fifteen chapters revolving around the Constitution.

Positives:
1. A well-written, well-referenced and accessible book.
2. An excellent topic, understanding the Constitution and how it relates to our liberties.
3. An excellent and easy to follow format. Dr. Carson’s tone is pleasant
4. Clearly lays out what the Constitution is all about, “We have a governing document, the Constitution of the United States, which outlines the freedoms of the American people and establishes a nation where those freedoms are protected and honored.”
5. Explains the reasoning behind the Constitution. “Recognizing the danger of human nature, our founders wisely created a Constitution that would curtail federal power, building in checks and balances.”
6. A look at the history of the Constitution. “Of the seventy-four delegates, nineteen declined their appointments. Also missing in action were two notables: Thomas Jefferson, who at the time of the convention was in Paris serving as minister to France; and John Adams, who was minister to Great Britain. That left fifty-five delegates in attendance at the Constitutional Convention, although only thirty-nine of them signed the Constitution.”
7. A look at the so-called Great Compromise.
8. Understanding the importance of the preamble to the Constitution. “This preamble is the Constitution’s introductory statement and sets forth the general principles and goals of our governmental structure. It reveals the hearts of the founders and lays out their goals.”
9. The importance of the will of the people and why the founders placed safeguards. “It is important to remember that it is a natural human tendency to accrue power and try to dominate others.”
10. Interesting observations on how to preserve the union.
11. There are in fact a lot of quotes that resonate with me. “Ensuring justice is a vital element of ensuring domestic tranquility, because people who feel that they are being treated fairly are much more likely to be tranquil.” Agreed.
12. A very important quote. “Partisanship is a huge obstacle to fairness.” Agreed.
13. The culture of dependency. “A culture of dependency can rapidly develop when people are provided with things rather than with opportunities.”
14. Actually presents a sensible environmental approach. “When functioning properly, the EPA should work in conjunction with industry and academia to discover and employ the best strategies for preserving our environment while still being able to take advantage of our abundant natural resources.”
15. Discusses the seven articles of the Constitution, article by article. “The first article of the Constitution establishes the rules for the branch of our government that writes our laws. It tells us who can make the laws, sets in place the procedures for writing them, and tells us their scope and limits.”
16. Does a good job of going over the basic principles of the American government. “Every state has two senators, which gives all states equal power in the Senate. The number of representatives each state has in the House of Representatives is proportionate to the state’s population, which gives the large states more power in that body of Congress. Currently we have 535 members of Congress, 100 of whom are in the Senate and 435 of whom are in the House of Representatives.”
17. The role of the president. “Congress limits the president’s power to executing the laws passed by Congress.”
18. The role of the Supreme Court. “The Supreme Court of the United States sits at the pinnacle of the federal judicial system and is responsible for the interpretation of laws.”
19. A look at the Bill of Rights. “It wasn’t long before Americans found the need to improve on the Constitution and passed the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights. These were adopted in 1791, and many of them are much more familiar to the general public than is the Constitution itself. This is because the Bill of Rights specifically guarantees individual rights of citizens and is responsible for many of our freedoms today.”
20. The Constitution is included as an Appendix.

Negatives:
1. Lacks depth. Clearly, this book is intended for laypeople. If you seek an introductory level understanding of the Constitution this book works fine, otherwise it’s lacking.
2. The following negatives cover some of my disagreements with Dr. Carson. “Constitutional government recognizes and bows to the will of a godly, educated population.” Godly? We have a secular, ungodly document. Clearly, any educated person would understand our excellent Constitution to be so.
3. “Many of the framers subscribed to a political theory that viewed all human rights as being derived from God. Therefore, even though the Constitution never mentions God, it was steeped in a Christian understanding of politics.” Interesting though, that two of the most important men behind the writing of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, respectively were also the least religious. In fact, Jefferson was labeled an atheist by his rivals.
4. “For instance, when we hear about a local school trying to take the words ‘under God’ out of the Pledge of Allegiance, we should personally get involved in voicing our opposition to such censorship.” That would go against the very Constitution you espouse sir. By the way, under God was added in the 1950s and was never part of the original pledge.
5. “It is much better to deal with these issues logically and with respect for tradition than through the emotional lens of the politically correct ideology of the moment.” What is it with Dr. Carson and political correctness? I agree that there are elements on both parties that want to control free speech but please be more specific about it.
6. “The federal government constantly attempts to control every aspect of our lives.” As in not respecting the reproductive rights of women? Not allowing same-sex couples to enjoy in the “sanctity” of marriage? Sure, there may be some elements of nanny state at times but it’s hard to be credible on this topic when you espouse intruding on women’s very personal issues.
7. “It is true that slavery ended only through the bloodshed of the Civil War, but that tragic event became necessary only because Americans had not been diligent in addressing the evil of slavery properly.” Unfortunately, the Bible fails as a moral guide by endorsing the very evil that Dr. Carson rightfully denounces. Furthermore, Dr. Carson has stated many times publicly that the Bible is the foundation of morality. Cognitive dissonance?
8. “I would argue that marriage was established as a religious ceremony that officially recognizes the establishment of a family and creates an ideal environment for the raising of children.” What about religious organizations that sanctify same-sex marriages? Do they not have the same rights? Christianity alone has thousands of denominations.
9. “On the other hand, German citizens were disarmed by their government in the late 1930s, and by the mid-1940s Hitler’s regime had mercilessly slaughtered six million Jews and numerous others whom they considered inferior.” Really? Do you honestly believe that armed Jews would have stood a chance against the Nazis? The issue wasn’t the disarmament; the issue was a sick dictator. Countries like Australia have basically disarmed their citizens and have in fact far fewer deaths caused by guns.
10. “No group of American citizens should be singled out for extra taxation and no group should be spared taxation on the federal level. A flat tax may be the only tax that truly treats everyone fairly and thus promotes the general welfare.” On the surface this statement sounds fair but in practice it’s not. Those who are able to should in fact contribute more in taxes than those who aren’t. I agree with closing loopholes and eliminating unfair subsidies.
11. “In many cases they pay for the private education of the youths in faith-based schools. Nearly 100 percent of those young men not only graduate from high school but also pursue higher education and become contributing members of society.” I’m all for helping people but the government should NOT be in the faith business. Separation of church and state.
12. “Promoting two-parent homes is another way of supporting the general welfare that infuriates progressives.” Infuriates? On the contrary, progressives support same-sex marriages that would only enhance two-parent homes.
13. “Our children’s freedom today is threatened by debt, ignorance, and abortion. To maintain the spirit of the Constitution, we must address these dangers before it is too late.” Abortion? Empowering women and funding Planned Parenthood would actually lower the amount of abortions that Dr. Carson condemns.
14. “Just as it is our responsibility not to pass debt on to our children, it is our responsibility to pass knowledge on to them.” Agreed, so let’s make sure we don’t teach creationism in our science classes. And Dr. Carson, our planet is NOT 10,000 year old or less. Please don’t let your faith get in the way of the facts as they correspond to the best of our scientific knowledge.
15. No formal bibliography.

In summary, this is a very basic, readable book about the Constitution. Unlike previous books by Dr. Carson the religious undertone is kept at a minimum and the book is quite useful and informative. The book is fairly bland however and it’s apparent that it was written to take advantage of his candidacy and to appeal to the masses. He rarely ventures out to some of his controversial stances but when he does he suffers from the very political correctness that he accuses the left of. A useful book for the layperson but there are much better books that cover this important topic.

“America’s Constitution: A Biography”, “The Bill of Rights”, “The Law of the Land”, and “America’s Unwritten Constitution” by Akhil Reed Amar, “The Words We Live By” by Linda R. Monk, “The Penguin Guide to the United States Constitution” by Richard Beeman, “Ratification” by Pauline Maier, “The Bill of Rights” by Carol Berkin, and “The Constitution: An introduction” by Michael and Luke Paulsen.

[Skyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh, this book. I had a difficult time discerning what the point of this book was because it doesn't read like most of the books coming out this year by these other politicos running for high office. It's not quite in the same vein as Rubio's and Trump's recent efforts, both of which provide a comprehensive overview of their philosophies on governance and their stances on a variety of expected issues. Nor was it autobiographical in nature like Cruz's A Time for Truth (though I suppose Carson covered that ground in his earlier book Gifted Hands.)

No, A More Perfect Union essentially reads like a school report on the Constitution. He breaks it down, section by section, providing a very basic and cursory overview of the document's many components. Why does he feel a book like this is necessary? I have no idea and spent much of my time reading it struggling to comprehend why this book was even published. This is basically a regurgitation of what a simple Google search will provide via Wikipedia or some similar source.

My major gripes:

1. Painful analogies, weakly connected to the topics at hand. Where do I begin with this one? Sprinkled throughout the book are brief little episodes from the life of Carson that he tries (emphasis on tries) to link to elements of the Constitution. Many of these connections are tenuous at best, and at worst make him appear painfully simple-minded. Examples of this include a story of his mother considering the purchase of a car she later discovered to be a lemon (which he connects to the importance of knowing constitutional history) and a weird little license-plate scam tale in which he almost falls victim to a plot by criminals who, after stealing the license plate off his car, try to extort money out of him (this one he uses to underscore the importance of knowing your rights). Oh, and my favorite was the parallel he drew between conjoined baby twins and gay people (something about how we can't completely cater to the needs of abnormalities within the population, so just as we can't manufacture car seats for conjoined twins, neither can we allow gays the right to marry. Yeah, he went there.)

2. The History of the Constitution chapter. Before Carson delves into his excruciatingly basic breakdown of the actual document, he devotes a chapter to the history of the Constitution, which he says (and I would agree) is necessary to fully understand the document. The problem is he dedicates a mere 19 pages to the document's history, of which 11 are basically just biographical sketches of those in attendance at the convention. The vignettes are grouped into different sections (e.g., "Soldiers," "Businessmen," etc.), the most comprehensive (of course) being the section on "Doctors." Again, it's another instance that reads like a Wikipedia entry. Carson manages to reduce one of the most exciting periods of U.S. history into a dull Who's Who of the American Revolution.

3. Carson the mind-reader. Of course, I understand that Carson is currently running for the presidency, so naturally he is going to shade his explanations of the Constitution with his ideological preferences. BUT it drove me crazy the number of times he spoke on behalf of the Founders without any real evidence or sources to back up his claims. "The Founders believed this...", "The Founders wanted that..."....where is your proof?? On a related note, the constant clumping together of the Founding Fathers only serves to highlight the fact that he lacks a nuanced understanding of the variations that existed among the philosophies of these great minds. According to Carson, the Founders were of one mind on virtually every major issue pertaining to this new government, from guns to religion and everything in between.

4. The sources. It is always interesting to read through the notes and sources of informational texts like this that have as authors individuals who are clearly not authorities on the subject. At the end of the book, Carson lists 50 sources used throughout the book's fifteen chapters. Of these, 40 are internet websites. That is a whopping 80% of the sources listed that are straight off the internet. Sure, some of them are legitimate, but he also includes an article from Brietbart.com, a "This Day in History" piece from history.com, and biography.com as among these sources that he consulted for this work. He also omits sources used in one chapter entirely (the one on Article 3, the judicial branch).

5. His understanding of current events. There are a few examples of Carson discussing various aspects of the Constitution within the context of current events. Some of these were alarmingly egregious in how far from reality Carson strayed to make whatever point he was trying to make. A few examples: Carson argues that Clarence Thomas's nomination to the Supreme Court was opposed because he was a conservative and because he was black. No discussion whatsoever on the very serious (and very credible) accusations of sexual harassment as a reason for why many were against this very skeevy man's nomination. Similarly disturbing was his permissive attitude toward allowing our nation's soldiers to flout the Geneva Conventions. Apparently not wanting to act like the Nazis or the Japanese in WWII or any other country throughout history that has committed wartime atrocities makes one an out-of-touch ivory tower elite.

This is clearly not a work of serious constitutional scholarship. Instead, it's the work of a man who has never held political office trying to show his base that he at least understands the U.S. Constitution. Unfortunately, much of his work here inadvertently only serves to prove how superficial, and in some cases how misinformed, that understanding actually is.

P.S. I did very much enjoy the Glamour Shots pose he chose to use in his cover photograph.

[Will Fuqua · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm breaking my rules a bit by reviewing this book since I didn't read the whole thing, but I think I've got the gist of it. Its not my fault most of it is an incredibly boring and farcically misleading retelling of 3rd grade history and civics class (Why are you trying to explain the history of the British colonies in North America AND the American revolution in 3 pages????). In the few areas where he discusses relevant policy matters, as opposed to just listing the powers granted to the government in the constitution and whining about "bureaucrats", Carson's analysis fails to pass muster. Or even have citations.

Basically, if you like Ben Carson and his folksy anecdotes, you'll probably like this book, but if you like serious thought look elsewhere. Even as a campaign manifesto, this doesn't give me much idea about what Carson would do if elected besides worship a bubblegum shrine of the constitution like Helga in Hey Arnold!.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great review of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. I don't agree with Dr. Carson on all the issues, but I do know how important it is to understand the Constitution and will vote for a candidate who, not only understands it but will uphold the Constitution as the Founding Fathers intended.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was written prior to the author’s service as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Not sure if his service to our country would reinforce or modify his constitutional interpretation. Either way, this book is a very easy read as the author explains, in a very down-to-earth manner, the nuts and bolts of the United States Constitution. Only one point of disagreement existed with the author’s explanation of the Fourteenth Amendment. I do not believe this particular addition to the constitution legally creates what most would call the “anchor-baby” phenomenon. That aside, I would definitely recommend reading this book as it is a great introduction to those who have never read the U.S. Constitution.

[Betsy Gant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. I will forever mourn the fact that this man is not our president. Incredible book to read during a time of racism, riots, and reconstruction. HIGHLY recommend!! I'm on a Dr. Ben Carson kick. I need to read more and more...!

https://twitter.com/i/status/12682372...

“If the American people and their representatives do not know and understand what is in our Constitution, others will take advantage of them. Only when we understand the law of our land can we effectively hold our representatives accountable. Knowledge is power, and we must refuse to be bullied.”

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.”

“Freedom cannot last long without education, because an uneducated populace is likely to be duped by tyrants. An educated populace cannot be easily manipulated and is the foundation of a strong society.”

“Governmental programs are often faceless and unsustainable. Handouts create more dependency in the populace, decreasing overall societal productivity and depleting the resources of the agencies providing the handouts. The taxpayer base decreases, the dependent population increases, and taxpayer money runs out.”

“They decreed that the American government always be controlled by the will of the people, not the people by the will of the government.”

“Breaking cycles of dependency, establishing cordial relationships between people of differing economic means, and reestablishing sound values and principles in our society can serve only to strengthen the fabric of our nation, which is what any government should want to do and which clearly promotes the general welfare.”

“The founders also knew that every government system risks corruption, and they wanted to make sure Americans would be able to defend themselves should the nation’s leaders become tyrannical. To that end, they ratified the Second Amendment, guaranteeing the right of Americans to bear arms. An armed populace is a powerful deterrent to tyrants both domestically and internationally, and we must defend this liberty as part of our common defense.”

“Rather than trying to control or confiscate guns, it might be smarter to offer free, public gun-safety courses. In countries like Switzerland, every man within a certain age range is required to possess a gun and to know how to use it, and Switzerland has one of the lowest gun homicide rates in the world. It is clear that guns do not kill people by themselves. Rather, people who are determined to kill will find whatever means are available to accomplish their mission.”

“The Constitution was written in such a way as to make this power grab almost impossible. As long as we follow its guidelines, it will be difficult for any force, external or internal, to successfully remove American liberties.”

“Every American should memorize the preamble and keep its principles in mind while voting. If we elect only officials who understand the Constitution and its goals, America’s future will be safe.”

“Despite their differences in wealth, the framers were careful to avoid anything resembling class warfare, keeping any idea of wealth redistribution out of the Constitution. Many of the framers were familiar with the deleterious effects of class warfare, which was prominent throughout Europe. They hoped that a more egalitarian atmosphere would characterize American culture. They envisioned a country where people would rise and fall based on their abilities and contribution rather than their pedigree. To that end, they put aside their socioeconomic differences and worked together.”

“No group of American citizens should be singled out for extra taxation and no group should be spared taxation on the federal level.”

“Our founders were committed to a belief in the importance of life and liberty, and we must fight to see those rights extended to our children still in the womb.”

“Laws and regulations should be designed to address normal situations, while providing special mechanisms for the creation of exceptions in abnormal situations.”

“Because of our current representatives’ corruption, many Americans no longer trust the federal government. Some refuse to analyze the reasons for this distrust and prefer to think about other things, like sports, entertainment, and lifestyles of the rich and famous. We have the choice of continuing to be distracted by trivialities or of faithfully watching for and responding to abuse of the Constitution. If we choose the former option, our descendants will be faced with much less pleasant options.”

“In recent decades we have seen significant deviation regarding the equal application of the laws, but again, it is not too late to rectify the situation if we the people of the United States take enough interest in our political situation to exercise our right as voters and put people in office who will uphold our Constitution.”

“Finally, we the people exercise power by speaking our minds. Many of the early patriots in our nation had experienced tyranny that prevented them from expressing their opinions. They could not speak against the king or against the established church. They knew that America’s citizens would need to be free to express themselves if they were to rule. Thus they set in place the Constitution’s First Amendment, guaranteeing the freedom of speech and expression. We’ve preserved this freedom so that our government doesn’t usually try to prevent the people from speaking. Recognizing this achievement, many assert that there is no restriction of speech in the United States and that everyone is completely free to express themselves. Unfortunately, this is a naive claim. Today the political correctness (PC) police are the biggest threat to America’s freedom of speech, and they are doing their best to squelch the opinions of “we the People.” There is not an officially established PC police force, but its members exist in government, throughout the media, in educational institutions, etc. Members of the PC police are those who carefully monitor the speech and behavior of anyone they consider to be a threat to their leftist ideological domination. The PC police do not care that people disagree with them, as long as those people remain silent. But if someone openly disagrees with them, they demonize that person with ridicule and infantile name-calling. This kind of speech policing has created fear in a large portion of our populace, causing them to remain silent rather than face the repercussions of expressing themselves honestly.”

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was curious to learn more about Ben Carson, so when I saw he published a new book, I read it right away. Unfortunately, this book is just an overview of the constitution, with Ben Carson's commentary and interpretation of what it means. I can't really say that I learned anything substantial from his comments as they mostly just echoed the stereotypical conservative ideas of the day. Ben Carson really dislikes gun control and the national obsession over political correctness, and it seems as thought he finds place at every point in the constitution to point this out. I was definitely hoping for something more enlightening.

[Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm soooooooo glad Dr. Carson is going to be our next president. so refreshing to have a president who will actually uphold the constitution :)

[AnnaScott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally learned more about government from this book than I did my entire high school government class. Ben Carson did a phenomenal job explaining the Constitution and the basis of American government from an unbiased perspective, and presented it in a way that clearly showed how it affects the average person and why its critically important for everyone to play an active role (at least to some extent) in their local and national government.

[Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Ben Carson is brilliant. It's impressive to me that a brain surgeon who is a legend in his own highly technical and complex field of medicine and neurology can effectively write a book on an entirely different subject such as the U.S. constitution and do it in such a way that it is not only very interesting and inspiring, but understandable to a 5th grader.

This is a wonderful book written by Dr. Ben Carson that gives an in-depth overview of the Constitution,  the Articles of Confederation,  the Bill of Rights, and how they are important to us today.  He discusses the founding fathers and how are our civil rights and liberties came to be. Given the Simplicity of the writing, this would be an excellent book to help high school age and young adults understand our founding documents.

Parents, when selecting a book on the U.S. constitution for your teenager, this would be a good start.

Ben Carson begins by giving a brief individual history on many of the founding fathers, particularly the authors and signers of the Declaration of Independence, the articles of Confederacy, and the Constitution.

Dr. Carson highlights the importance of the Constitution and particularly the preamble to the Constitution. As voters we should not only have a clear understanding of the contents of the Constitution, but we should understand the purpose of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights by reading and understanding the preamble. He suggests that we should strive to memorize the preamble to the Constitution.

"Having a ballot referendum on an important issue is a farce if a federal judge can throw out the results and impose his or her own will  in the place of the will of the people."

He discusses the dangerous encroachment of federal power and describes why it is so important that rights be turned back over to the states. Arguments for the Second Amendment and a strong National Defense

He contends why a flat tax is much more preferable then the current variable tax laws, the danger of out-of-control social welfare programs,  fiscal responsibility, the murder of unborn children,  Article 1 of the Constitution and checks and balances

[Noble Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Carson's 'A More Perfect Union' analyzes and explains the Constitution in a simplified manner. It is presented in a way that the majority of the people who read this will have a better understanding of the Constitution. Carson also explains that the Constitution is in fact a simple and straightforward document and that too many politicians have manipulated and trampled, tried to re-define the meaning or simply over-ruled it.

The Constitution of the United States plainly states its goals in the preamble and then follows up with specific guidelines in order for our government to function in a non-socialist manner. One of the main things that I like about Carson's book is that he doesn't inundate you with multiple examples of how corrupt our government truly is. His main focus is to teach Americans what our Constitution means and why it is the greatest document of our time. Another point is that people have the power to decide the course of action - through voting - and by voting at the local, county and state level one is electing representatives of our community to make and cast votes the will bring about change that We the People want.
And the last key point that I will say is that Carson is a strong supporter of States rights. The majority of the power should not rest in the Federal government, rather it should be up to the states to decide the course of action for certain issues. That the votes by the community need to stand and not simply overturned by a federal judge who disagrees with the outcome of the vote. The Federal government's role is to support the states by protecting all citizens, ensuring that our freedoms are not trampled on, and govern within the confines of the Constitution - so that power does not lie in a Centralized Government but rather with the People.

[Simon Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do To Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberty by Dr. Ben Carson, is a political book, teaching people about the constitution and telling people how they can defend the document when other people try to interpret it wrongly. He talks about the history of the Constitution as regards to the founding fathers and history of the United States during the late 18th century. Carson writes in a straightforward and factual way using and explaining citizen’s rights like with privacy. “Everyone is entitled to their private thoughts and musings without fear of exposure”(65). Carson reaffirms everyone’s rights throughout the book and teaches people how to preserve it. I like that Carson uses personal stories and ties them into his lesson like when he got pulled over by a police officer for speeding. “I protested, stating my car was not capable of the speed he accused us of, but to no avail. The officer suggested that I meet him in court, which I did… I informed the judge that the police had been using radar equipment that operated on the Doppler effect”(141). Carson later explains that the signal could be substantially degraded by angulation of the hill and the judge dismissed the case. Carson informs people more about the legal system and the judicial branch. I also enjoy that Carson analyses the Constitution and gives the actual article and his analysis of it as the writers intended. I am intrigued by the detail Carson uses about the history of the Constitution and what happened during the time period. I would recommend this book to everyone. Everyone should read about the Constitution and know their rights as citizens. People hoping to learn more about Ben Carson should also read this book.

[Brian Mcquaig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well… First of all I didn't think they could do it but they found a reader for this audiobook that had the same cadence as Ben Carson. Which means it was much like getting a lecture from one of those professors you've had that put 0 excitement into the subject. Dr. Carson is a great man but he's no Abraham Lincoln in terms of oration.

This was crafted as a primer on the Constitution and its amendments. The content was good and a lot of the historical context was excellent. However, several of the subjective comments really went to a lack of understanding of some portions of the constitution. This was especially so in the amendments and in particularly the 17th amendment. Dr. Carson got it all wrong on the 17th amendment IMHO.

I'd say it was a good attempt and well worth the read for someone that has never studied the Constitution.

There are much better books with more in depth historical commentary on the subject available.

Lukewarm review aside, Dr. Carson is one hell of a good man and he should not be taken lightly. He is most definitely on my top five list for presidential candidates. B$

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are issues when laypeople attempt to understand or explain Constitutional law. "What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties" based on the opinion that in order to reclaim constitutional liberties apparently refers to limiting or negating the constitutional liberties of other people. There is also the telltale interpretation method changing based on what the author wants it to be. Constitutional law is not simple, but rather complex and that should be taken into consideration.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. I'm not someone who usually is excited about a history lesson but the way he laid out the some of the history and facts of our forefathers to put the constitution in perspective was really engaging. He made the constitution easier to understand, and really helped show why it is so important today to uphold it and keep our freedoms. I honestly think this book should be read in schools through out the nation.

[Mindy Buenemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and a ver good civics refresher. He did a great job of explaining the importance of our constitution and how important it is for the citizens to be involved with the election process. Very good break down of each part of the constitution and the bill of rights. I think this would be helpful for any voting citizen regardless of your political preference.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Dr. Ben Carson demonstrates his knowledge of early American history and his knowledge of the constitution. Dr Carson breaks down the constitution section by section and defines every meaning. Reading A More Perfect Union is a great to brush up or expand your knowledge about the constitution.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a basic primer on the Constitution with Bible verses and Dr. Carson's thoughts on gay marriage and abortion thrown in. I think he was trying to demonstrate how the Constitution supports his anti-gay marriage and anti-abortion stances, but I couldn't buy into it. I was hoping for deeper scholarship on the Constitution.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very clear explanation of why we need to be educated citizens, in order to keep the freedoms our Founding Fathers so painstakingly prescribed in the Constitution. If we don't know what it says, how we will we be able to insist that our elected representatives uphold it?
A good primer to anyone new to our country, also.

[Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Carson really breaks down the constitution by discussing the history and meaning of each part and how it applies to our time. He also places much emphasis on the importance for U.S. citizens to stand up for and protect the constitution in various ways. I would read it again.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A More Perfect Union was a great nonfiction read. I loved learning more about the U.S. Constitution.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read David Mccullough and Joseph J. Ellis, I cannot bear with this book.. Too preliminary...

[SoulSurvivor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carson is a multi-disciple scholar. An internationally recognized pediatric neurosurgeon who is a very
articulate and informed Constitution and Bill of Rights writer. A solid 4-star exposition of all the articles , Rights and Amendments in a clear, apolitical manner. I was surprised because I expected a strict conservative slant but it was unbiased.

[John Biddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good intro to the constitution. It covers everything, but lightly, including both the what and the why. Understandable by high schoolers and up and is knowledge every citizen or prospective citizen should know.

[Kitkat405 · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I don’t agree with him on some policies and topics I learned a lot about the amendments and government structure.

[J.A. Irvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book covering the Constitution and defining the Constitution. He sticks with the facts and spells it out in plain English.

[Rafael Suleiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good examination of conservative values.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't that great. It was merely a commentary on the Constitution. It seems that Carson just wanted to get his name out before the 2016 election.