On Impeachment: The Presidency on Trial

by Corey Brettschneider (Editor)

A short, accessible collection of key historic writings about presidential impeachment, as part of a new Penguin Classics series on liberty and constitutional rights.

A Penguin Classic

With the Penguin Liberty series by Penguin Classics, we look to the U.S. Constitution’s text and values, as well as to American history and some of the country’s most important thinkers, to discover the best explanations of our constitutional ideals of liberty. Through these curated anthologies of historical, political, and legal classic texts, Penguin Liberty offers everyday citizens the chance to hear the strongest defenses of these ideals, engage in constitutional interpretation, and gain new (or renewed) appreciation for the values that have long inspired the nation. Questions of liberty affect both our daily lives and our country’s values, from what we can say to whom we can marry, how society views us to how we determine our leaders. It is Americans’ great privilege that we live under a Constitution that both protects our liberty and allows us to debate what that liberty should mean.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 2020

About the author

Corey Brettschneider is a professor of political science at Brown University, where he teaches constitutional law and politics. He has also been a visiting professor at Fordham Law School, The University of Chicago Law School and Harvard Law School. His writing has appeared in Time, Politico, and the New York Times. His new book is The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first section was honestly what I was expecting the whole book to be - a review and analysis of the American impeachment process. Each subsequent section felt more like a historical document analysis of the Johnson, Nixon and Clinton impeachment processes. That being said I found it an interesting selection of documents and will keep an eye out for an updated edition with a new Trump impeachment section.

[Lisa Konet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very brief account about what impeachment is and what is considered an impeachable offense. It focuses on the four cases in US History when a President has been put on trial to be impeached and if he was found guilty or not. An easier book to read on the subject and recommended. Hey Donald, you should read this.

Thanks to Netgalley, Corey Brettschneider and Penguin Group Publishing Book Classics for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/8/20

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource for anyone that doesn't know what qualifies as an Impeachable offense, what Presidents have faced Impeachment, and the laws regarding it. This was a short read, but was filled with so much useful and relevant information. Every American should read this so that they have a better understanding of what Impeachment is and how it has been utilized.

[Vicky Liu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative book with a good emphasis on primary source text. I wished the book with more analysis and context for the situations.

[Emma North · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt that the presentation of these ideas and the content allowed for a storytelling approach which made it easier to digest. Would love an update with information regarding Trump’s impeachment trial!