Fault Lines in the Constitution The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws that Affect Us Today

An essential book on the U.S. Constitution for everyone grappling with today's most urgent political issues. From the award-winning duo of Cynthia and Sanford Levinson. ★ Four Starred Reviews ★ “Throw out the high school textbooks and put this outstanding book in the hands of the next generation!” —The Booklist Reader “An excellent introduction to the strengths and weaknesses of our founding document...especially enlightening for those who don’t yet understand how our government is supposed to work.” —New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson School Library Journal Best Nonfiction Books of the Year Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Books of the Year Best Books of the Year ―Bank Street College of Education Parents’ Choice Gold Award Cynthia Levinson, a noted children’s nonfiction author, has teamed up with her husband Sanford Levinson, one of the nation’s foremost constitutional scholars, to address the fact that many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in one place—the U.S. Constitution. Their award-winning book, Fault Lines in the Constitution, takes readers back to the creation of this historic document and discusses how contemporary problems were first introduced―and then they offer possible solutions. Think of timely subjects such as voting rights, presidential pardons, executive and emergency powers, the Electoral College, gerrymandering, even the Senate. Many of us take these features in our system for granted. But they came about through haggling in an overheated room in 1787, and we’re still experiencing the ramifications. Each chapter in this timely and thoughtful exploration of the Constitution’s creation begins with a story―all but one of them true―that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. Informative sidebars and graphics run throughout along with a timeline and bibliography. Discussion Guide available! Visit the blog at www.faultlinesintheconstitution.com.