- "Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787" by James Madison (1840)
- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (1791)
- "A Debt Against the Living" by Ilan Wurman (2017)
- "How Rights Went Wrong" by Jamal Greene (2021)
- "The Pursuit of Happiness" by Jeffrey Rosen (2024)
- "This America" by Jill Lepore (2019)
When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
A.J. Jacobs is the author of "The Know-It-All" and "The Year of Living Biblically." In his new book, "The Year of Living Constitutionally," he examines the rights granted in the U.S. Constitution by practicing them as an 18th-century white man would.
"Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787" by James Madison (1840)
Madison's meticulous notes reveal how the Founding Fathers created the first modern democracy. It's compelling to see how different our country could have been if a handful had switched their votes. My favorite alternative America: three co-presidents instead of one. (I'm imagining Biden, Trump, and RFK Jr. with abutting desks in the Oval Office.) Buy it here.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (1791)
Franklin's autobiography doubles as one of America's first self-help books. It should be required reading for this alone: Franklin advises never to use the words "certainly" or "undoubtedly" when giving opinions, instead using phrases such as "If I am not mistaken." If I am not mistaken, we need more such humility today. Buy it here.
"A Debt Against the Living" by Ilan Wurman (2017)
Writers should understand, and take seriously, the best arguments of those with whom they disagree. Although I come out mostly in favor of living constitutionalism in my book, I tried to present the best case for originalism, and relied extensively on Wurman's incisive defense. Buy it here.
"How Rights Went Wrong" by Jamal Greene (2021)
A brilliant book that argues Americans have a flawed view of rights. According to Green, a Columbia law professor, we "fetishize" our constitutional rights, seeing them as absolute. The Founders had a more nuanced view, as do many other nations today. We should have more, and weaker, rights. Society functions best when we weigh multiple rights against one another. Buy it here.
"The Pursuit of Happiness" by Jeffrey Rosen (2024)
In an attempt to figure out what the Founders meant by a good life, Rosen does a deep dive into the books they read, ranging from Stoic philosophy to French political theory. He makes a strong argument that the Founders believed happiness was tied to virtue: not just feeling good, but doing good. Buy it here.
"This America" by Jill Lepore (2019)
Lepore, one of my favorite writers and historians, rejects both xenophobic nationalism and an overemphasis on identity politics, both of which she sees as threats to America. She favors a civic patriotism based on American ideals such as welcoming dissent, protecting free speech, and nurturing invention. Buy it here.
This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here.
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in FijiUnder the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’
Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Philadelphia’s Calder GardensFeature A permanent new museum
-
Mustardy beans and hazelnuts recipeThe Week Recommends Nod to French classic offers zingy, fresh taste
-
Susie Dent picks her favourite booksThe Week Recommends The lexicographer and etymologist shares works by Jane Goodall, Noel Streatfeild and Madeleine Pelling
-
6 incredible homes under $1 millionFeature Featuring a home in the National Historic Landmark District of Virginia and a renovated mid-century modern house in Washington
-
The Harder They Come: ‘triumphant’ adaptation of cinema classicThe Week Recommends ‘Uniformly excellent’ cast follow an aspiring musician facing the ‘corruption’ of Kingston, Jamaica
-
House of Guinness: ‘rip-roaring’ Dublin brewing dynasty period dramaThe Week Recommends The Irish series mixes the family tangles of ‘Downton’ and ‘Succession’ for a ‘dark’ and ‘quaffable’ watch
