Book description
A Light-Hearted Road Trip Through America's Founding Document
In The Year of Living Constitutionally, A.J. Jacobs invites readers on a rollicking, almost theatrical tour of the U.S. Constitution-one that is as educational as it is wildly entertaining. Building on the success of his earlier work with the Bible, Jacobs tackles the modern "originalism vs. living constitutionalism" debate by stepping into the shoes (and wigs) of the Founders.
The book opens with a comic image: Jacobs in a tricorne hat and a 1700s musket marching through Manhattan's Times Square, quill in hand, writing opinions on parchment for anyone who will listen. From there he spirals into an array of outlandish experiments-quartering a soldier to honor the Third Amendment, lighting candles instead of using electricity, and even applying for a Letter of Marque to become a government-licensed pirate. Each anecdote is peppered with genuine humor that keeps the reader laughing while the underlying questions stay sharp.
What makes this book truly engaging is Jacobs' balance between levity and depth. He interviews constitutional scholars from both sides of the spectrum, weaving their insights into his narrative without making it feel like a lecture. The result is a crash course in originalism and living constitutionalism delivered through the lens of everyday adventures: delivering handwritten petitions to Congress, negotiating contracts in a 1790s style, and even attempting to take over his wife's day job to explore women's property rights under the Constitution.
Jacobs' narrative voice is warm and conversational, avoiding dense legal jargon. He acknowledges the absurdity of some of his experiments-like trying to "live" in 1789 while still navigating a modern mortgage-but uses those moments to illustrate how far we've come and what the Constitution really means today. The humor never undermines the seriousness; instead, it makes complex constitutional concepts accessible.
The book's pacing is brisk yet thoughtful. Jacobs' willingness to laugh at himself-whether he's misreading a clause or being stared at by strangers in a musket-creates an intimate connection with readers. At the same time, his earnest desire to understand the document's original meaning shows a genuine respect for America's foundational principles.
For anyone curious about constitutional law-or simply looking for a book that will keep you chuckling while expanding your mind-The Year of Living Constitutionally delivers on both fronts. Jacobs proves that history can be lived, not just studied, and that the Constitution remains as relevant today as it was in 1789.
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Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience