To repeate a comment I left on on your post asking for American History resources:
You might like America’s Untold Stories on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericasUntoldStories Most of their stories have been 20th Century/JFK related, but there is a Thanksgiving episode that dovetails into alcohol and the United States as well as an episode covering President Garfield’s assassination.
If you want a real masterclass on the United States Constitution, check out the 5 volume series The Founders' Constitution (https://amzn.to/3HKveGY) which is “extracts from all the leading works of political theory, history, law, and constitutional argument on which the Framers and their contemporaries drew and which they themselves produced” that goes through the document and the first 12 Amendments phrase by phrase.
Also, I have to say that many of the books you have on this reading list are also on my reading list.
And I'd love to either guest post or "debate" by writing articles back and forth on United States History.
Right now, I'm reading books written by candidates in the 2024 presidential election.
There is one bright spot if you dive into the presidents. William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia about a month after taking office in 1841, so that segment should be pretty brief, lol.
Interesting factoid on Harrison's successor, John Tyler. President Tyler still has a living grandson. I don't recall his name off the top of my head, but he's around 93 or 94 yo now.
A thought on going through the federalist papers. You are already aware that the founders anticipated a great many ways things could go wrong and accounted for many of those things in the way they crafted Article I. But what isn't obvious until you've pondered it for a while is the lengths they went to in order to ensure as broad of a distribution of power as they could achieve without repeating the follies of the Articles of Confederation. If you let that nag the back of your brain as you go through this exercise, a lot of things will start becoming more obvious. "Everybody" is familiar with the Separation of Powers doctrine, but erroneously believe that's strictly about the 3 branches of the federal government.
From Federalist 45
The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.
I submit that THAT separation of powers is far more important even than the role separation between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at the federal level.
To all readers: Most public libraries have a way for card holders to request books for purchase. Please ask your library to buy books like these so that they’re available for other people too! You can usually request physical or ebook.
As a librarian who feels like I was chased out of the profession I am finally ready to try to leverage public libraries for their intended purpose!
Amazon affiliates is super easy. It's just grabbing a unique link (which a browser plug in will provide). Your readers want your recommendations and it is pure passive income ...
I can only once again recommend Spooner. He's basically the original libertarian / anarchist in the post-Constitution era, who follows the principles of the Founders most closely.
His perspective is basically, "Who the fuck are you to make pacts on the behalf of people who weren't even born yet?"
Holly, if you are interested in Woodrow Wilson, you might want to get hold of the "Intimate Papers of Colonel House" by Charles Seymour (1926). It is published in 2 volumes. Unfortunately, I only have the first volume, having found it in an antique store for a few dollars. Since Colonel House had a hand in compiling the papers, it is certainly a work of propaganda, but nonetheless an important historical reference of the Wilson presidency. Example from the Prefatory Note written by House: "Happy the nation fortunate enough to have a Woodrow Wilson to lead it through dark and tempestuous days!", ignoring the responsibility of Wilson for the darkness and tempest.
It is widely believed among conspiracy theorists that House pulled Wilson's strings, and was therefore responsible for much of what Wilson did to America.
To repeate a comment I left on on your post asking for American History resources:
You might like America’s Untold Stories on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericasUntoldStories Most of their stories have been 20th Century/JFK related, but there is a Thanksgiving episode that dovetails into alcohol and the United States as well as an episode covering President Garfield’s assassination.
I’d encourage you to have a digital rummage through my physical books: https://www.libib.com/u/professortom/l/117673
I’d recommend The 5,000 Year Leap (https://amzn.to/44DLFPu) The Making of America (https://amzn.to/44zkhC6) A Patriot's History of the United States (Larry Schweikart’s book, not the Zinn abomination https://amzn.to/3pfxH6b), Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution (https://amzn.to/41sFQSd) The Constitution before the Judgment Seat: The Prehistory and Ratification of the American Constitution, 1787–1791 (https://amzn.to/3VGRhnJ) Miracle At Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention (https://amzn.to/41dSVOQ).
If you want a real masterclass on the United States Constitution, check out the 5 volume series The Founders' Constitution (https://amzn.to/3HKveGY) which is “extracts from all the leading works of political theory, history, law, and constitutional argument on which the Framers and their contemporaries drew and which they themselves produced” that goes through the document and the first 12 Amendments phrase by phrase.
Also, I have to say that many of the books you have on this reading list are also on my reading list.
And I'd love to either guest post or "debate" by writing articles back and forth on United States History.
Right now, I'm reading books written by candidates in the 2024 presidential election.
I’m curious how that book by Vivek is.
He’s definitely my preferred choice among the GOP candidates so far.
There is one bright spot if you dive into the presidents. William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia about a month after taking office in 1841, so that segment should be pretty brief, lol.
Interesting factoid on Harrison's successor, John Tyler. President Tyler still has a living grandson. I don't recall his name off the top of my head, but he's around 93 or 94 yo now.
A thought on going through the federalist papers. You are already aware that the founders anticipated a great many ways things could go wrong and accounted for many of those things in the way they crafted Article I. But what isn't obvious until you've pondered it for a while is the lengths they went to in order to ensure as broad of a distribution of power as they could achieve without repeating the follies of the Articles of Confederation. If you let that nag the back of your brain as you go through this exercise, a lot of things will start becoming more obvious. "Everybody" is familiar with the Separation of Powers doctrine, but erroneously believe that's strictly about the 3 branches of the federal government.
From Federalist 45
The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.
I submit that THAT separation of powers is far more important even than the role separation between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at the federal level.
To all readers: Most public libraries have a way for card holders to request books for purchase. Please ask your library to buy books like these so that they’re available for other people too! You can usually request physical or ebook.
Holly: Why not get an Amazon affiliates account?
As a librarian who feels like I was chased out of the profession I am finally ready to try to leverage public libraries for their intended purpose!
Amazon affiliates is super easy. It's just grabbing a unique link (which a browser plug in will provide). Your readers want your recommendations and it is pure passive income ...
Holly, I too am an staunch supporter of the Electoral College.
Ah, yes. Woodrow Wilson, the *first* presidency run by wife.
I can only once again recommend Spooner. He's basically the original libertarian / anarchist in the post-Constitution era, who follows the principles of the Founders most closely.
His perspective is basically, "Who the fuck are you to make pacts on the behalf of people who weren't even born yet?"
Holly, if you are interested in Woodrow Wilson, you might want to get hold of the "Intimate Papers of Colonel House" by Charles Seymour (1926). It is published in 2 volumes. Unfortunately, I only have the first volume, having found it in an antique store for a few dollars. Since Colonel House had a hand in compiling the papers, it is certainly a work of propaganda, but nonetheless an important historical reference of the Wilson presidency. Example from the Prefatory Note written by House: "Happy the nation fortunate enough to have a Woodrow Wilson to lead it through dark and tempestuous days!", ignoring the responsibility of Wilson for the darkness and tempest.
It is widely believed among conspiracy theorists that House pulled Wilson's strings, and was therefore responsible for much of what Wilson did to America.