Now, I’m not a fan of graphic novels. I don’t read manga – ever – and I don’t think Maus should have been assigned in my 9th grade English class. But this book was really, really interesting.
The creators, Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell, do a remarkable job of summing up the exquisitely complex Constitution using only comic book panels. In just under 150 pages they describe the historical context, controversies, and major court cases surrounding each provision of the Constitution. And they do it without favoring one side or another: with each amendment or article in question, they describe its current and past interpretations, then list different groups’ objections in a refreshingly nonpartisan manner.
While I was initially a little disappointed that this book didn’t include the actual text of the Constitution, it’s thorough enough that I don't mind. Hopefully this book will attract younger readers – who, God knows, probably haven’t read the Constitution – and encourage them to get interested in American history and politics.
Amazon has some viewable pages.
That does look interesting, though the cover art appears somewhat dated. When was it first published?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Amazon it was published in 2008.
ReplyDelete