REFERENCE

Constitutional Amendments. An Encyclopedia of the People, Procedures, Politics, Primary Documents, Campaigns for the 27 Amendments to the Constitution of the United States

2 vols. Grey House. Nov. 2012. 2000p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781592379996. $225; ebk. ISBN 9781619250031. REF
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This set's simple title says it all. The first chapter covers the entire Bill of Rights, and subsequent chapters address an amendment each, including its wording, the reasons for that change to the Constitution, and related Congressional transcripts, primary-source documents, and background materials. A section called "America at the Time" contains information such as prices for basic items compared to today, newspaper articles, and advertising. Public figures from the era are also presented. The chapters conclude with a list of references for further reading. Appendixes in Volume Two contain an excellent discussion of how an amendment comes into being and the ratification process, as well as a discussion of the six amendments that were never approved. The set concludes with an extensive bibliography.
VERDICT Despite the occasional typo, Grossman's thorough discussion of the background of the 27 Amendments will be a useful addition to public and academic library collections.
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