On The Shelf – Big Books – Miracle At Philadelphia – 9/18/2018

This is the second in my Big Books series – introduced in this post:

http://booksofbrian.com/on-the-shelf-big-books-9-9-2018/

The purpose of the series being to “spotlight what, for me, are the biggest, most important books in my collection and why.”  The first book I chose to feature was “The Constitution Of The United States Of America” for what I hope are relatively self-evident reasons.  I thought it only appropriate to stick with this theme for one additional post and feature “Miracle At Philadelphia” by Catherine Drinker Bowen.  The book has a special place in my library for two reasons – the first and less important being the edition itself – I’m fortunate enough to have a near perfect copy of the special, slipcover Bicentennial Edition.  The more important reason by far is what the book offers any student of U.S. History.

I’ve always felt that any study of our history starts with an understanding of the U.S. Constitution and The Bill Of Rights but I also know that reading the actual Constitution – always intended to be a living document – is not nearly enough.  Understanding it requires both some exposure to the interpretations that have been layered onto it over the years by the U.S. Supreme Court as well as an understanding of the men who wrote it and the history of it’s composition.  This book is recognized as one of the best – maybe the best account – of that process.  “Miracle At Philadelphia” is a fascinating account of the personalities and the personal and political struggles of the men who, over the course of five long months in 1787, produced this amazing document.

In Bowen’s words, “The Federal Convention, viewed from the records, is startlingly fresh and ‘new.’ The spirit behind it was the spirit of compromise, seemingly no very noble flag to rally round. Compromise can be an ugly word, signifying a pact with the devil, a chipping off of the best to suit the worst. Yet in the Constitutional Convention the spirit of compromise reigned in grace and glory; as Washington presided, it sat on his shoulder like the dove. Men rise to speak and one sees them struggle with the bias of birthright, locality, statehood – South against North, East against West, merchant against planter. One sees them change their minds, fight against pride, and when the moment comes, admit their error. If the story is old, the feelings behind it are new as Monday morning. “If all the tales are told, retell them, Brother. If few attend, let those who listen feel.”  It truly is an exceptional story that everyone should take the time to read in order to see our Founders come together – at times bringing their worst – and finding a way to agree on what has, over time, become the very best.  It’s a book that I think every library deserves.

While you’re at it, give some thought to acquiring the following two volumes:

“The Glorious Cause” by Robert Middlekauff is the first edition in The Oxford History Of The United States, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 and is one of the very best accounts – from beginning to end – of the American Revolution.  I’d recommend it as a must read for any student of U.S. History and a superb addition to any library.

One other exceptional read in the same vein:

“Founding Brothers” by Joseph J. Ellis is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a superb set of short vignettes focused on several of our most prominent Founding Fathers – George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin.  It recounts six discrete moments in history that helped to define the nature and character of our Republic.  I can’t overstate how much history this book offers up in 248 brief pages.  It’s a superb account of the men who built this Country and the moments that helped to define so much of what came after them.  I would suggest that this one belongs in any library as well.

Anyone willing to put enough time aside to finish these three will be relatively well grounded in the critical, early years of this country’s history and will have made a very nice start to assembling a collection focused on the history of the United States.