The Constitutional Convention that met in Philadelphia in 1787 was supposed to propose reforms to the Articles of Confederation. Instead attendees wrote an entirely new document. Berkin (history, Baruch Coll.; A Brilliant Solution) tells the story of the Bill of Rights in the Convention, the ratification in the states, and in the First Congress. Those who opposed the ratification of the Constitution cited the lack of a bill of rights to limit the powers of the proposed federal government. James Madison, a key figure in the Convention, opposed such an addition. But Madison agreed to support one in order to appease the opponents of the Constitution. Madison, elected to the First Congress in order to manage the amendment process, was key to the drafting and adoption of the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Berkin is a talented writer, and her story moves swiftly. The book also includes a biographical section profiling all those involved. VERDICT A scholarly and readable book that is excellent for history buffs. [See Prepub Alert, 11/17/14.]-Michael O. Eshleman, -Bloomington, IN © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Berkin (Wondrous Beauty), a professor of history at Baruch College and the CUNY Graduate Center, provides a narrative history of two critical constitutional moments in American history: the introduction and adoption by the first federal Congress of the Bill of Rights and the Bill's rapid ratification by the states. She tells the story briskly, working from comprehensive sources, and she omits nothing of importance. The problem is that Berkin leaves it at that, assuming that a story reveals its significance simply by being told. Readers won't gather from her account that there are any concerns or controversies over decisions made in that initial Congress-principally by James Madison, then leader of the House of Representatives, but also by his colleagues. Did those men err in some of their choices? Americans have endlessly debated parts of the Bill, especially the Second Amendment of late, while venerating others, such as the First; Berkin briefly alludes to such matters but makes no connection between them and the Bill's framers. This is narrative, celebratory history at its purest. What it lacks is a point of view in addition to the story. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Historian Berkin (Baruch College, CUNY) offers a concise rendering of the crafting of the Bill of Rights, particularly the instrumental role played by Virginia's James Madison. George Mason urged addition of a bill of rights, but Madison largely shaped many of the actual amendments. Berkin relates how the 54 delegates in Philadelphia's Independence Hall subscribed to the rule of law, separation of powers, and a republic based on the consent of the governed. During the ratification fight, Federalists and anti-Federalists clashed ideologically and philosophically regarding the American Revolution's meaning. The promise to add a bill of rights allowed for narrow ratification. The first Congress under the new national document, to Madison's surprise, proved reluctant to devise such constitutional protections. Painstakingly, Madison battled to win support for the promised amendments, which hearkened to imperial abuses, religious differences, and a felt need to provide protections against potential government abuses. In December 1791, the requisite 11th state ratified the Bill of Rights, although Georgia, Connecticut, and Massachusetts failed to do so for almost another 150 years. What never ended was the ideological clash between state and federal authority. A good primer for general libraries. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. --Robert C. Cottrell, California State University, Chico

Though we often take the Bill of Rights for granted, it took a monumental fight to get it approved. Berkin (History/Baruch Coll.; Wondrous Beauty: The Life and Adventures of Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, 2014, etc.) deftly examines its passage.Of the states that initially ratified the Constitution, many included amendments and cries for a second Constitutional Convention. Replacing the restrictive Articles of Confederation, the Constitution addressed the continuing postwar economic depression and attempted to improve the cooperation of the 13 states. Many states, which had their own currencies and import duties, viewed the power to tax and regulate commerce as tyranny. To those, the checks and balances in the Constitution were not enough to preserve the states' liberties, and the question of states rights vs. federalism was threatening to dissolve the union. As the new Congress met in New York in 1789, James Madison set about presenting a distillation of the hundreds of amendments requested by the ratifying states. It was a way to secure the loyalty of citizens who had fought for representation on a local level but were still wary of central government. Madison feared not an oppressive government but rather abusive practices of social majorities against minorities. He felt that the Bill of Rights was merely a "parchment barrier," but he hoped it had the potential to become a standard of behavior. Even though passage was assured in the Federalist-dominated Congress, the author ably shows how difficult and obstructionist the House debate became as nerves frayed in the summer heat. With constant demands for a new Convention, Madison feared for the Constitution and knew that this Bill of Rights would distract attempts at rewriting it. A highly readable American history lesson that provides a deeper understanding of the Bill of Rights, the fears that generated it and the miracle of the amendments. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.