I found the process of getting what's now known as the Bill of Rights through Congress, and then ratified through the states to be far less interesting than than of the process of declaring our independance. Not that this is a bad book, it just didn't seem to hold my interest quite as well as, say, "Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor: The Forging of American Independence, 1774-1776," by Richard R. Beeman.

Also, while this is a pretty short book, it's really even moreso as about 25% of the end is dedicated to a short biography of every House and Senate member of the First Congressional Congress. I would rather have spent more time with the thoughts behind the amendments and why Madison chose those 12 (two were ultimately rejected) from the hundreds that were recommended by the states. ( )

A decent, if very basic, narrative overview of the debate over the early amendments to the Constitution that would become known as the Bill of Rights. Berkin doesn't get into much depth, though, and I was very surprised to find that sixty pages of this already-slim book are given over to capsule biographies of the members of the First Congress. A more detailed analysis and study would have been most welcome. ( )