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The rich keep getting richer... Nov 19, 2000 (94 of 96 found this helpful)
and the Mentor Federalist Papers keep getting better. Yes, that's right. They actually managed to improve on it. The great new additions include the Declaration, the Articles, and an excellent new introduction by Charles Kessler. I think the killer feature for new readers will be the notes in the back, which, if you (like me) are shaky in your Greek history (and the finer points of European), do a great job of explaining allusions and references by the Papers. Be sure to use this feature -- there's no indication in the text that a note exists, but you should just look if you're unsure of a historical setting (or something similar), and there probably will be one.
On the minus side, I do miss Rossiter's introduction. It wasn't as good for laying out the plan of the work, but it should have been included (along with Kessler's) for its excellent overview of the contemporary situation and the philosophy behind the papers. Also, I feel that Rossiter's contents were slightly better than Kessler's. And, the page numbers are changed, invalidating older references to them. But all in all it's an improvement, and certainly the Mentor edition is the only one to have. Period. It's the one used by at least some of the Supreme Court Justices, and it retains that single dominating feature, Rossiter's cross-referenced Constitution (and index of ideas).
As for the Papers themselves, of course, they need no review. They are the first and ultimate Constitutional commentary, and fascinating reading besides. As literature they stand out for the exceptional style (all the more remarkable considering the haste in which they were written) and clear thinking, and more than any other book they define how the U.S. _should_ work.
All in all, this is one of the best book bargains on the market, that rare coincidence where best edition meets mass-market paperback. What are you waiting for?
-Stephen
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The best edition of the Federalist Papers May 13, 2000 (42 of 42 found this helpful)
This is the best edition of the Federalist Papers. It includes many extras, but especially useful is the text of the US Constitution with cross-references to specific pages of the Federalist Papers referring to that provision. I highly recommend the Federalist Papers generally, and more specifically this edition to anyone wishing to know more about the founding and ratification of the Constitution.
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The best edition of a must read collection. May 4, 2000 (31 of 32 found this helpful)
The Mentor edition (used by Scalia among others) is by far the best edition of the Federalist Papers. It includes substantial amounts of related information, but of primary importance is the entire text of the Constitution with cross references to specific pages of the Federalist Papers on that topic. This is an extremely useful tool to anyone desiring to gain more knowledge about the Constitution and the founders intent, and it is especially useful to anyone taking a Con Law class.
In general the Federalist Papers is a must read for anyone interested in the founding of the US, or desiring to learn how our system of federalism, and separation of powers was intended to work. I recommend reading numbers 10, 49, and 78 first.
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A necessity to understanding the founder's intent May 4, 2000 (22 of 22 found this helpful)
This is a good edition of the Federalist Papers, the introduction by Gary Wills is excellent. However, I would strongly recommend purchasing the Mentor edition, as that edition contains the text of the Constitution, as does this edition, but the Mentor edition has cross-references to specific portions of the Federalist Papers which address that clause of the Constitution.
In general the Federalist Papers is a must read, no matter what edition you use, for anyone interested in the founding of the US, or desiring to learn how our system of federalism, and separation of powers was intended to work. I recommend reading numbers 10, 49, and 78 first.
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Every American should know passsages from this book by heart Sep 24, 1998 (39 of 44 found this helpful)
The essential commentary on our system of government. The U.S. Constitution is a brilliantly constructed document. But for those who are unable to fully understand its simplicity, read "The Federalist Papers." It makes clear the basis for our system of government (Natural Law). It also explains why the Constitution is a document from the people telling the government what rights it has to govern rather than a government document telling the people what rights are available to them.
Government gridlock is not a bad thing according to "The Federalist Papers." The Constitution is written in such a way that the government can't easily pass laws. Remember, for every law passed, we loose some of our natural rights.
"The Federalist Papers" was written to encourage the people of the time to support a new constitution (as opposed to keeping the Articles of Confederation). However, there is not a more modern explanation of why our current system is very flawed but the most viable option of self-rule anybody has ever devised.