The Words We Live by: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution

he United States Constitution is the basis for our most fundamental rights as Americans, and is a key element in nearly every major legal and political debate ever argued. But how many of us actually understand the language used by our Founding Fathers Now Linda R. Monk, an award-winning author and journalist, takes us through the Constitution, line by line, to help us comprehend this amazing document. From the Preamble, which she analyzes with inspiration from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Charlton Heston, and James Madison, to each and every amendment, Monk offers insight, legal expertise, surprising facts and trivia, opposing interpretations, and historical anecdotes to breathe life into this provocative and hallowed document.

“"When I covered federal courts in Washington at the foot of Capitol Hill, I read The Words We Live By all the time. When I stopped covering the courts, I still read it all the time. Smart, informed, witty--just the way everyone wants to sound when discussing the Constitution."-- Neely Tucker, staff writer, Washington Post”

"For a fine guide to the full context of today's Constitution, read The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution by the scholar Linda R. Monk, which labors to provide inclusive context, including materials on "outsiders" to the Constitution such as Native American people."--The Atlantic "This volume ought to be required reading for every American young and old."--Governor William Winter, Chairman Emeritus of the Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation "The U.S. Constitution gets a comprehensive overview in this engaging blend of history and commentary. Monk . . . traces the history and consequences of each part of this vital document in a line-by-line analysis of the original seven articles and the 27 amendments. She also gives even-handed but lively accounts of the debates over such Constitutional controversies as the right to bear arms, the right to privacy, church-state separation, and capital punishment."--Citation for Chief of Staff of the Air Force 2012 Reading List "When I covered federal courts in Washington at the foot of Capitol Hill, I read The Words We Live By all the time. When I stopped covering the courts, I still read it all the time. Smart, informed, witty--just the way everyone wants to sound when discussing the Constitution."--Neely Tucker, staff writer, Washington Post "[Linda Monk] captures just the right blend of history and current events to help us understand why the Constitution is America's cornerstone of freedom."--Charles Overby, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper editor and Chairman of the Overby Center of Southern Journalism and Politics "Linda Monk takes us on a lively and learned exploration of the document that underlies not only how we Americans govern ourselves but how we make sense of the world. Anyone reading The Words We Live By will finish it with a greater understanding of the Constitution and a new respect for how it has secured freedom and self-government for the last two centuries."--Steve Chapman, syndicated columnist, Chicago Tribune "Finally, a book that presents all sides of constitutional issues."--Linda Chavez, Chairman of the Center for Equal Opportunity and FOX News Channel contributor "A book for 'We the People' of all ages--wonderfully simple but never simplistic, brimming with profound and provocative ideas."--Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science, Yale University "I have never before seen so clear an explanation of what's in the Constitution and why. Monk has provided a service to the nation that should earn her a Presidential Medal of Freedom."--Nat Hentoff, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Senior Fellow, Cato Institute "A wonderfully accessible yet deeply insightful guide to our Constitution that should be read and enjoyed by a wide audience of old and young alike."--Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian

Monk received the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award twice. She is a frequent contributor to newspapers nationwide.

The United States Constitution is the basis for our most fundamental rights as Americans and has been a key element in nearly every major legal and political debate ever argued. But how many of us actually understand the language used by our Founding Fathers? In The Words We Live By, Linda R. Monk, an award-winning author and journalist, offers insight, legal expertise, surprising facts, little-known information, alternate interpretations, and historical anecdotes that breathe meaning into this provocative and hallowed document.

Readers, teachers, and students can easily grasp the Constitution's principles as legal scholar Monk guides us step-by-step through the fine points of the Preamble, Articles, and Amendments--illuminated with current events and the stories of the people behind the Supreme Court cases.This updated edition includes rulings on and debates about such hot-button topics as immigration, gay marriage, the right to bear arms, and affirmative action. THE WORDS WE LIVE BY offers balanced and nonpartisan analysis of constitutional issues, leaving readers free to make up their own minds. A refreshed package, sidebars, images, and a two-colour design throughout will make this 100,000-copy backlist favourite an essential guidebook for millions of educators and students, demonstrating that our Constitution is not just a dry document, but the lively story of "We the People."

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