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AMERICAN COVENANT

HOW THE CONSTITUTION UNIFIED OUR NATION―AND COULD AGAIN

An affably contrarian reading of the Constitution that merits attention.

A learned interpretation of the Constitution as a document that creates unity as much as political structures.

Several recent books have held the Constitution to be a fundamentally flawed document, enshrining legal protections for the benefit of the slave states. Levin, author of The Fractured Republic, writes instead that the Constitution, read generously, affords a solution to reigning schisms: “It was designed with an exceptionally sophisticated grasp of the nature of political division and diversity, and it aims to create—and not just to occupy—common ground in our society.” Thus, the Constitution is not merely a legal framework but also the scaffolding for solidarity. Levin examines the Constitution along a “five-part framework,” four related to government and the fifth devoted to “union and unity.” The five are interrelated if sometimes in uneasy relationship to one another. For example, the constitutional mechanisms guaranteeing the rights of minorities against the tyranny of the majority enable such encumbering antiquities as the Electoral College. “Simple majoritarianism is of no use when there aren’t simple majorities,” writes the author, arguing that the net effect of these tensions is to require contending bodies to “act together when they don’t think alike…making civic unity more achievable.” Levin takes a prescriptive turn later in his discussion, suggesting that there are ways to improve a bogged-down legislature to return to the Constitution’s better angels. Congress is too much in the hands of party leaders who give junior members too little to do, which, the author writes, might be solved by giving congressional committees more power—especially those that concern the budget, which would foster bipartisan action and “depolarize spending debates a little.” Otherwise, Levin holds, parties will respond only to their bases and ignore the vast center—i.e., about what we have today.

An affably contrarian reading of the Constitution that merits attention.

Pub Date: June 11, 2024

ISBN: 9780465040742

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Basic Books

Review Posted Online: March 28, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024

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WAR

An engrossing and ominous chronicle, told by a master of the form.

Documenting perilous times.

In his most recent behind-the-scenes account of political power and how it is wielded, Woodward synthesizes several narrative strands, from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel to the 2024 presidential campaign. Woodward’s clear, gripping storytelling benefits from his legendary access to prominent figures and a structure of propulsive chapters. The run-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is tense (if occasionally repetitive), as a cast of geopolitical insiders try to divine Vladimir Putin’s intent: “Doubt among allies, the public and among Ukrainians meant valuable time and space for Putin to maneuver.” Against this backdrop, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham implores Donald Trump to run again, notwithstanding the former president’s denial of his 2020 defeat. This provides unwelcome distraction for President Biden, portrayed as a thoughtful, compassionate lifetime politico who could not outrace time, as demonstrated in the June 2024 debate. Throughout, Trump’s prevarications and his supporters’ cynicism provide an unsettling counterpoint to warnings provided by everyone from former Joint Chief of Staff Mark Milley to Vice President Kamala Harris, who calls a second Trump term a likely “death knell for American democracy.” The author’s ambitious scope shows him at the top of his capabilities. He concludes with these unsettling words: “Based on my reporting, Trump’s language and conduct has at times presented risks to national security—both during his presidency and afterward.”

An engrossing and ominous chronicle, told by a master of the form.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024

ISBN: 9781668052273

Page Count: 448

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024

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BEYOND THE GENDER BINARY

From the Pocket Change Collective series

A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change.

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Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence.

The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.

A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change. (writing prompt) (Nonfiction. 14-adult)

Pub Date: June 2, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-593-09465-5

Page Count: 64

Publisher: Penguin Workshop

Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020

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