The Lives of the Constitution by Joseph Tartakovsky

OK this was a better book than that gift shop collection of short bios of "notorious" women.  But like that rehash of mostly notorious, as in known rather than scandalous females, these lives of nine men and one woman, has some insights and depth to it.  However, it consists of a broad spectrum or politically correct rainbow of people with everything from direct composition of the constitution to those whose stretch legal interpretation to a much more liberal agenda.

Of course the author starters with the actual "builders:"  After reading a detailed biography, the first chapter is Alexander Hamilton; chapter two is about James Wilson of Philadelphia acknowledged as an underrated founder.  An introduction to a new person for me.  Tartakovsky moves on to "fighters" again with a known and lesser known:  Daniel Webster and Stephen Field.  The next category of exceptional minds is Alexis de Tocqueville.  Then the author goes, I believe, far afield to "dreamers" of Woodrow Wilson and Ida Wells-Barnett.

At least he ends on a high note with "restorers:"  Antonin Scalia.

So the best I can say about this book is that it drove me directly to buy Scalia Speaks, a collection of his speeches complied by his son Christopher, which I will give as a Christmas present to at least two people, and to ask my husband to by me Scalia's tome, "Reading Law."  Stay tuned for more exciting reviews.