A More Perfect Constitution presents creative and dynamic proposals from one of the most visionary and fertile political minds of our time to reinvigorate our Constitution and American governance at a time when such change is urgently needed; given the growing dysfunction and unfairness of our political system . Combining idealism and pragmatism; and with full respect for the original document; Larry Sabato's thought-provoking ideas range from the length of the president's term in office and the number and terms of Supreme Court justices to the vagaries of the antiquated Electoral College; and a compelling call for universal national service-all laced through with the history behind each proposal and the potential impact on the lives of ordinary people. Aware that such changes won't happen easily; but that the original Framers fully expected the Constitution to be regularly revised; Sabato urges us to engage in the debate and discussion his ideas will surely engender. During a presidential election year; no book is more relevant or significant than this.
#629106 in Books Tim Flannery 2000-10-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 6.00 x 1.00l; 1.20 #File Name: 0802137199400 pagesThe Explorers Stories of Discovery and Adventure from the Australian Frontier
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great selections; poor introsBy Earnest SludgeIt always amazes me that so many of these old exploration books are out of print. I'd like to see so many of them brought out again; in edited form; and published again. This was real-life adventure back before every square centimeter of the earth was cataloged and put in a global database; cross-indexed and matrixed.All the selections were good; except maybe a couple of the last ones in the second half of the 20th century. The age of exploration was pretty much over by the turn of the 20th. The last selection in the book was real Sunday newspaper magazine tripe. Can't help but wonder what another book would be like; one that made the selections for reasons solely of drama and novelty instead of for this bleeding-heart Leftist agenda Flannery seems to have.The intros to each selection provide good info but they also contain obnoxious material that's patronizing to both the reader and the aborigines he makes such a big fuss about caring for. Maybe this book was originally intended as a text book for 12 years olds? Even worse; a few of the intros contain spoilers about the entries they introduce! It's like he ran out of preachy things to say about the aborigines so he tells us how to feel about the suspense and drama to come. In other words; he has a compulsion to tell the reader how to feel about things. Gross!My advice to someone buying this book is to read the entries themselves and skip the intros until you've finished the book; if at all.This book made me seek out a couple other titles by Flannery; old explorer books edited by him. One by Watkin Tench and another by Matthew Flinders. Any port in a storm. I hate reading PDFs on my laptop (and I've read quite a few) and I don't want to invest in an eReader.As for my feelings about aborigines: I hate civilization and I admire primitive peoples almost to exaltation.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great read for travelBy PamelaThis book consists of brief excerpts from journals; letters and diaries of those foolish or brave enough to push beyond the known world along Australia's seaboards.These explorers demonstrated unfathomable foolishness; unquenchable curiosity; bullheaded ethnocentricity; and; in too few cases; a passion for discovery for its own sake. As a reader you will be horrified; entertained; and enlightened by their adventures and misadventures.I just returned from a trip to Australia and took this book along with me to read. It was perfect for a visitor with little knowledge of Australian history beyond Hughes' "Fatal Shore" (another great read).3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Long overdueBy Serious photographerWhen I studied history for matriculation in New South Wales back in 1958-1959; there was no subject available to me called "Australian History". The two history subjects available were Ancient History and Modern History. Modern History was; in fact; the history of modern Europe. These days; it seems inconceivable that the school system at matriculation level back then could completely ignore the history of Australia; and the history of its nearest neighbours. Although the European settlement of Australia is relatively recent; the Aboriginal history of Australia covers millennia. The former received scant attention in earlier school years; the latter; none at all. (One presumes that Australian history is now accorded the place it deserves in the school curriculum; and receives a fuller and more balanced treatment). Because of this background; I found Tim Flannery's book of enormous interest. The meagre Australian history once taught consisted of drawing maps of the routes taken by explorers; and little else; or so it seems to fading memory. Tim Flannery relates his own experience: "The men were just names; their journeys snail-trails across paper. No attempt was made to bring exploring to life; perhaps because the inconvenient details about Aborigines and barren wastes would have simply got in the way of the main message: that the Europeans had triumphed". We are indebted to Tim Flannery for redressing the balance in this book; in the course of which we can read some superb writing that would otherwise be hard to come by. Some Australian history may be dull; but the history of exploration; as told by the explorers themselves; is instructive; exciting; and still relevant.
