The Year of Living Constitutionally

One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning

By: A.J. Jacobs

Narrated by: A.J. Jacobs

The New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically chronicles his hilarious adventures in attempting to follow the original meaning of the Constitution, as he searches for answers to one of the most pressing issues of our time: How should we interpret America’s foundational document?

“I don't know how I learned so much while laughing so hard.”—Andy Borowitz

A.J. Jacobs learned the hard way that donning a tricorne hat and marching around Manhattan with a 1700s musket will earn you a lot of strange looks. In the wake of several controversial rulings by the Supreme Court and the on-going debate about how the Constitution should be interpreted, Jacobs set out to understand what it means to live by the Constitution.

In The Year of Living Constitutionally, A.J. Jacobs tries to get inside the minds of the Founding Fathers by living as closely as possible to the original meaning of the Constitution. He asserts his right to free speech by writing his opinions on parchment with a quill and handing them out to strangers in Times Square. He consents to quartering a soldier, as is his Third Amendment right. He turns his home into a traditional 1790s household by lighting candles instead of using electricity, boiling mutton, and—because women were not allowed to sign contracts—feebly attempting to take over his wife’s day job, which involves a lot of contract negotiations.

The book blends unforgettable adventures—delivering a handwritten petition to Congress, applying for a Letter of Marque to become a legal pirate for the government, and battling redcoats as part of a Revolutionary War reenactment group—with dozens of interviews from constitutional experts from both sides. Jacobs dives deep into originalism and living constitutionalism, the two rival ways of interpreting the document.

Much like he did with the Bible in The Year of Living Biblically, Jacobs provides a crash course on our Constitution as he experiences the benefits and perils of living like it’s the 1790s. He relishes, for instance, the slow thinking of the era, free from social media alerts. But also discovers the progress we’ve made since 1789 when married women couldn’t own property.

Now more than ever, Americans need to understand the meaning and value of the Constitution. As politicians and Supreme Court Justices wage a high-stakes battle over how literally we should interpret the Constitution, A.J. Jacobs provides an entertaining yet illuminating look into how this storied document fits into our democracy today.

©2024 A.J. Jacobs (P)2024 Random House Audio

Makes you think about originalism vs reality

I liked how the story makes you think about judicial originalism vs. the reality of todays laws and legal system

Exploration of the constitution

Enjoyed all of the esoteric knowledge in this book especially the stories about the Supreme Court and its progression. My favorite being the fact that the Supreme Court lived together for a time and banned alcohol except for when it was raining, but with a qualification that given the extremely large jurisdiction they ruled over there would always be someplace that it was raining… The United States is full of contradictions and this book does a great job grounding us in the past and where we come from, but also exploring new ways that we can take the ideas and make them fit the world we see today. Regardless of what side you fall on this book is worth reading.

A Game Changer!

Amazing book. This entertaining book not only provides outstanding insight into the constitution and founding fathers, but also sparks your mind to participate more in our government. Highly recommended!

Informative and entertaining

What I don’t know about the U.S. Constitution could fill volumes. Happily, my reading of A.J. Jacobs entertaining and well-researched book has made my personal Ignorance-o-pedia slightly less voluminous. Content and performance exactly at the right level for the sincerely curious and engaged layperson. Huzzah!

Entertaining & informative

I liked the whole thing. Will listen again & have recommended widely to many friends and family.

Delightful!

I saw the author on Comedy Central and thought, why the heck not?! I am so glad that I did. The book was so interesting and laugh out loud funny at times. I learned alot, so thank you! The author's own narration was just perfect.

A Fun Way To Learn More About The Constitution

I saw A.J. Jacobs on Comedy Central and decided this book sounded so unique and funny I had to get it. I am very glad I decided to let the author read it to me. I laughed a lot and learned a lot about The Constitution. The story and the narration are both very entertaining.

Endearing and hopeful

It was refreshing to hear someone look at law and constitution factually to try to have a better understanding of what is and isn't a foundation of our country.
I found the author and narrator to be warm and gentle and very easily digestible .

A book by a liberal about democracy and the Constitution

A book by a liberal about democracy and the Constitution. rarely a hopeful thing, unfortunately. but in this, I'm proud and grateful to see the author take the question he poses about American democracy seriously, and to Levy reasonable criticisms without hopeless America bashing. a truly insightful view, and although I don't agree with 100% of what was said (I am a liberal myself, but a rather moderate one), I finished this book with a better understanding of the American Constitution, American democracy, and of the context in which it was founded.
This book, like everything else by this author that I have read so far, is very much worth a read if you've got the time.

informative & funny

Really enjoyed hearing the book read by the author. Have read most of Jacobs' "A Year of ..." books. His attention to detail and his antics during his year of Living Constitutionally are amazing and sometimes quite hilarious.