100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders 🚀

How to Interpret the Constitution

3.82 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 98 ratings, 13 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In How to Interpret the Constitution, Harvard Law School professor Cass R. Sunstein offers a vibrant introduction to the competing methods of constitutional interpretation, particularly in light of recent Supreme Court decisions that impact fundamental rights such as abortion, voting, and free speech. He critiques the originalist approach, which bases meaning on the Constitution's 18th-century context, and argues that interpretation should be judged by its effects on democracy and individual rights rather than historical intent alone. The book emphasises the need for an interpretative method that protects privacy, racial equality, free speech, and democratic institutions.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$4499
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

How to Interpret the Constitution is essential for readers interested in constitutional law, current U.S. political debates, and judicial impact on civil rights. It suits students, legal professionals, and anyone concerned about the evolving role of the Supreme Court in shaping American society.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The U.S. Supreme Court has eliminated the right to abortion and is revisiting other fundamental questions today—about voting rights, affirmative action, gun laws, and much more. Once-arcane theories of constitutional interpretation are profoundly affecting the lives of all Americans.

In this brief and urgent book, Harvard Law School professor Cass Sunstein provides a lively introduction to competing approaches to interpreting the Constitution—and argues that the only way to choose one is to ask whether it would change American life for the better or worse. If a method of interpretation would eliminate the right of privacy, allow racial segregation, or obliterate free speech, it would be unacceptable for that reason.

But some Supreme Court justices are committed to originalism, arguing that the meaning of the Constitution is settled by how it was publicly understood when it was ratified. Originalists insist that their approach is dictated by the Constitution. That, Sunstein argues, is a big mistake. The Constitution doesn't contain instructions for its own interpretation. Any approach to constitutional interpretation needs to be defended in terms of its broad effects—what it does to our rights and our institutions. It must respect those rights and institutions—and safeguard the conditions for democracy itself.

Passionate and compelling, How to Interpret the Constitution is essential reading for anyone who is concerned about how the Supreme Court is changing the rights and lives of Americans today.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as an extraordinary work, Sunstein's book guides readers through complex constitutional theories without oversimplifying, while expressing his passionate views respectfully. Jessica T. Mathews of Foreign Affairs calls it an education, and Richard Blaustein of Washington Lawyer highlights its courteous tone amidst divisive debates. Reviews acknowledge the book as a bold and compelling counter to originalist trends shaping the Supreme Court.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691252049

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 15 August 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 208

About the Author

Cass R. Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard University and the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. He is the recipient of Norway's Holberg Prize, which is sometimes described as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for law and the humanities. His many books include the New York Times bestseller Nudge (with Richard H. Thaler), On Freedom (Princeton), and #Republic (Princeton).

Also by Cass R. Sunstein

View all
  • Nudge
    Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein explores the fascinating mechanics behind everyday decision-making and how subtle interventions, or "nudges," can steer people toward better choices without limiting their freedom. From the mundane to the highly significant, this groundbreaking book delves into how we choose what to buy, what to eat, how to invest, and even how to...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Noise
    The International Bestseller A monumental, gripping book … Outstanding SUNDAY TIMES Noise may be the most important book I've read in more than a decade. A genuinely new idea so exceedingly important you will immediately put it into practice. A masterpiece — Angela Duckworth, author of Grit An absolutely brilliant investigation of a massive societal problem that has been hiding...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Look Again
    For fans of Thinking, Fast and Slow and The Power of Habit, a groundbreaking new study of how disrupting our well-worn routines, both good and bad, can rejuvenate our days and reset our brains to allow us to live happier and more fulfilling lives. Have you ever noticed that what is thrilling on Monday tends to become boring on Friday?...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • How to Become Famous
    Fame is like lightning. Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan, Leonardo da Vinci, Jane Austen, Oprah Winfrey — all of them were struck. Why? What if they hadn't been? Consider the most famous music group in history. What would the world be like if the Beatles never existed? This was the question posed by the playful, thought-provoking, 2019 film Yesterday, in which...
    Hardback
    $5799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Nudge
    An updated and refreshed edition of the groundbreaking book that shows how people can be nudged toward decisions that will improve their lives. Since the original publication of Nudge more than a decade ago, the word "nudge" has entered the vocabulary of businesspeople, policymakers, engaged citizens, and consumers everywhere. The book has given rise to more than 200 "nudge units"...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Campus Free Speech
    A Forbes Best Higher Education Book of the Year From renowned legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein, a concise, case-by-case guide to resolving free-speech dilemmas at colleges and universities. Free speech is indispensable on college campuses: allowing varied views and frank exchanges of opinion is a core component of the educational enterprise and the pursuit of truth. But free speech does...
    Hardback
    $4799
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Look Again
    ‘Such a vivid, human and original book,’ Tim Harford What if we could find a way to see everything anew? For fans of Thinking, Fast and Slow and The Power of Habit, a groundbreaking new study of how disrupting our well-worn routines, both good and bad, can rejuvenate our days and reset our brains to allow us to live happier...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Law and Leviathan
    Winner of the Scribes Book Award A highly original framework for restoring confidence in a government bureaucracy increasingly derided as "the deep state." "Has something to offer both critics and supporters a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate over the constitutionality of the modern state." - Review of Politics "At no time more than the present, a defense of expertise-based...
    Paperback
    $4099
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • On Freedom
    From New York Times bestselling author Cass Sunstein, a brisk, provocative book that shows what freedom really means—and requires—today. In this pathbreaking book, New York Times bestselling author Cass Sunstein asks us to rethink freedom. He shows that freedom of choice isn't nearly enough. To be free, we must also be able to navigate life. People often need something like...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • #Republic
    From the New York Times bestselling author of Nudge and The World According to Star Wars, a revealing account of how today's Internet threatens democracy—and what can be done about it. As the Internet grows more sophisticated, it is creating new threats to democracy. Social media companies such as Facebook can sort us ever more efficiently into groups of the...
    Hardback
    $8999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Nudge
    Once again a New York Times bestseller! First the original edition, and now the new Final Edition. An essential new edition—revised and updated from cover to cover—of one of the most important books of the last two decades, by Nobel Prize winner Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. More than 2 million copies sold Since the original publication of...
    Paperback
    $5300
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Too Much Information
    The bestselling author and recipient of the 2018 Holberg Prize, Cass R. Sunstein, explores how more information can make us happy or miserable, and why we sometimes avoid it—but sometimes seek it out. How much information is too much? Do we need to know how many calories are in the giant vat of popcorn that we bought on our way...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from Education & Reference

View all
  • Revenge of the Tipping Point
    Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light. What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do elite universities care so much about sports? What is...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Body Keeps the Score
    The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Age Code
    What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' — Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' — Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' — Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe there’s one...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    "What Were You Thinking!?"
    Everything parents need to know about their baby, child or teen's developing brain to raise resilient, emotional intelligent kids, by globally renowned neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis. 'What were you thinking!?'If you've ever asked this in despair while watching a toddler melt down, a tween push boundaries or a teenager make a truly terrible decision, this book is for you.In "What Were...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    One Last Question, Prime Minister
    From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Regime Change
    From the two reporters who have covered him more closely than perhaps anyone else over the past decade comes this definitive portrait of Donald Trump in the White House and the first year of his second presidency. Based on hundreds of interviews and unprecedented reporting from deep within the administration’s most closely guarded rooms, Regime Change takes the reader into...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    2027 Witch's Diary - Southern Hemisphere
    From the bestselling authors of Spellcasting, which has now sold over 250,000 copies worldwide, comes the essential witchy journal to plan your days, harness magick, and connect with higher powers. Features include: 8" x 6" (8" x 12" open) Beautiful glossy gold gatefold cover Compact size, perfect to carry in your bag and keep on you throughout the day 12-month...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Signed Copy
    Go Hard or Go Home
    From the front bench to rock bottom: Go Hard or Go Home is Kiri Allan's fearless memoir of ambition, disruption and survival in NZ politics and beyond. Kiri Allan's six-year political career spanned some of the most challenging times in recent history. Events a government might encounter once in a generation stacked up: a terrorist attack, a volcanic eruption, destructive and deadly...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Pre-order
    Out 4 Aug 2026
  • Roadmap to Property Success
    Ready to ditch the 9-to-5 and build lasting wealth through property? In Roadmap to Property Success, seasoned investor and coach Steve Goodey shares the exact strategies that helped him – and thousands of Kiwis – build sustainable property portfolios from scratch. With real-life lessons, hard-won wisdom, and zero sugar-coating, this is your no-BS guide to property investing in New Zealand....
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Suicidal Empathy
    The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Man's Search For Meaning
    Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the author’s groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • How Will I Ever Get Through This?
    'Dr Lucy's unpacking of the grief that comes with living losses was a lightbulb moment for me.' Ellidy Pullin 'The best work I know on positive psychology and grief is Lucy Hone's.' Martin Seligman 'Lucy's insights are practical, wise, and deeply human - they stay with you long after you read them.' Chelsea Pottenger From bestselling author and TED speaker...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.