Decision in Philadelphia

The Constitutional Convention of 1787

By: James Collier, Christopher Collier

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Fifty-five men met in Philadelphia in 1787 to write a document that would create a country and change a world: the Constitution. Here is a remarkable rendering of that fateful time, told with humanity and humor. Decision in Philadelphia is the best popular history of the Constitutional Convention; in it, the life and times of 18th-century America not only come alive, but the very human qualities of the men who framed the document are brought provocatively into focus - casting many of the Founding Fathers in a new light. A celebration of how and why our Constitution came into being, Decision in Philadelphia is also a testament of the American spirit at its finest.

©1986 Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier (P)2012 AudioGO

Masterful!

This was so well done. I loved how the topics of debate were covered while highlighting the key founders involved. I learned so much!
The narrator was superb.

Very good

Very good but at times I feel like it misunderstood the perspectives of Alexander Hamilton in a little bit of James Madison. The author of this title did not entirely understand Alexander Hamilton and how he played devil's advocate at times, and he wasn't nearly as a monarchist or nationalist that the Republicans made him to be. Unfortunately that reputation stuck with him. Excellent narration and good sound quality.

A Fresh, Personal Understanding of the Framing of the Constitution

“Decision in Philadelphia: The Constitutional Convention of 1787” by Christopher and James Lincoln Collier presents a distinctive perspective on the Constitutional Convention. Known for their American history books for children, Christopher, a historian, and James, an author, bring storytelling and scholarship together to explore the event's broader context.
Unlike most books that focus on the debates over sectional loyalties, theories of government, and economic differences among the colonies, the conflict between the large states and the small states, the debate over whether the central government should be stronger or the states should retain a great deal of autonomy, the Colliers delve deeper into the delegates' personalities and motivations. They argue that the delegates were moved “also by springs and designs hidden deep in their personalities” and answer, “We believe that to understand how the American constitution came to be we must know how these men felt about such things as power, liberty, nature, truth, God, and life itself.” (And they put the word “felt” in italics for emphasis.) The Colliers thus portray them as real, multifaceted individuals rather than abstract historical figures.
Instead of a chronological narrative, the Colliers organize the book thematically around key issues debated at the Convention. With so many contentious issues, the delegates kept dropping various issues to come back to them again later, often many times. But the Colliers trace how these issues evolved, the compromises made, and the interplay between competing interests—not just North versus South or large states versus small, but also differences in geography, security concerns, and even language (The colonies were still a mishmash of languages then, including Dutch, German, Swedish, French, etc.). This nuanced approach reveals how the compromises extended beyond slavery and pushed some issues to be resolved later through amendments or legislation as well as how the delegates themselves evolved in their thinking.
The Colliers challenge the view of Madison as the "Father of the Constitution," noting departures from his proposals, revisions in his notes in ways that distort the role of some of his rivals, and overlooked contributions from figures like Roger Sherman and Charles Pinckney. They emphasize the delegates' extraordinary preparation, intellectual rigor, and willingness to compromise, painting them as both the visionary founders that we often hear, but also as ordinary men like us, flawed individuals with their foibles, their biases, their blind spots, and their personalities intact.
We see the Convention’s compromises both in the positive and negative sense. Some of them just pushed some of the problems further down the road, to be solved by amendments, legislation, or the Supreme Court. But the Colliers also show how some of them allowed the nation to become more united and made the Constitution stronger because of its flexibility—its ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges and let procedural issues be worked out practically while safeguarding liberty and rights. This book offers a rich understanding of both the Constitution and the forces that shaped it, making it essential reading for anyone interested in our Constitution and the driving forces that brought it into being.

Made history interesting

I've never been a big fan of history books, but recently I've been more curious about how the American government works. This book was very informative and interesting. It kept my attention and taught me quite a bit about how the founding fathers thought and put together the Constitution. This helps me understand so much better how our modern political systems works. I enjoyed reading this book, and highly recommend it.

Feeling as Though I was at the Convention

After listening to this Audible book, I felt I had a real understanding of the personalities of the men who developed the principles of the constitution. Also the various viewpoints of the men were made clear.