Novus Ordo Seclorum

By: Forrest McDonald

Narrated by: Daniel Laurence

The title translated means "a new order for the ages" and, it being the motto on the Great Seal of the United States, is seen on the reverse side of the dollar bill. This audiobook explains both how and why the events that occurred in Philadelphia in September 1787 ushered in "a new order" in human affairs.

McDonald deftly recreates the intellectual dimension of the amazing 55 men whose genius and passion gave to us the United States Constitution. It was this work that was primarily responsible for Forrest McDonald's appointment as the 1987 Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities, the highest scholarly recognition offered annually by the U.S. government through its National Endowment for the Humanities.

©1985 University of Kansas Press (P)1989 Blackstone Audiobooks

Great history in the philosophical ideas that created the Constitution

The story and history is amazing and captivating. The narration is very dry and has a tendency to put one to sleep. It would have been much better with a more enthusiastic narrator;)

Major academic work

Usually you have to give up a few things when you get the audio version of a book -- like the footnotes. Imagine my surprise, then, when I saw this title get treated as an honest-to-goodness academic book, with everything getting read, including the footnotes, which are actually full of little insights.

very informative

very informative and thought provoking. a great reference on the American founding that explains what was on the minds of the framers

Brilliant

This book might start awkwardly for one accustomed to less academic works. But hang in there, if you like bright, clear, disciplined presentation of big ideas, in depth, with enough history to make sense of it all. I always wanted to dig further into "liberty," "property," "pursuit of happiness," and such ideas, feeling unsatisfied with the shallow syntheses I saw dished up and tossed about in popular books and media. Well, here is a deep exploration of the thinkers and thoughts that fed into the foundations of our society and legal systems (and now much of the world's), and it is so listenable, so well put. This might stand as my favorite audiobook to date (among hundreds). This work goes much further than my law school education did. And where there were a variety of thoughts and positions on these themes among the thought leaders of the day (as of course there were), we get a fine survey, rather than some pre-bent sale-job of one side. That's good scholarship. The next time some blowhard starts bloviating about what the founders supposedly thought and meant, I'll be ready.

Essential Reading for students of US Constitution

McDonald provides deep research & tracks for the reader throughout, not just the major theoretical influences on the founders, but also keen analysis of each founder's consistency in their arguments promulgated during the Constitutional Convention and therefore is valuable to a deeper understanding of the process by which the constitution was formulated. Attention to detail is given to every substantive action, vote and committee including the the Style committee's latitude taken in making the final draft. He illustrates in keen detail that these were pragmatic, albeit principled, politicians rather than committed ideologues and therefore the result was a New Order for the Ages. Great reference work and essential read.

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All you need to know and more

Excellent summary of all things going on in and around the creation of the Constitution.
He does a great job of trying to understand the mindset, works of study, and emotions of those who were trying to make a country that worked. It is a great way to see how great men with huge egos could come to some compromise that has worked better than pretty much any other Government in the history of the world. especially when taken into to consideration that they had to create forma of government no one had used to govern with before at anytime in History.
great book to read if you want to get and overarching feeling of what was happening during the creation of the Constitution.
loved it!

Brilliant Scholarship, Terrible Audio Quality

The subject of this book does not lend itself to gripping narration. Professor McDonald’s work is obviously brilliant. However, the recording quality of this audiobook is shockingly bad. There is a constant echo throughout the narration and, when wearing headphones, one can even hear background voices at certain parts.

excellent scholarship.

great scholarship. deep. well sourced. a book to reread every 2 years. I hope the author has a follow up on the bill of rights.

Classic Analysis of Constitution's Origins

McDonald's work demonstrates the complex intellectual origins of the U.S. Constitution, convincingly demonstrating that those who argue for ease and clarity in interpreting it may only be fooling themselves. He clearly shows the influence of Hume, Blackstone, Bolingbrook and others on the Founders' thinking, (not just Locke's) and further demonstrates the multiple reasons the Constitution came to be--not merely economic, practical, or ideological, but a blend of all three. In the end, the Founders designed a system that was fundamentally unlike any that had gone before, not themselves all agreeing as to what they had done, not what its full impact would be. Readers will learn much about the English political and intellectual impact on this remarkably durable document, which so brilliantly blended theory, experience, and experiment to provide a system where the people's more selfish motives might be harvested for the general good. Read and re-read the next time someone claims to understand the Founders' thinking or to limit this living document to the Founders' intent. The reading is adequate, if sometimes stilted, but I did not find it nearly as jarring or "robotic" as some have claimed. Highly recommended.