Many of the rights we consider most important to the United States -- from freedom of speech to a fair trial -- are in the Bill of Rights.

Though it was written more than 200 years ago, the first 10 amendments included in the Bill of Rights are still being interpreted today. Understanding how these additions to the Constitution came about is a key topic of the social studies curriculum, and it's also essential for understanding the modern political conversation. All readers can benefit from the concise explanation of why the Bill of Rights was written and what each amendment states....

By the time of his retirement in June 2010, the author had become the second longest serving Justice in the history of the Supreme Court. Now he draws upon his more than three decades on the Court, during which he was involved with many of the defining decisions of the modern era, to offer a book articulating not only the need for changes, but also what those improvements should be. This is a call to arms, detailing six specific ways in which the...