Life, Liberty and the pursuit of hardcovers
Every so often I get an email from one of our publisher reps about a "drop-in" title. That is, a book that wasn't in the publisher's seasonal catalog of upcoming titles but has been "dropped-in" as a last minute addition.
Usually drop-ins are urgent topical books (the Facebook expose, Careless People, came as a sudden drop-in two weeks before publication date to prevent Meta from injuncting the author) or fancy new editions of buzzy romantasy books blowing up on TikTok (Kensington just dropped in a new glittery edition of Emily Rath's Hocky Romance, "Pucking Around")
So it really says something about the state of the nation that the latest urgent and buzzy title to drop from PRH is... The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.
Yep, on July 1st, Penguin is proud to bring you our nation's foundational documents, in hardcover, complete with a new introduction on their importance by Pulitzer Prize winner, Jon Meacham.
Per PRH:
Jon Meacham provides context that is both timely and timeless, illuminating the role of the Declaration and Constitution as living documents that guide America in moments of conflict and crisis.
Of course it's easy to wonder why on earth anyone would need to buy a text that's been freely available for almost 250 years, which is taught in every high school, and features on the test every would-be naturalized citizen takes during their final exam.
And it's even easier to answer: Because... look out of the damn window. Open a newspaper. Turn on the television. That's why.
A couple of months ago we received an order of little paperback Constitutions from Ingram. I had meant to order a dozen copies but wasn't paying attention and accidentally ordered a dozen dozen – 144 copies. Rather than returning them I decided instead to put them on the counter for customers to take for free.
As you might expect, all the copies were gone within a couple of days. What might surprise you (it surprised me) is how many people took their free copy then stopped to have a conversation with us about the document's importance, to them and the country. Liberals, conservatives, kids, adults, tourists and locals.
Come July 1st those little free Constitutions will be joined by the new fancier hardcover version, ideal as a gift for a civic-minded loved-one, student, or newly-naturalized citizen.
And – perhaps more pointedly - for anyone in your family or extended social circle who voted for the madness we're all currently witnessing and who perhaps could use a reminder that this is a nation founded on laws, and with no role for kings.
Especially, and I quote, a king who...
[H]as refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
[H]as has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners
[H]as has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
[H]as has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
[Is] cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world
[Is] imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
[Is] transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences...
[H]as plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
[Has] has excited domestic insurrections amongst us...
If (like me) you'd forgotten how precisely the Founding Fathers foreshadowed America circa 2025 then this might be a good addition to your personal library too.
The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States (with foreword by Jon Meacham) is available to pre-order right now for delivery on publication date, July 1st.
We'll donate 10% from every sale to the ACLU and the Human Rights Campaign.
Or swing by the store any time to grab your free pocket-sized Constitution from the counter.
