About the Book
In 1787. . .
We were given the right to practice the religion of our choice.
We were given the right to say what we wanted without persecution.
It was written that our house and property were secure from unreasonable search and seizure. We were given the right to a public trial.
Fifty-five men we will never know sat in a sweltering room and fought for us.
We were given our rights as citizens of the United States. Every second fall, as we return again to the ballot box to decide the course of our country's leadership, every voter must find their way back to that room in Philadelphia. Welcome Books is proud to provide a map.
The Constitution of the United States of America, inscribed and illustrated by the master calligrapher, Sam Fink, brings to life the issues underlying the triumphs of this abiding document. Originally published in pen and ink for Random House in 1987, Mr. Fink has gone back to his original black-and-white art and painted it anew, created a full-color masterpiece. The result is glorious. Each amendment, each article, each word so thoughtfully placed in The Constitution has been given Mr. Fink's profound touch. With a powerful intelligence and a wonderful sense of humor, he has provided us with an entry point into this complex document, allowing us to read it with greater ease and understanding.
As well as a trade edition, Welcome Books is honored to present a full-color limited edition of 64 loose folios, each 15" x 22," exquisitely designed and produced--matching in its manufacture the stunning quality of Mr. Fink's ambition and the gravitas of the original document.
In 1787, we were entrusted with our most important living document, The Constitution of the United States of America. Have we kept it safe? To answer this, we must begin by reading it, each and every one of us--so that we may claim our own intimate knowledge of its content; so that we may never forget its tenets; so that we may remember the kind of world we want to live in. This, Sam Fink, in his direct and unadorned way, respectful and loving, helps us do.
About the Author :
Sam Fink is a multi-talented artist of inimitable range, who has entertained and educated both adults and children with vibrantly illustrated texts of American histroy for more than twenty years. His first project was The Constitution of the United States of America, done in pen and ink for Random House in 1987. This was followed by The Declaration of Independence: The Words That Made America (Scholastic). Most recently, Sam has produced the illustrated The Books of Exodus, The Gettysburg Address, and illustrated the accordion format Give It All, Give It Now by Annie Dillard for Welcome Books.
Review :
"An exquisitely designed version of this historic, revered document, Sam Fink, a multi-talented artist and calligrapher, has brought the Constitution to life with his vibrant illustrations and sometimes ironic, interpretative captions that keep us laughing, sighing, and shedding tears of wonder at the foresight of the Constitution's creators...A visually appealing book for the home or the classroom."
-San Francisco Book Review "With calligraphy and illustration, Fink gives the Constitution a new look while emphasizing the founding principles of the United States as a nation. His work is meant as both a reference and a reminder of the rights that were fought for and are often taken for granted. He brings new life and relevance to every word, article, and clause in our nation's greatest document. This edition, filled with depictions of flags, founding fathers, eagles, and even Uncle Sam, will arrive just in time for Constitution Day--which falls on September 17 annually."
-Foreword Reviews
"Constitution Day...marks the anniversary of the document's signing in 1787, after four months of strenuous debate in Philadelphia. Since 2004, public schools have been required to devote part of the day's lessons to the Constitution--to its genesis, its implementation, and to its lasting significance.
"Teachers looking to enliven the proceedings might turn to the illustrator and calligrapher Sam Fink's exuberant rendition, "The Constitution of the United States of America, ..".the book contains every word of the Constitution, written in Fink's distinctive hand, along with boldly colored illustrations.
"Fink, who has also created illustrated versions of the Gettysburg Address and the Book of Exodus, is at once reverent and mischievous. Throughout, we see his gentle but strongly-felt patriotism, along with flashes of humor."
-Ian Crouch, The New Yorker
"Although its purpose is obviously not to help you cram for a test, I daresay you might remember parts of the Constitution better from perusing this book than from a so-called study guide...something about the lovingly drawn calligraphy and the deeply inked drawings makes reading Article I that much more intense."
-Lisa Parsons, The Hippo
..".a lovely art and history reference, perfect for gift-giving or inclusion in any general history or arts holding."
- California Bookwatch
