For Father’s Day, how about a Founding Father who makes a lot of dad jokes?

NONFICTION: A writer takes to using quills and lighting his home with candles as part of “The Year of Living Constitutionally.”

The Minnesota Star Tribune
June 13, 2024 at 12:30PM
A photo provided by the Library of Congress shows an artist’s depiction of the revolutionary hero Patrick Henry at Virginia’s convention on ratifying the Constitution when he warned of the possibility of “absolute despotism. (Library of Congress via The New York Times) — NO SALES; EDITORIAL USE ONLY— (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/The New York Times)

A.J. Jacobs is a father of three, so there’s lots of groaning at his humor in “The Year of Living Constitutionally.”

In the book, he prances around dressed as Alexander Hamilton, makes jokes about polling places and eats too much mutton while forcing his family to behave as if they’re living in the time of the Constitutional Convention in the 1780s.

“Constitutionally” is another experiment for Jacobs, whose previous books have included “The Year of Living Biblically,” in which he did not bear false witness against his neighbors (among other things), and “The Puzzler,” in which he dragged his family around the world doing jigsaw puzzles.

cover of The Year of Living Constitutionally features author AJ Jacobs in Founding Father garb
The Year of Living Constitutionally (Crown)

As in those books, the premise seems jokey, but there’s something deeper at play. Jacob’s account of how our Constitution came to be is entertaining and his commitment to heeding it broadens his thinking, as in his attempt to get folks from all 50 states on board with his idea to supply cake to voters:

“I’m now up to twenty-seven states — and some territories, too, if possible. It’s a good feeling. I feel like I’m doing something. It may be small, but at least it’s better than just despairing about the waning of democracy while curled up in the fetal position.”

The Year of Living Constitutionally

By: A.J. Jacobs.

Publisher: Crown, 264 pages, $30.

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Hewitt

Critic / Editor

Interim books editor Chris Hewitt previously worked at the Pioneer Press in St. Paul, where he wrote about movies and theater.

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