The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen

Warfare, Constitutions, and the Making of the Modern World

By: Linda Colley

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Length: 17 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

A work of extraordinary range and striking originality, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen traces the global history of written constitutions from the 1750s to the 20th century, modifying accepted narratives and uncovering the close connections between the making of constitutions and the making of war. In the process, Linda Colley both reappraises famous constitutions and recovers those that have been marginalized but were central to the rise of a modern world.

She brings to the fore neglected sites, such as Corsica, with its pioneering constitution of 1755, and tiny Pitcairn Island in the Pacific, the first place on the globe permanently to enfranchise women. She highlights the role of unexpected players, such as Catherine the Great of Russia, who was experimenting with constitutional techniques with her enlightened Nakaz decades before the Founding Fathers framed the American Constitution. Written constitutions are usually examined in relation to individual states, but Colley focuses on how they crossed boundaries, spreading into six continents by 1918 and aiding the rise of empires as well as nations. She also illumines their place not simply in law and politics but also in wider cultural histories, and their intimate connections with print, literary creativity, and the rise of the novel.

©2021 Linda Colley (P)2021 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Disappointing

The book was a disappointment and the reading even more so. With a better reader, the book might have been more interesting,‘since there were a few items. However, it lacked a l sense of a “big picture,” and missed McGregor.

Just Meh

While there were interesting sections here and there (Napoleon's contribution to Constitutions was surprising), there were little things I noticed that aggravated me

1. the use of the term "Constitutonal Technology" to describe the form of Constitution writing I found to be inapplicable to that process.

2. overuse of the word "capacious" and the term "long 1860s" I found aggravating. I researched the latter thinking maybe it was a term of art I did not know but found nothing.

3. Narrator calls Moscow "MosCow" then switches back to "MosCo" at the end.

Interesting enough to finish but not by much

a global history of constitutions

a diverse global history of constitution creation and the ways that war or the desire for national independence motivates the creation of constitutions.

all delivered with a talented and engaging vocal performance. I didn't want to stop listening to her.