Welcome to Litsy!

I just opened some book mail to discover this atrocity. 😭 I hope it comes off.

“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.“

You guys, Alexander Hamilton is probably the most brilliant mind I have ever had the pleasure to read. His passion for the subject is obvious, and it‘s no surprise to me that he wrote the bulk of The Federalist Papers. So glad I read this.

#24b4monday yesterday I got in 4hr26min of reading, which equated to 130 pages of The Federalist Papers. Goal is to finish the book this weekend, and there are about 130 pages left. Let‘s go! @Andrew65 @jb72 @SumisBooks

Not gonna lie, I am glad to see Madison‘s name heading the next batch of papers. Hamilton is brilliant, but after reading 150 pages of him lambasting Constitution critics as period-equivalent varieties of “f***ing idiots”, JM‘s more mild opinion of his fellow countrymen will be a welcome reprieve.

Figured a good introductory post should include what I‘m currently reading. Started this one a few weeks ago. Not a quick read, but a very, very interesting one.

#redwhiteandblue #colormepretty @Sweetkokoro Had to throw in a costume book about dress in Colonial America too, of course 😁

Happy 268th birthday to #jamesmadison who wrote 29 articles of The Federalist Papers.

#litsywalkers #downtownmadison @kaye

“[W]hat is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?” - James Madison, Federalist no. 51

The sun is out in the PNW! That means it is time for a picnic! #thefederalist

It‘s been a while since I posted anything. Here‘s the current reading stack. #amreading

Some classics for #historystickstoyourfeet. Hamilton has definitely revived interest in the federalist papers. On Tyranny helps us remember how to resist. The Souls of Black Folk is high on my tbr. #tuneintonovember

My husband's #currentread - definitely not my book. #someoneelsesbook #riotgrams

Did I finally find a subject that will hold his attention??!!!?!!

I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never made it all the way through The Federalist Papers. I think this would be a good year to rectify that. #feistyfeb day 20: #presidentialreads

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

Give all the power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all the power to the few, they will oppress the many.

Timely.

Happy Birthday to Broadway superstar & badass Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton!

From Federalist No. 10: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection, by James Madison. November 22, 1787

I went to the library to return some books and came back with a few non-fiction picks. Hehe. I have a problem. It's raining hard right now so going to curl up and read all afternoon. #nonfiction

It has been frequently remarked, that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country to decide, by their conduct and example, the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not, of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend, for their political constitutions, on accident and force.

My heart is breaking. Let's hope that by the next election my right to vote hasn't been taken away. I can't even find the right words for how I feel right now. I am not proud of my country but I am proud that I got to walk in the footsteps of the suffragettes before me that fought so hard for equality.

Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist No. 1, 1787

I love my state's vote by mail system. We get to take our time filling things out and research the issues at our leisure. Plus, we can honor early Americans who made voting a celebration and who also used to provide hard cider at the polls!

Watched the Hamilton documentary on PBS yesterday it was soooo good. Today I will start this one on the @SerialReader

Annnnd My Aunt Ginger was able to get me these from an Estate Sale! The Federalist and Common Sense/Rights of Man are both unopened!!! These are from the 1800's and early 1900's!!! 😍 #AntiqueHardbacks #Classics #BookHaul

This bit from the introduction written in this edition published in 1961 amused me given the current fame and popularity of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s Hamilton:

"The story of how Hamilton persuaded and plotted and bullied his way over the months to the narrowest of victories in the New York convention is an epic of American politics that deserves to be better known."

Mission accomplished.

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

And here I thought my obsession with Hamilton wouldn't come in handy. Turns out college had other plans! My Friday night is Founding Fathers and Martinelli's #thatcollegelife #englishmajorperks

I have loved watching the effects of Hamilton on the world around me, including Must Read tables at the bookstore.. Who'd have thought?!

Hamilton-inspired reading!