Book Log 2023 #9: The Odd Clauses by Jay Wexler

Some parts of the US Constitution are pretty well known (if occasionally misinterpreted), like the First Amendment's right to free speech. But then there are other parts that are less familiar, or seem less relevant in today's world. Why is there a whole amendment on not forcing people to put up soldiers in their homes? What exactly is a bill of attainder? And why does so lofty a document get into weights and measures? 

In this book, Wexler (who, full disclosure, I knew in high school and have occasional contact with over social media) examines these less familiar parts of the Constitution, and shows how they apply to the present day with regards to broader themes in the law (for example, the chapter on the Third Amendment gets related to privacy). 

The dense subject matter is leavened along the way with a fair amount of humor and personal observation. This isn't surprising given that Wexler once wrote a scholarly article about which justices generated the most laughter during argument (there's also a sequel).

If you're interested in the Constitution, or in the ways common law is able to connect the seemingly anachronistic to current day concerns, this is very much worth reading.