Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison pulled off the incredible feat of outlining an entire democratic government with rhetorical and syntactical flair in this collection of 85 articles and essays. Written under a pseudonym, and meant to persuade a skittish collection of former colonists to ratify the United States Constitution, this book lays bare the underpinnings of many aspects of our government that we now take for granted — from checks and balances to separation of powers — as the radical things they once were. (A little like seeing photos of your mom’s punk rock days, but not nearly as scarring.)