1985 Monographs

Edward S. Corwin and the American Constitution: A Bibliographical Analysis

Crews, Kenneth D.

Edward S. Corwin's constitutional theories have influenced scholars and lawyers throughout the twentieth century. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. and Henry Steele Commager acknowledge their debt to Corwin's analysis of presidential powers. Louis W. Koenig recently highlighted the modern relevance of Corwin's observations about presidential powers and about federalism and the relationship between the national and state governments. Professor Corwin remains a subject of modern interest for the continuing vitality of his ideas and for his historic prominence in politics and constitutional law. A biography and bibliography are the fountainhead for understanding Professor Corwin. Much has been written about his theories, so this book turns attention to Corwin the man. His writings and scholarship are invariably major elements of the biography, and its central thesis relates Corwin's personality to his flood of publications. But I do not detail the content of his writings. Instead, I attempt to reveal Edward Corwin's influences and experiences in youth, his development as a professor, and his ventures with politics. The bibliography offers ample references to other essays elaborating on Corwin's many theories.