"... with respect to the Federalist, the three authors had been named to me. I read it with care, pleasure & improvement, and was satisfied there was nothing in it by one of those hands, & not a great deal by a second. It does the highest honor to the third, as being, in my opinion, the best commentary on the principles of government which was ever written. In some parts it is discoverable that the author means only to say what may be best said in defence of opinions in which he did not concur. But in general it establishes firmly the plan of government. I confess it has rectified me in several points ..." — Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 18 November 1788

" ... descending from theory to practice: there is no better book than the Federalist ...” — Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 30 May 1790

[One of the books that] “would furnish the principles of our constitution.” — Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Priestley, 29 November 1802

Excellent; A must read and reference for any citizen of the United States! Should be required reading in all American High Schools! If one is a citizen and participates in the voting process, they must be familiar with The Federalist Papers and the Constitution. ( )

BAYAA

An essential classic of American constitutional scholarship. ( )

I rated it 5 not just because it is a classic, but because it really is that good-- and much less naive than some commentators make out. For example, it clearly does expect that the US will have fiercely partisan politics. ( )