The Preamble to the United States Constitution featuring Peter Sagal’s Essay “52 Words”
Designed and produced in 2021 by The Arion Press
34 seconds about the Preamble: Now more than ever, the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution is an important text...
Peter Sagal
Host of PBS’ Constitution USA and NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me
“As the Preamble implies, the progress towards perfection will be unending and uneven. There will be times, as we have recently seen, when the knitted fabric of our democracy will begin to unravel, and we will be required to reawaken our faith and do the hardest work all over again. No Founder ever promised us that this would be easy.”
*** NOW AVAILABLE ***
With our nation’s democracy at a crossroads, Arion Press, the legendary San Francisco-based fine press, has released its most timely publication in forty years: a hand-set, hand-printed, limited edition print of the Preamble to The United States Constitution, with a heart-stopping introduction by NPR and PBS broadcaster Peter Sagal.
In 1987, in association with the Library of Congress, Arion Press published a bicentennial edition of The United States Constitution. That book has since become one of the most collected Arion titles and serves as the inspiration for this unique, limited edition print.
A mere 52 words, beginning with “We the People,” the Preamble is an aspirational document, charting the country’s intended progress toward perfection. Arion Press’ limited edition print positions this often-cited text for a new audience. As the 2021 Presidential Inauguration approaches, the document’s meaning could not be more timely or more prescient.
Take 5 minutes to hear Peter Sagal read his entire essay here for free:
“Among your keepsakes, [the Preamble] is one of the most memorable. It caused me to pull my 1987 Arion publication of the Constitution off my shelf and read it again.”
Available for order online: www.arionpress.com/preamble
ABOUT THE ARION PRESS: Described as an “irreplaceable cultural treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Arion Press is one of the last complete, fully-integrated hot type foundry, letterpress workshop and book bindery in the United States and one of very few in the world.
ABOUT PETER SAGAL: Peter Sagal is the co-author and host of the PBS series Constitution USA with Peter Sagal and the host of NPR’s Peabody Award-winning Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.
Media Assets
Mp3 audio recording
Full recording of Peter Sagal reading “52 Words,” his essay on the Preamble to the United States Constitution. Free to download.
Run time 05:13. File size 7.5MB.
Product photos
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34-second video spot
Video URL: https://youtu.be/1ZEPbB-yBNs
Shows letterpress printing in action plus an excerpt of Peter Sagal reading his essay.
Run time 34s.
Order online: www.arionpress.com/preamble