Michael J. Klarman's The Framers' Coup provides a comprehensive history of the Constitutional Convention, portraying it not as a meeting of demigods but as a site of ordinary political bargaining among men with conflicting interests. Klarman, a constitutional law professor at Harvard, argues that the Constitution was designed largely to restrain democracy and protect property owners from the demands of debtors and farmers. He traces the delegates' backgrounds, their debates over representation and slavery, and the political maneuvering required to secure ratification. The book draws on extensive primary sources to reconstruct the delegates' reasoning and reveal the contingency of the outcome. Klarman shows how features often celebrated today, from the Senate to the Electoral College, were designed to limit popular influence. He examines how opponents nearly defeated ratification and how promised amendments secured the Constitution's adoption. The Framers' Coup challenges hagiographic narratives without descending into cynicism; Klarman takes the founders seriously while refusing to treat them as prophets. The book is long but rewarding, offering a detailed and balanced account of the founding that respects complexity. Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the Constitution's origins and ongoing implications.