Principles of Constitutional Design. By Donald S. Lutz. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 278p. $80.00.

This is a complex, important, original, and unusual work. It should be studied carefully (not simply read) by all those interested in constitutional studies broadly understood. This includes constitutional lawyers (especially those with an interest in comparative constitutional law, and in constitutional design), political theorists of many different stripes, and most notably scholars in comparative politics interested in institutional questions. If in your research or teaching or consulting you rely on the work of Arend Lijphart, you should definitely read this book. You should also read it if you are interested in institutional design more generally.