Product Description
Only paperback edition of great legal classic by noted Supreme Court Justice. Lucid, accessible coverage, from a historical perspective, of liability, criminal law, torts, bail, possession and ownership, contracts, successions, many other aspects of civil and criminal law. Indispensable reading for lawyers, political scientists, interested general readers. New introduction by Sheldon M. Novick. Table of Cases.
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#1 by Anonymous on March 23, 2010 - 11:42 pm
Grant Gilmore, the late professor of contracts at Yale, got The Common Law right when he wrote in The Ages of American Law (1977) that Holmes’ lectures have “long since become unreadable unless the reader is prepared to put forward an almost superhuman effort of will to keep his attention from flagging and his interest from wandering.” (52) I also agree with Gilmore that Holmes is attempting to disguise a philosophic statement in historical dress. The Common Law may even be “an elaborate joke” that Holmes was amused to play on his audience. Influential, yes; worth reading, no.
Rating: 3 / 5
#2 by Anonymous on March 24, 2010 - 1:42 am
Some may not agree with all or much of Holmes legal philosophy, but regardless, this book is well written and provides a first-hand perspective on one of America’s foremost legal figures.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by mxinia on March 24, 2010 - 3:55 am
The review title sums up this book, in my opinion; Holmes clearly doesn’t possess the literary ability to package complex ideas in eloquent, accessible language. As another reviewer mentioned, however, the fact that legalese is strewn everywhere makes the structure of the lectures, and the concepts therein, difficult to follow and piece together for the lay person who has little to no legal vocabulary.
With that said, the concepts brought forth by Holmes are intriguing, and the presentation of the legal terms affords one a great opportunity to learn their usage–if a copy of Black’s Law Dictionary is readily available and flipped through every other sentence.
As a pre-1L, however, I must admit it’s a poor choice for introductory legal material.
Rating: 3 / 5
#4 by Paul A. Rush on March 24, 2010 - 6:33 am
Even though this book,was written along time ago it is still
relevant. This was on my reading list for law school.it
open my eyes to new ideas and and critical thinking.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Anonymous on March 24, 2010 - 7:58 am
Holmes completed this summary of the common law before (I believe) his twenty-eight birthday because he believed that a man had to make his mark early in life if he were ever to pursue greatness. The Common Law is a great summary of the law as it existed early in this century and provides some insight into Holmes’ methods and beliefs that would shape his judicial opinions. The Common Law is not easy reading, but provides a firm foundation for readers to begin their study of this complex man.
Rating: 4 / 5