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Product Description
Product Description
Law underlies our society - it protects our rights, imposes duties on each of us, and establishes a framework for the conduct of almost every social, political, and economic activity. The punishment of crime, compensation of the injured, and the enforcement of contracts are merely some of the tasks of a modern legal system. It also strives to achieve justice, promote freedom, and protect our security. The result is a system that, while it touches all of our daily lives, is properly understood by only a few, with its impenetrable jargon, obsolete procedures, and interminable stream of Byzantine statutes and judgments of the courts. This clear, jargon-free Very Short Introduction aims to redress that balance, as it introduces the essentials of law and legal systems in a lively, accessible, and stimulating manner. Explaining the main concepts, terms, and processes of the legal system, it focuses on the Western tradition (the common law and the civil law), but also includes discussions of other legal systems, such as customary law and Islamic law. And it looks to the future too, as globalization and rapid advances in technology place increasing strain on our current legal system.
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First Sentence
Step on a bus. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Step on a bus. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am a qualified barrister and wanted something to give to my sister who was interested in studying law but wasn't sure because she didn't have any past experience. She thought the book was great which gave me the idea of ordering it for myself, its so nice to see a book which still explains well but without the legal jargon. I would recommend this book to everyone because its not too short but not too long, and its really well made and to be honest...I prefer it to some of the larger 780 page textbooks which are still cluttering my attic.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Upon learning that I have read this book, a friend of mine (who happened to be a law student) remarked that "there is no such thing as a very short introduction to law." She was referring of course to the voluminous cases and laws that all law students are supposed to study and even memorize in many instances. This is a daunting process that requires many hours and hard work, and on a surface it would seem inconceivable that it could be condensed into a very short book that does justice to it. In the light of that, it is quite remarkable that something like this has been accomplished in the form of this book. The important thing to keep in mind is that the subject of this book is law in general, and not any particular instances of it that are dealt with here. Raymond Wacks does a remarkable job narrating the story of law: its origins, history, different legal systems that exist in the world, and the future of law. The two major legal traditions in the world - the common and civil law - are described and explained at some detail. Even so, there are many jurisdictions around the world that mix elements from both traditions, and within each tradition there are many subcategories and peculiar practices. Thus, US legal system in particular, although it belongs to the common law tradition, has many characteristics that are at odds with the rest of the common law universe. The visually most conspicuous one is the lack of any special attire that is required of lawyers at trials. Even the very profession of a lawyer is somewhat particular to the US, and does not quite exist in other jurisdictions.
Overall, this is a very readable and informative book that does not require much preexisting knowledge of the law, and it does not overwhelm the reader with the legal language. It is an excellent introduction to a very important aspect of the way that the world operates.
Overall, this is a very readable and informative book that does not require much preexisting knowledge of the law, and it does not overwhelm the reader with the legal language. It is an excellent introduction to a very important aspect of the way that the world operates.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
An informative and readable introduction to the law
27 July 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Upon learning that I have read this book, a friend of mine (who happened to be a law student) remarked that "there is no such thing as a very short introduction to law." She was referring of course to the voluminous cases and laws that all law students are supposed to study and even memorize in many instances. This is a daunting process that requires many hours and hard work, and on a surface it would seem inconceivable that it could be condensed into a very short book that does justice to it. In the light of that, it is quite remarkable that something like this has been accomplished in the form of this book. The important thing to keep in mind is that the subject of this book is law in general, and not any particular instances of it that are dealt with here. Raymond Wacks does a remarkable job narrating the story of law: its origins, history, different legal systems that exist in the world, and the future of law. The two major legal traditions in the world - the common and civil law - are described and explained at some detail. Even so, there are many jurisdictions around the world that mix elements from both traditions, and within each tradition there are many subcategories and peculiar practices. Thus, US legal system in particular, although it belongs to the common law tradition, has many characteristics that are at odds with the rest of the common law universe. The visually most conspicuous one is the lack of any special attire that is required of lawyers at trials. Even the very profession of a lawyer is somewhat particular to the US, and does not quite exist in other jurisdictions.
Overall, this is a very readable and informative book that does not require much preexisting knowledge of the law, and it does not overwhelm the reader with the legal language. It is an excellent introduction to a very important aspect of the way that the world operates.
Overall, this is a very readable and informative book that does not require much preexisting knowledge of the law, and it does not overwhelm the reader with the legal language. It is an excellent introduction to a very important aspect of the way that the world operates.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
More than a very short introduction
24 Nov 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased this title for my 16-year-old granddaughter who hopes to enter studies in international law at Cambridge next year. I also bought a copy for myself. I know a bit about English common law, but had only sketchy knowledge of Civil Law -- something I needed to remedy since I live outside the United States for the most part in a country ruled by Civil Law.
Raymond Wacks does a more than admirable job in providing an overview of all known existent legal systems, even including brief excursions into various examples of tribal law. A British professor, his greatest strength resides in his mastery of the nuances of so-called star decisions in the forms of English common law that also obtain in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and other former British colonies and territories. At the writing of this book he resided and taught in Italy, the origin of the Civil Law that governs Western Europe and Latin America.
He writes with great understanding and humor (such as his British dry wit will allow), and not at all as a Cliff Notes expositor might. While he provides an overview, he goes beyond mere fact and really offers a solid treatise on the subject of Law itself. Highly recommended! I'd give it five stars, but feel stingy this morning.
Raymond Wacks does a more than admirable job in providing an overview of all known existent legal systems, even including brief excursions into various examples of tribal law. A British professor, his greatest strength resides in his mastery of the nuances of so-called star decisions in the forms of English common law that also obtain in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and other former British colonies and territories. At the writing of this book he resided and taught in Italy, the origin of the Civil Law that governs Western Europe and Latin America.
He writes with great understanding and humor (such as his British dry wit will allow), and not at all as a Cliff Notes expositor might. While he provides an overview, he goes beyond mere fact and really offers a solid treatise on the subject of Law itself. Highly recommended! I'd give it five stars, but feel stingy this morning.
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