Law Books

By putting over 3,000 years of faces on the search for the elemental principles -- from the Greek philosopher Anaximander, who held that all the material world was made of four "elements", Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; to teams of modern scientists who race to create new elements -- Benjamin Wiker has moved chemistry off the shelf of dry-and-dusty arcania and given the reader a gum-shoe tale filled with odd and interesting characters. This book is an excellent remedy for people who think the sciences were hatched in university laboratories, or born the test-tube children of egg-headed professors. Tracing the theories of philosophers, alchemists, and scientists, making acquaintance with men of all walks and many nationalities, whose only common trait was their persistent desire to peer ever deeper into the nature of things, Wiker not only outlines the genealogy of the Periodic Table of Elements, but, so doing, introduces his reader to the principles of theoretical and practical science, to the history of the scientific method, and even inklings of atomic theory. This book will be accessible, and of interest, to a wide range of readers: those with no science background can still follow the general story with ease, while even the reader well-versed in high-school level chemistry has probably never encountered the history of modern chemistry synthesized with such clarity and appeal.

This terrific book helps make a complex area of science - the field of chemistry and the periodic table - accessible to everyone. Benjamin Wiker skillfully and humorously takes us through the history of theories, experiments, mistakes and successes in understanding the elements and the development of the Periodic Table. The icing on the cake is how fascinating the order of the table is and how closely and mathematically the elements are related to each other. Fascinating!

The book is written for ages 10 and up, but high schoolers and even college students would benefit from the memorable way this book presents the big picture and helps it 'stick.' The last three chapters are a little tougher to follow. I found it helpful to draw some of my own diagrams of the various atoms and their electron structure.

The biographical information is interesting but some of the chemistry information is too deep for my children (12, 9, 7) who are listening to me read this. I think it would work better if I read the chapters ahead and just pulled out the interesting parts and explained the concept the chapter wants to get across in a simpler format.

"Comparative Criminal Justice Systems: a Topical Approach" is a study of a few foreign legal systems with a political approach and an "international perspective". According to the author, Phil L. Reichel, the goal of his book is to extend the reader's knowledge about other countries, their citizens and their cultures but most important to find ways to improve society; not only at a local but at a global level as well.

In this book, Reichel talks about interesting facts about crime and crime rate around the world. For example, crime statistics may not be accurate due to lack of means to report them-small villages away from the city; same legal system encourages law officials not to make reports, political reason. Reichel also talks about substantive law and procedural law in the four legal traditions.

Learning an international perspective on foreign legal systems is also undoubtedly excellent to better understand and to improve the American Justice System. Although the last chapter of this book was so disappointing to me, I still recommend it.

The Devil in Dover was one of at least half a dozen books to have been written after Judge Jones handed judgment to the plaintiffs in Kitzmiller v Dover Area School District. The plaintiffs there had sued the school to restrain it from pushing through Intelligent Design as an alternative theory of science. More specifically, to stop the school from compelling its biology teachers to recite a one minute statement to that effect. Of the books mentioned, many were written by journalists and science writers who covered the trial. Lebo was one of them. Gordy Slack who wrote "The Battle over the Meaning of Everything", Edward Humes who wrote "Monkey Girl", and Matthew Chapman, a great-great grandson of Charles Darwin, wrote 40 Days and 40 Nights. In addition, two experts who testified for the plaintiffs, Barbara Forrest and Kenneth Miller also wrote. Forrest up-dated her book "Creationism's Trojan Horse", co-written with Paul Gross; and Miller wrote a scientic exposition in "Only a Theory" on Darwinian theory of evolution.

Of the books written about the trial, I personally prefer Gordy Slack's for his wit and style. Humes is a close second. Chapman appears voluminous (I was reading from the hardcover edition) and is organised differently from the other two. Lebo's book is the most concise. She also covered it from the human angle, setting out more interviews with the persons involved from both sides. She also related her own uneasy realtionship with her Christian father. Gordy Slack too had a Christian father who could not understand his son's atheism. I would recommend all these books and also the 139-page judgment of Judge Jones. The Kitzmiller case had exposed the attempt by the proponents of Intelligent Design to pass it off as a scientific theory in court while using it as a weapon of creationism outside the court. They duly fell between the two stools.

Lebo's narrative both public and personal of Kitzmiller v. Dover has a polish that is rarely found in a book written by a journalist. While journalists by definition are writers and can make a short topical piece sing, it seems that many tend to have a rather leaden voice in a more complex and multilayered story.

Lebo is a rare exception. Her story of the clumsy machinations of the board members that ignore basic American legal and moral principles for religious reasons is well drawn and insightful. Not only does she act as the reporter, but shows the very human quality of all of the participants -- including herself.

Lebo's book is not only a gripping story, but can also serve as an example of superior writing. She is an ornament to the profession.

Yet another book on the Dover Intelligent Design case, and this may be the best of breed. Edward Humes' Monkey Girl has more on the science and strategy, but this book is tops on the effect of the case on the town. It's also by far the most explicit in exploring the perjury of the fundamentalist faction and the weak-kneed school superintendent. They come off as immoral and wilfully ignorant, not a pretty sight. Recommended for everyone interested in either science education or the malign intent of the Religious Right.

As would be expected with a story such as Kitzmiller v. Dover, there are a number of accounts that have been published. I've read several, including extensive magazine articles. With all due respect to the other authors, they were written by those who swept in to cover the story and then moved on to the next project. Lauri Lebo, on the other hand, lived in the area, covered the Dover school board and the trial for a local newspaper and knew many of the key individuals as well as their religious communities. The result is that you get the "human side" of the story.

The book doesn't go into much detail on the scientific issues. However, the reality is that you're not really dealing with scientific issues when discussing Intelligent Design. The real questions in the case involved the obvious First Amendment issue as well as press-related topics. Other reviews of this book have questioned Lebo's "objectivity", but the case caused tensions within her own family and complicated matters with other individuals and her employer. She is candid about all of this and it adds to the quality of the book.

In summary, if you have only enough time to read one book about the Dover incident, this is the one to read. Then go read Judge Jones' decision online.

I read this book over the weekend and was impressed with Lauri Lebo's storytelling ability, detailed research, and array of footnotes, but what impressed me most was her empathy for those about whom she wrote. She tried to understand what motivated different points of view, even if she didn't always agree with those viewpoints.

As another reviewer mentioned, Ms. Lebo's relationship with her father was "complicated," but her love and respect for him were clearly evident. (I don't know which book the reviewer called "Darwin Researcher" read, but it certainly wasn't this one.) My relationship with my 91-year-old, deeply religious mother is also "complicated"; I share Ms. Lebo's dilemma.

I can't thank Ms. Lebo enough for writing this book and helping me to understand what happened in Dover. Too often, I and other friends in the secular community are only too willing to write off profoundly religious people as "loonies," which is patently unfair. The world is big enough for all of us.

This is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to understand the U.S. Constitution, but especially for high school and college graduates who know they want to go into law as a vocation. My grandson, who just graduated from high school, was really pleased that I gave it to him, since he's planning to study Constitutional Law.

I have a friend whose son is adamant that the Federal Income Tax is illegal(16th Amendment)...so I purchased this book...looked up the 16th amendment...and sure enough it is VERY LEGAL...only kooks try to avoid paying it...well I copied the pertinant pages from this book and gave them to her so that she could pass them on to her law-breaking son...If you really want to know what the LAW OF THE LAND is ...then read this book...read it multiple times and please read it to your children...so that they understand our Constitution.

With each clause of the Constitution placed in historical context and reviewed in light of recent Supreme Court precedents, this academic tome brings together the brightest young and old minds in conservative and libertarian legal thought, including Eugene Volokh, Nelson Lund, Claire Priest, and countless others. Indispensible guide to anyone interested in an original meaning view of the Constitution. Not a better guide out there for originalist scholarly thought.

Every American Citizen should read this book. Understanding the relationship between citizenship and the rules by which the people authorize governance are very well described. With the press for democracy in the world, we tend to forget that the United States is not a democracy but a republic. Likewise, compliance with the Constitution prevents the establishment of an aristocracy. With the current arrogance of elected officials, we as a people have an obligation to become better informed on the roots of our sovereign law (which comes from the people) and what should be enforced; and that enforcement comes from our knowledge of the Constitution! The Heritage Foundation has done a superb service for all Americans in preparing this guide!

Edwin Meese was head of the editorial board for this guide, which is put out by the Heritage Foundation. That might suggest to some people that there's a conservative slant to the guide, but those people would be wrong. The Heritage Guide was first brought to my attention by a very liberal aquaintance who praised it to the skies, and then by a very conservative colleague who likewise praised it highly. They both had good reasons to praise it.

The Guide takes you through the entire text of the Constitution, line by line, article by article, starting with a three-page discussion of the preamble. It's written by around 100 contributors, all of them well-regarded experts in law and political science. Their discussion of even contentious topics (e.g., Amendment II or privacy rights) is dispassionate and clear, laying out for the reader the history and the case law behind contemporary constitutional issues and avoiding value judgements. The contributors write without legal jargon and with admirable directness, making the Guide accessible (not just accessible, but even enjoyably readable) to anyone with a good highschool education. The sophistication of their discussion, though, makes it suitable also for university students at all levels and for anyone who has any interest at all in the U.S. Constitution. No matter what your position is on presidential war powers or gun control, you come away from this guide with a clear and concise understanding of how the legal debate got where it is now. Each article in the Guide is followed by cross references to other passages in the Constitution, suggestions for further research, and a list of significant cases touching on the particular Article and Section of the Constitution discussed. Thus the Guide isn't just good reading on its own, but an excellent tool and springboard for further research on any constitutional topic.

This book should be required reading for university undergraduates, and for at least those few who will fall under my power next year, it will be. I intend to use this book in my classes on "Law and Literature" and "Law and Economics" as required supplementary reading. It will help clarify class discussions that revolve around constitutional issues, improve student papers, and make my students better informed citizens of the United States. That last one is the real payoff for everyone. I recommend this book far beyond the mere number of stars by which Amazon allows me to rate it.

Excellent book, Mr Holbrook is very knowledgable on the subject matter. It is very educational, and can be hard to read at times, but once you get through all the leagleeze, it is great. One of the best books I've read on this subject, and I would highly recomend it to anybody interested in the second amendment, and what it REALLY stands for.

THE FOUNDERS' SECOND AMENDMENT: ORIGINS OF THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS considers the history of the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms in early America from 1768 to 1826, offering up the first book-length account of these origins based on the Founders' own statements from newspapers, debates, and legislative resolutions. The depth and detail added to source material quotes makes this a fine pick for both college and high school collections strong in American history and politics.

I am currently taking Securities Law and we are using this book. It is highly dense, and the authors are poor writers. They clearly know the material and understand the distinctions, but I am often frustrated that they simply do not make their points more clearly. My advice is simple: if you are required to use this text, get it, but also use the Examples & Explanations book by Alan R. Palmiter because the prose is much easier to understand. I cannot speak for the other study aids, but they may work too. The key is getting one to complement this book. I think the E & E is a good choice because securities law is easier to learn by tackling problems and the E & E book has problems and answers (the casebook has problems too, but no answers -- you get those from the prof). Good luck!

i find this casebook to be very disorganized, unclear, and repetitive. there has to be a better sec reg casebook out there somewhere.

Okay, so this isn't pleasure reading...And I only bought it because it was assigned.
Still, I'm working in the securities area this summer and I don't know what I'd do without it. Hornbooks are great and I highly recommend them. But sometimes they don't really delve into the fine points of the law. This book is all about the fine points. I'll admit it's dense, but securities law isn't the simplest of topics. The other textbooks I've seen don't have as many cases and they seem to gloss over important topics like materiality which isn't that terrible until you need to know whether a particular activity is material.

Does the book cover a lot of ground? Yes. Is it a challenging read? Yes. Is there a better Sec. Reg. text out there? I haven't seen one.

This is a very unclear book with horrible, dense prose. The authors seem to have an impressive grasp of securities law, and fill the notes with many meaningful substantive explications of various technical points, but they are basically just awful writers, which makes this text a serious chore to read. Of course, no one is going to buy it unless it is assigned in a law school class, so its lack of clarity unfortunately won't really induce "customers" to buy a different securities text, but it is worth noting that you will probably need to go ahead and buy a very good hornbook right from the start. In your class, I'd suggest you read this text as little as possible: it will make your head hurt, and it's far too dense to teach you securities regulation effectively.

This book is great for anyone who is interested in the forensic field, or anyone who is just interested in how the whole process works. It breaks the timeline down and the tools used to solve the crime. It also has a great section in the back, that tells you about 10 famous crimes and how they were solved. I loved reading this book. It is a must have for any future CSI's.

I found this book and love this type of thing and found it to be very well put together and organised.

It is ideal as a reference if you are writing crime or simply want to impress your friends!

Very good for people who are training either in police, crime scene attendance and obviously forensics.

A must have!

Great intro book to a fascinating specialty. Fun for CSI junkies like myself. A good read.

I'm writing a romantic suspense. I used this book the first day I received it. A great reference, easy to understand and non-forensics-person-friendly.

This book caught my eye in the library and I plan on buying a copy for my own shelves. It makes an excellent, basic reference book. But,I have many problems with the editing of this book, particularly toward the end (pages 246 and 254); unfortunately, that happens in many, many books: a lazy editor reads half or two-thirds of the work and thinks, this is pretty good, and then drops the entire matter. I have found, as an editor myself, that the second half of a book is usually of poorer quality than the first half. Nevertheless, as a reference, it is a great jumping-off point, if you are so inclined.

I was completely shocked when I read this book. I had thought that it would be some funny boot camp story. I'm sure every person has heard of boot camp at least once? Or maybe even a "behavioral rehabilitation center". In truth, it was not. The imformation it contained along with the story was very informing. The things that happened to the main character were horrible. At the end I wanted to cry. It was a very well written book.

On another note, anybody who would send their child to one of these fascilities is scum. I would love to write more information and more about my opinion but I think I should probably keep this at a PG rating.

Rachel

Boot Camp is a story about a 15 year old boy named Garrett who is sent to a boarding school called Lake Harmony, which is a lot more like a boot camp. He is sent to Lake Harmony because his parents want to change him to be the son they have always wanted. Upon entering Lake Harmony Garrett realizes that this is a serious situation because he is greeted by being beaten up by the other children that are there. After going through 6 months of these beatings and malnutrition Garrett decides that it is time to break out.
Boot Camp depicts extremely well what life inside of a boot camp is really like. It is filled with many descriptions and sensory details that make it feel as if it is all happening right at that moment. I really enjoyed how Todd Strasser used a first person narrative to develop the characters and that give a very clear understanding of the way things are inside of a boot camp. This book is a very good choice for anyone but it is especially easy for teenagers to relate to and sympathize with. Also I enjoyed this story because it is very realistic. It shows that although boot camps serve a good purpose, the methods that are used to change rebellious children are often abusive. This story has a great plot; however there is not much background information that is given. But this is a good method to use for this story because it lets the main character Garrett, develop throughout the story. This is a very compelling story and is very much a page turner that is interesting the entire time.

Garrett Durrell (aged 15) is sent to a disciplinary boot camp, ironically named Lake Harmony, by his parents. While Garrett initially thinks that all he needs to do is follow the rules in order to be released, he soon learns that it is not that simple. How does Garrett survive, and can he remain true to himself in the process?

This novel covers a number of issues important to teenagers, and to their parents. I am naive enough to hope that those reading the novel will discuss it, and their own reactions to it, with others. Neither parents, nor teenagers, have all of the answers to all of the questions all of the time. But how we confront problems says a lot about the society in which we live and the people we choose to be.

I found reading this novel a confronting and, ultimately, uplifting experience. I suspect that different people will have different reactions but I would dearly love to know how teenagers feel about it. As the parent of an adult child, I miss an opportunity to share reading and discussing this novel with a member of the target audience.

Perhaps the most important lesson in this novel is that no human is infallible, and no process is perfect.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I was completely immersed in this book from the first page! High schooler Garrett is kidnapped by "transporters" in the middle of the night and sent to the ironically named Lake Harmony which is actually a teen boot camp. Garrett is subjected to an ever-increasing level of abuse at the hands of other detainees (who have already been brain washed by the camp) and counselors until he and two other prisoners hatch a dangerous escape plan. The novel is told in the first person and Garrett's experiences are shocking and realistically drawn.

As I mentioned on a previous comment, I was surprised at the lack of adult content in this novel (considering the subject matter). There is very little cursing, no sexual content, and the violence is in keeping with the theme of the story. Although this book certainly wouldn't be appropriate for younger kids (if for no other reason than the difficult themes represented), I would highly recommend this book for teens and particularly reluctant readers. After page 100, I was glued to this book.. if reluctant readers react to it with anywhere close to the same level of enthusiasm, they're in for an exciting and harrowing story!

Finding quality books for highschoolers is tough enough, but when others rate this kind of trash so high, it makes the search even more difficult. Why would one even introduce youth to the idea of having a relationship with a teacher? More importantly, why would one enjoy reading all the brutality that is describe in this book. I finally threw the book away. Should this really be a book for young adults? -------- Maybe older adults but not high schoolers.