Reviews for Introduction to the Law of Contract

The average rating for Introduction to the Law of Contract based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-07-28 00:00:00 Nili Peri I had long wanted to obtain a better understanding of the origins of the British and American systems of common law. Despite their general and admirable tendency to innovate and change in the face of new circumstances over the centuries, many of the forms and the substances of our legal system are still obviously rooted in the ancient practices of feudalism, and so I thought a study of the law's earliest periods would help me better understand its subsequent evolution. Unfortunately, every book I found on the subject, even primers, seemed to assume a comprehensive understanding of feudal forms and legal practices. I had recently quit trying to slog through Theodore Plunkett's mammoth and mistitled "A Concise History of the Common Law," when it became clear I needed more background. This book, however, provided that background and more. Written back in 1966, the book takes the reader from the origins of the feudal legal system beginning with Henry II's coronation in 1154, and down through the death of that premiere legal innovator Edward the I in 1307. It first provides a general political history of those years, then moves on to a general description of feudalism (being a "vassal" actually meant you were in pretty good standing!) and on to a discussion of the different courts and writs that were so important in the pleadings of the era. The author shows, for instance, how everyone's life was determined by the now obsolete difference between "free" and "unfree" tenure of the land they lived on. The former was held by vassals of the king or of those vassals' vassals, the later by "villeins" who, as one commentator explained, were defined by the fact that when the fell asleep at night they had no idea what they were doing in the morning, since they were always at the beck and call of their lords. This book also explains the origins of many of the legal terms that have survived into the modern day, such as fee simple, recognizance, assize, seisen, and more. It also demonstrates the benefits of deep historical knowledge for a better understanding of the present.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-06-11 00:00:00 Brian Henderson Sometimes a book surprises you. This one happens to be the clearest account of the medieval English legal and political system that I have seen (having taught the subject area). 5 stars for admirable breadth and lucidity.