101 Things I Learned in Law School by Vibeke Norgaard Martin with Matthew Frederick, 4/5

There is a great variety of “things” in this book, including definitions of legal terms, descriptions of famous court cases, discussion of concepts (both practical and theoretical), relevant quotes, differences in law practice between U.S. states and general advice for lawyers.  By the end, I was wishing it covered 1001 things, not just 101.

The tone of the book is simple and straightforward without appearing dumbed-down.  I’m not sure if any actual lawyers or law students would find it very enlightening, but it is perfect for someone who has a casual interest in the topic and/or enjoys watching legal dramas on TV.  The illustrations are fun and keep the book light.

[Why I read it: came across it while browsing in the library.  Law is an interesting topic to me, though I don’t think I could ever pursue it seriously because of Thing #2: “Lawyers must be honest, but they don’t have to be truthful.”  The whole setup–two sides fighting to win–seems so wrong compared to the ideal: one side fighting to discover the truth.]