Customer Reviews

Bramble Bush: On Our Law and Its Study

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Written over 70 years ago, Bramble Bush is still THE book recommended for students to read just prior to beginning classes or early in their first semester of law school. Be prepared to read passages over again due to the author's 1920's style of sentence composition, but also be prepared for an enjoyable 200 pages of insight into the U.S. system of common law, case /precedence law, and most importantly, advice and guidance for 1L, 2L, and 3L (law) students.

Professor Llewellyn's distinguished collection of lectures is best used nowadays, in my opinion, as a baseline to see what has changed in the legal profession and what has not. Llewellyn's discussion of the case system is a terrific look at the judge's toolbox, but law students today cannot rely on a deep understanding of the case system to become good lawyers -- the proliferation of other forms of law, particularly statutory and administrative law, is too great. On the other hand, Llewellyn's extreme statement of the legal realist position -- still only one competing theory of law when he gave his lectures -- is now the undisputed champion of the legal discipline, and it's fascinating to travel back to a time when the author felt the need to be an apologist for it. The chapters that stand up best, in my opinion, are the ones discussing the dilemma of siding with the powerful after graduation; this is a topic that only becomes more timely as expenses rise and the pressure to join Big Law grows for new law graduates. I would especially recommend this book for casual students of legal history or jurisprudence.

I actually felt myself getting smarter while reading this book. Outside of just covering "technicalities" of studying law, he also offers a fascinating perspective on the study and practice of law in relation to the lawyer's life (money/finc. security as primary motive for entering legal profession.) Also interesting are his views on making/missing law review and the effect this has on 2Ls. Overall, an excellent read, time well spent, and very deserving of the word "classic."

Professor Llewellyn's writing style is not easy. It's not an antiquated style, but rather the style of an obviously erudite man whose mind is very active and whose thoughts are not always felicitously expressed. If you've ever sat in a class with a professor you thought brilliant but a little "nutty," this book will remind you of that professor. Many of his phrases are either obscure or seemingly illogical. My advice is that if you insist on doing a close textual reading of a book, do not read this book. If, however, you are interested in picking up general themes about the study of law and its development from a distinguished--and somewhat obscure--legal mind, then this is the book for you. It is not, emphatically, an easy book to read. To put it simply: either Llewellyn had a poor editor or his editor never heard of Strunk & White's Elements of Style.

This is perhaps the greatest book ever written about the law, aimed at law students. It is a collection from a series of introductory lectures given by Llewellyn to 1Ls at Columbia University. The greatness of this book is that as your law career continues, each reading gives you greater insight into the law. I highly recommend reading it prior to beginning law school, and then again prior to your first exams.

This is perhaps the greatest book ever written about the law, aimed at law students. It is a collection from a series of introductory lectures given by Llewellyn to 1Ls at Columbia University. The greatness of this book is that as your law career continues, each reading gives you greater insight into the law. I highly recommend reading it prior to beginning law school, and then again prior to your first exams.

The book was boring. I don't know why it is recommended for law students. There are much better books law students could be reading.

If you are going to law school and you want to practice law, Iam afraid you are going to have to buy this book. But, ... does Karl really need the money?

If its not required reading skip this book for now. Buy it when you get a job. Then read the book, and give it to a poor law student.

This text is required reading at the University of Miami School of Law. I read it once and tossed it aside. Actually, if you read The Bramble Bush do so aloud, or at least take notes. Otherwise, good luck staying awake.