

Legal History

You MUST read this book!!!!

All Students of Texas History should read this book

A great yarn from a legendary reporter.

THE MYSTERY OF THE CREEP SHOW CROOKS

Don't bother
Helpful Information

For those who can take A LOT of Voltaire.Anyone hoping for a Bill Bryson-like Travelogue into the Manners and distinctive Details of the ENGLISH, or a FRENCH 'Gulliver's Travels', will be disappointed. The 'Letters' are a Travelogue of Enlightenment Ideas, and can be divided into three Sections - Religion (Voltaire celebrating the Tolerance of many Religions in ENGLAND compared to the Catholic Tyranny in FRANCE); Philosophy/Science (offering a breathless Digest of exciting new Theories and Discoveries by Locke and Newton), and Literature (decrying the barbarous Irregularities of English theatre compared to the coolly classical French, but praising the occasional poetic Vividness and greater dramatic Force of Shakespeare - how nice of him!). Voltaire often distorts political Conditions in ENGLAND (e.g. the economic Persecution of Catholics) to extol the Country as a Beacon of Liberty.
Although Voltaire writes ENGLISH very well (considering he had only begun learning it the Year before commencing the 'Letters'), his Language lacks the satiric Bite and linguistic Inventiveness of a Swift or Gay, and so feels comparitively thin. Although there is a complex Irony working throughout, with the 'I' of the fictional Letter-Writer shifting functions (satirical, explanatory etc.) depending on the Subject, the most enjoyable Parts are those most straightforwardly polemical, such as the Attack on Reactionaries hostile to the Growth of Science, or the refreshingly irreverant Approach to the Bard.
How you enjoy these Letters depends on how much Voltaire you can take. His brave Attacks on Intolerance, Fanaticism and Absolutism can never be forgotten, and his Advocacy of the actively Intellectual over the submissively Superstitious was crucial in developing the modern Era; but his relentless Promotion of Reason can itself appear intolerant, shortsighted and incapable of dealing with more inexplicable Mysteries. He mocks the Ancients' philosophical and scientific Errors, asserting the linear Progress of History and human Endeavour, assuming, as did those ancients, that his Age has got everything right. The 25th Letter exposes the limits and inflexibility of Voltaire - taking uncontextualised Excerpts from Pascal's 'Pensees', he attempts to demolish the Jansenist's Christian Logic, but only exposes himself as a poor Reader forever closed to true Mystery, Poetry and Complexity.
This critical Edition includes a valuable Introduction detailing Voltaire's Experiences in England, contextualising the Letters and proving the Importance on his artistic Development of the Writer's Contact with the ENGLISH Language. An interesting Textual Note explains the Genesis of the Work, and the Status of the various national Editions. Appendices include a long Excerpt from Voltaire's Essay (in ENGLISH) on Milton, and a biographical Appreciation by Goldsmith. The Apparatus is somewhat let down by the Notes. Because this Edition is considered a primary Text, rather than a Translation, Cronk assumes the reader to be a Student in FRENCH Literature, and neglects to translate Quotations on occasion, or to identify unfamiliar (to this Reader, anyway) Personnages.
Good, mild introduction to a great satirist

Need a natural approach program,not drugs
Read me after reading all the negative reviews
Excellent

Not for the first weeks of your diet or for sensitivites
I agree with the above review...
Excellent Guide for Food Allergies

One of the worst books I ever read.
Reviewing Healing Depression
healing depression
Most of what historians and scholars know about Roman law comes second hand through manuscripts of the day (Cicero, etc.). A big source for law in this period comes from Justinian's Digests, a massive compilation of law sources written in the 6th century C.E. The jurists who compiled this massive collection did so on the fly, so to speak, so it does leave much to be desired. There is also the problem that the Digests were compiled four to six centuries after the period in question. Other sources include works by Gaius, inscriptions found on tombs and in places such as Pompeii, and papyrus collections found in Egypt. At worst, so much is missing. At best, what we do have often has to be read between the lines in order to make connections to early Rome. Of course, this has never stopped scholars from doing their best to earn their PhDs.
Crook can be frustrating. His descriptions of status in the Roman world boggle the mind, although patient reading and knowledge certainly help to make the distinctions. The Romans were nuts for status, and it shows. What is a Junian Latin and what does that status mean? What were the rights of a citizen? It's all here in this book. What quickly becomes apparent is the complexity of this ancient society. Just like today, there are lots of examples of laws that were enacted and then subtly modified as new circumstances emerged. One of the most interesting sections in the book is the description of how civil courts worked. Legal actions took place in private homes and businesses, not a courthouse. The ensuing process was quite complicated, with a praetor deciding whether an action existed and a judge deciding what the outcome would be. Most of the figures involved, including the magistrate and judge, knew little law themselves. They could rely on jurists for advice, but seemed to rely more on "good sense." Only with the appearance of the Principate could appeals be made (to the emperor). There are also some good stories here that will induce a chuckle or two. I particularly liked the story about the slave that got his throat cut while receiving a shave from the barber. Barbers worked outside, and someone was playing ball in the street. The ball hit the barber's hand and caused a nasty slip. The mental image still makes me laugh. Also, a series of legal actions revolved around things that were thrown or dropped into the street by people living in the "high rises" in Rome.
This is an excellent book, and very illuminating. Knowledge of Latin would be very helpful. Crook tosses so many terms around that it can be tough to find out what he's talking about. I wasn't but a few pages in when I whipped out the pen and started making detailed notes in the margins. I also relied on the index more than I normally would. If you've got an interest in legal history, add this one to your library.