Book Notices
| Date | 01 March 1970 |
| Published date | 01 March 1970 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2230.1970.tb01268.x |
286
TEE
MODERN
LAW
REVIEW
VOL. 33
Certainly many English-speaking international lawyers
take
a
more
flexible view of internatid law than is represented by Mr. Herczegh’s rigid
positivist approach. What
is
more important
is
that
the basic conception
of the book
is
presented dogmatically
and
summarily, in the same manner
that natural law
theories
are
dismissed. The work reliea heavily on sketchy
and arbitrary summaries of what other international lawyers, both socislist
and “capitalisy’ have written, and
these,
though useful in enlightening the
reader on socialist jurisprudence, are grossly misleading on occasion,
e.g.,
the
discussion,
on
page
26,
of
Dr. Clive Parry’s views
on
“the
general principles
of law recognised by civilii nations” contained
in
his Melland Schill
lectures.
The views of
socialist
writers are sometimes
used
as
conclusive
proofs
in
favour of
a
particular propositimn
(e.g.,
pp.
W,
77).
Not all
English jurisprudents would
agree
with
the
view that “In the British
approach
to
law
. . .
a
1ega.l norm is but
a
prophecy predicting
the
decision
the judge
is
likely
to
come to” (p. 115). The dvetk of
the
style, the
omission
of
words, punctuation marks, and references on
asion ion,
the
inclusion of sentences which simply do not make
sense
(e.g.,
pp.
20,
36,
46),
and the hopeleasly inadequate system of case citation, detract from
the
real
value of
the
work. Undoubtedly
it
has suffered much in translation.
CLIFFORD
HALL
Boob
Notices
ANSON‘S
LAW
OF
COWTRACT.
23rd Edition. Edited by A.
G.
GUEST. [Claren-
don
Press:
Oxford Uldvereity
Press.
1969. 656
pp.
(inc. index).
Hardback
75s.
Paperback
as.]
IT
is five years since the
last
edition of this work and the major changes
have
been
a
rewritten chapter on Misrepresentation
as
a
result
of
the 1967
Act, and rewriting
as
a
result of House of
Lords
decisions in
SuLwe
Atlantique,
Esro
Petrolem
v.
Harper,
Beewick
v.
Beawkk
and
Koufos
v.
CzMnikow.
There is
also
a
short section on Codification
of
Contract
(see
Diamond (1968)
31
M.L.R. 361) although the editor does not envisage the
enacting
of the English and Scottish Law Commissions’ proposed Code until
at
least
1975 to 1980.
TWELVE
LETTERS
TO
AN
ARTICLED CLERK. By
E.
A. WILLIAMS. [London:
Law Notes Lending Library for The College of Law. 1969. 46 pp.
7s.
6d.I
THESE
are twelve admirable short articles which appeared originally in
Law
Notes
magazine. They
are
full of sound practical
advice
which
is
not found
in ordinary legal textbooks. Students pass their examinations on their know-
ledge
of
the law; experience can only be acquired
in
time. This small
pamphlet provides an excellent introduction to what
makes
up experience
based upon thirty years of private practice.
RECOBXDIENDED LAW BOOKS. Edtted by Rrcman
SLOANE.
[American Bar
Association: Committee on Business Law Libraries. Section of Corpora-
tion,
Bainking
and
Business
Law.
1969.
807
pp.
(no
price
available).]
THIS
book selection guide
is
designed
to
provide American practising lawyers
with an annotated list of the best and most useful available books in the
various branches of the law. Practising lawyers have themselves made
the
selections.
It
is, of course, an American
list
and the selection of English
works is sparse. Thus
in
contract we
are
offered
Chitty
(1961 edition), in
torts,
Saw
(1965 edition), and we
learn
that G& and Jones on the
Law
of
Restitzlth
ia
the
first comprehensive
treatise
on the subject in
Anglo-American literature.
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