100 Best Jurisprudence Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

A Theory of Justice

John Rawls

5.0

An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Since it appeared in 1971, John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice has become a classic. The author has now revised the original edition to clear up a number of difficulties he and others have found in the original book.

Rawls aims to express an essential part of the common core of the democratic tradition—justice as fairness—and to provide an a

Recommended by Azeem Azhar, Ann Miura-Ko, Jonathan Wolff, and 1 others.

Ann Miura-Ko

Actually a dialogue and a real logical debate. [source]

Jonathan Wolff

Rawls wants you to think about how you would design society if you didn’t know what place you’d play in it. [source]

Lucas Morales

Depending on your interest and goals, if you are like me and always looking for the trends in the big picture then I highly recommend being an active contrarian reader. Read what no one else is reading. Your goal is to think outside the box. To look at the world and ask “why hasn’t this been solved?” And that gives you a roadmap as to what opportunities may exist for your entrepreneurial efforts. So to that, here’s a snapshot, in no particular order, of what might help you push your intellectual boundaries: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang Postcapitalism: A Guide to Our Future by Paul Mason Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty Who Gets What--And Why: The New Economics of Matchmaking and Market Design by Alvin E. Roth The Political Economy of Participatory Economics by Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism by Jeremy Rifkin Why America Misunderstands the World by Paul R. Pillar A Theory of Justice by John Rawls Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall [source]

2

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee, Sissy Spacek, et al

4.9

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mocki

Recommended by Adam Lawrence, Antonio Villaraigosa, Clive Stafford Smith, and 6 others.

Adam Lawrence

It's just the best. [source]

Antonio Villaraigosa

Even though I know we’ve made great strides in America, and have come from the reality of Maycomb, we still suffer today from the lingering effects of the bigotry of that era. At the same time, it’s a lesson in standing tall in the face of tremendously hostile circumstances. [source]

Clive Stafford Smith

The book touches on so many issues and deals with so many prejudices – prejudices towards the mentally ill, racial stuff. It’s a book that was way ahead of its time in many ways. It’s also a wonderfully written book – a joy to read. [source]

3

The Quest for Cosmic Justice

Thomas Sowell

4.8

This book is about the great moral issues underlying many of the headline-making political controversies of our times. It is not a comforting book but a book about disturbing and dangerous trends. The Quest for Cosmic Justice shows how confused conceptions of justice end up promoting injustice, how confused conceptions of equality end up promoting inequality, and how the tyranny of social visions

Recommended by Ben Shapiro.

Ben Shapiro

Really terrific. [source]

4

The Law

Frederic Bastiat and Tony Darnell

4.8

How is it that the law enforcer itself does not have to keep the law? How is it that the law permits the state to lawfully engage in actions which, if undertaken by individuals, would land them in jail? These are among the most intriguing issues in political and economic philosophy. More specifically, the problem of law that itself violates law is an insurmountable conundrum of all statist philoso

Cover unavailable

5

Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court

Mollie Hemingway, Carrie Severino

4.7

Justice Anthony Kennedy slipped out of the Supreme Court building on June 27, 2018, and traveled incognito to the White House to inform President Donald Trump that he was retiring, setting in motion a political process that his successor, Brett Kavanaugh, would denounce three months later as a “national disgrace” and a “circus.”

Justice on Trial, the definitive insider’s account of Kavanaugh’s appo

Recommended by Donald J. Trump, Grover Norquist, Neal Houston, and 2 others.

Donald J. Trump

USA President

Book is doing really well. A study in unfairness to a potentially great Justice! https://t.co/i6GwghuEsU [source]

Grover Norquist

@waynegaddy @MZHemingway Lacked a phone number. She has a great book out. [source]

Neal Houston

Apparently, Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, deleted her social media profile weeks before she sent a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein detailing the allegation, according to a new book... HOW INTERESTING 🤔 [source]

6

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

Jeffrey Toobin

4.6

In The Nine, acclaimed journalist Jeffrey Toobin takes us into the chambers of the most important—and secret—legal body in our country, the Supreme Court, revealing the complex dynamic among the nine people who decide the law of the land. An institution at a moment of transition, the Court now stands at a crucial point, with major changes in store on such issues as abortion, civil rights, and chur

Recommended by Gary Vaynerchuk.

Gary Vaynerchuk

Chairman/VaynerX

My favorite book I've ever read is this book. It was about the supreme court. [source]

7

The Republic: The Influential Classic

Plato

4.6

The newest deluxe edition in the bestselling Capstone Classics Series This ancient classic has had a make-over. In recent years these Capstone Classic deluxe editions have caught the book buying public's imagination. The volumes of international bestsellers such as Think and Grow Rich and The Art of War have quickly become the market leaders. Now Plato's best known work, one of the most intellectu

Recommended by Bryan Van Norden, David Heinemeier Hansson, Jonathan Glover, and 6 others.

Bryan Van Norden

It’s very readable even if you aren’t a professional philosopher. Take the story of ‘The Ring of Gyges,’ which raises the question of whether you would continue to act like a good person if you had a ring of invisibility that let you get away with doing whatever you wanted to do. That’s a fascinating thought experiment that anybody can appreciate. [source]

David Heinemeier Hansson

I’m about a third through this and still can’t tell whether Plato is making a mockery of Socrates ideas for the idyllic society or not. So many of the arguments presented as Socrates’ are so tortured and with so disconnected leaps of logic that it’s hard to take it at face value. Yet still, it’s good fun to follow the dialogue. It reads more like a play than a book, and again, immensely accessible. It’s fun to see the lines that continue from a book like this to the considerations of the Stoics all the way to Adam Smith and the Wealth of Nations and then onto a modern critique and history in that Debt: First 5,000 Years. A conversation spanning millennia. [source]

Jonathan Glover

It contains a tremendous amount of nonsense about what the ideal society would be like. But it is an unmissable book because of Socrates. He invented the method of doing and teaching philosophy that has never been improved on. [source]

8

The Rule of Law

Penguin Adult HC/TR

4.6

The Rule of Law' is a phrase much used but little examined. The idea of the rule of law as the foundation of modern states and civilisations has recently become even more talismanic than that of democracy, but what does it actually consist of?

In this brilliant short book, Britain's former senior law lord, and one of the world's most acute legal minds, examines what the idea actually means. He make

Recommended by Jonathan Sumption, Max Mosley, Shami Chakrabarti, and 1 others.

Jonathan Sumption

It’s essentially a basic introduction to the social and political functions of law in modern Britain, which is addressed to non-lawyers. [source]

Max Mosley

What’s interesting about The Rule of Law is that it’s written by someone who was until very recently the UK’s most senior judge, Lord Bingham. It’s comforting because it shows that the highest level of the judiciary is really interested in the liberty of the individual and freedom in all its various guises. It’s also got all sorts of fascinating little pieces in it. For example, he criticises the way in which the Americans put certain prisoners outside the reach of their courts in Guantanamo Bay and mentions that the executive in England was doing exactly the same thing, putting prisoners beyond the reach of the courts, more than 300 years ago. But then there was an act of parliament to stop it, the Habeas Corpus Amendment Act of 1689. The book is a general look at aspects of the law which effectively guarantee the freedom of the individual. The rule of law is one of the two great pillars of democracy, the other, obviously, being the vote. But it’s probably more important than the vote, because the vote is only once in a while, but the rule of law determines the rules which everyone, including the authorities, must follow on a daily basis and is the greatest guarantee of freedom. So, it’s a very important book [source]

Shami Chakrabarti

A new book from probably the greatest jurist of our times, probably anywhere in the world. [source]

9

The Constitution of the United States of America

Founding Fathers

4.5

The landmark legal document of the United States, the U.S. Constitution comprises the primary law of the Federal Government. Signed by the members of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787, the Constitution outlines the powers and responsibilities of the three chief branches of the Federal Government, as well as the basic rights of the citizens of the United States. Th

10

Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence

Prof. Mohammad Hashim Kamali

4.5

This third edition of the best-selling title Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence has been completely revised and substantially enlarged. In this work, Prof Kamali offers us the first detailed presentation available in English of the theory of Muslim law (usul al-fiqh). Often regarded as the most sophisticated of the traditional Islamic disciplines, Islamic Jurisprudence is concerned with the way i

11

Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?

Michael J. Sandel

4.5

Preview Summary

"For Michael Sandel, justice is not a spectator sport," The Nation's reviewer of Justice remarked. In his acclaimed book―based on his legendary Harvard course―Sandel offers a rare education in thinking through the complicated issues and controversies we face in public life today. It has emerged as a most lucid and engaging guide for those who yearn for a more robust and thoughtful public discourse

Recommended by Nigel Warburton.

Nigel Warburton

The reason I picked this book is because I think Michael Sandel is an outstanding speaker and writer in his ability to bring philosophy alive. He can take a thinker like Aristotle and make him completely relevant to the present day, to show how his ideas have applications in our everyday lives. [source]

12

Reading Law: The Interpretation of Legal Texts

Antonin Scalia and Bryan A. Garner

4.5

In this groundbreaking book, Scalia and Garner systematically explain all the most important principles of constitutional, statutory, and contractual interpretation in an engaging and informative style with hundreds of illustrations from actual cases. Is a burrito a sandwich? Is a corporation entitled to personal privacy? If you trade a gun for drugs, are you using a gun in a drug transaction? The

13

Reasons and Persons

Derek Parfit

4.5

Challenging, with several powerful arguments, some of our deepest beliefs about rationality, morality, and personal identity, Derek Parfit claims that we have a false view about our own nature. It is often rational to act against our own best interests, he argues, and most of us have moral views that are self-defeating. We often act wrongly, although we know there will be no one with serious groun

Recommended by David Edmonds and Will MacAskill.

David Edmonds

Reasons and Persons was written in 1984, and Derek Parfit was one of my postgraduate supervisors. One of the blurbs on the back of book says “Reasons and Persons is a work of genius”, and I think it is. It’s an incredibly important book, and one written in a tradition completely different to Bernard Williams, even though the two were friends. Bernard Williams is an essayist and he looks at the big picture, like Nagel. Parfit, more like Singer, is in the tradition of the 19th century philosopher Henry Sidgwick – he is a detailed, rigorous, almost mathematical philosopher, who worked from premises slowly to conclusions. There’s nothing pretentious about it – it’s beautifully written, incredibly thoughtful and well-argued, with fantastically imaginative thought experiments. [source]

Will MacAskill

I would say that Derek Parfit was the most brilliant philosopher of the 20th century. His book Reasons and Persons, especially, has over 10,000 citations. [source]

14

The Federalist Papers

Alexander Hamilton

4.4

Preview Summary

Hailed by Thomas Jefferson as “the best commentary on the principles of government which was ever written", The Federalist Papers is a collection of eighty-five essays published by Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay from 1787 to 1788, as a means to persuade the public to ratify the Constitution of the United States.

With nearly two-thirds of the essays written by Hamil

Recommended by Barack Obama and Karl Rove.

Barack Obama

Former USA President

According to the president’s Facebook page and a 2008 interview with the New York Times, these titles are among his most influential forever favorites: Moby Dick, Herman Melville Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson Song Of Solomon, Toni Morrison Parting The Waters, Taylor Branch Gilead, Marylinne Robinson Best and the Brightest, David Halberstam The Federalist, Alexander Hamilton Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene The Quiet American, Graham Greene Cancer Ward, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Gandhi’s autobiography Working, Studs Terkel Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith Theory of Moral Sentiments, Adam Smith All the King’s Men, Robert Penn Warren [source]

Karl Rove

I think this is the greatest explanation, in one place, of the American constitution, of the essential underpinnings and structures that make American democracy possible. This is how to view the constitution in its proper perspective, as a document of limited government, and enormous personal freedom – as an attempt to understand human nature and draw on both its strengths and its weaknesses to achieve a community and nation. [source]

Cover unavailable

15

Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law, Faith, and Life Well Lived

Antonin Scalia

4.4

This definitive collection of beloved Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's finest speeches covers topics as varied as the law, faith, virtue, pastimes, and his heroes and friends. Featuring a foreword by longtime friend Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and an intimate introduction by his youngest son, Christopher, this volume includes dozens of speeches, some deeply personal, that have never before b

16

The Constitution of the United States with the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation

James Madison

4.4

The most important documents of the United States of America are collected in this easy-to-read volume, which includes the Constitution of the United States of America, with all of the Amendments; The Declaration of Independence; the Articles of Confederation, and an appendix containing a list of the states by date of admission to the Union. Every citizen of the United States, student of history a

17

The Concept of Law (Clarendon Law Series)

H. L. A. Hart, Penelope Bulloch, et al.

4.4

Fifty years on from its original publication, HLA Hart's The Concept of Law is widely recognized as the most important work of legal philosophy published in the twentieth century. It is a classic book in the field of legal scholarship and remains the starting point for most students coming to the subject for the first time.
Known as Hart's most famous work, The Concept of Law emerged from a set of

18

Executive Power (Mitch Rapp, #6)

Vince Flynn

4.4

CIA superagent Mitch Rapp battles global terrorism in a high-octane follow-up to The New York Times bestselling Separation of Power -- another chillingly authentic adventure from the master of the political thriller. Mitch Rapp's cover has been blown. After leading a team of commandos deep into Iraq to prevent Saddam Hussein from joining the nuclear arms race, he was publicly hailed by the preside

19

Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science

Richard Saferstein

4.4

For introductory courses in Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation
A clear introduction to the technology of the modern crime laboratory for non-scientists
Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science, Twelfth Edition, uses clear writing, case stories, and modern technology to capture the pulse and fervor of forensic science investigations. Written for readers with no scientific b

20

The Common Law

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

4.3

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) is generally considered one of the two greatest justices of the United States Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Marshall being the other. In more than 2000 opinions, he delineated an impressive legal philosophy that profoundly influenced American jurisprudence, particularly in the area of civil liberties and judicial restraint. At the same time, his abilities

21

The Authority of Law

Joseph Raz

4.3

This book is concerned with the nature of law and its relation to morality, concentrating on the proper moral attitude of a citizen towards the law of his country. The author begins by presenting a new analysis of the concept of legitimate authority and then gives a detailed explanation of the legal positivist's approach to law. Within this framework the author examines several areas where legal a

22

J.D. to J.D.: My Journey from Juvenile Delinquent to Doctor of Jurisprudence

Brian D Caplan

4.3

In this funny and insightful memoir, Brian Caplan takes us on his journey from a reckless and self-centered juvenile delinquent to a respected and empathetic member of the legal profession. Brian recalls his early days of shockingly poor judgment and shares how he learned from his experiences to make the seemingly insurmountable leap from first being arrested at age twelve, to today representing s

23

How Music Got Free: The End of an Industry, the Turn of the Century, and the Patient Zero of Piracy

Stephen Witt

4.3

What happens when an entire generation commits the same crime?

How Music Got Free is a riveting story of obsession, music, crime, and money, featuring visionaries and criminals, moguls and tech-savvy teenagers. It’s about the greatest pirate in history, the most powerful executive in the music business, a revolutionary invention and an illegal website four times the size of the iTunes Music Store.

Recommended by Paolo Gregoletto.

Paolo Gregoletto

Great book about it all https://t.co/hFLhiZOwRo [source]

24

The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Mediaeval Political Theology

Ernst H. Kantorowicz

4.3

In 1957 Ernst Kantorowicz published a book that would be the guide for generations of scholars through the arcane mysteries of medieval political theology. In The King's Two Bodies, Kantorowicz traces the historical problem posed by the King's two bodies--the body politic and the body natural--back to the Middle Ages and demonstrates, by placing the concept in its proper setting of medieval though

Recommended by Helen Castor.

Helen Castor

The whole idea of The King’s Two Bodies is that of the divide between the king’s natural body and his representation of the body politic, a more abstract political authority. Those two things come together and have to be worked out in law and authority and language – but it’s always a male body. The physical being of the king is part of that relationship, and the fact is that the very different connotations of the female body make the relationship between a queen and the body politic much harder. [source]

25

Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison

Michel Foucault, Alan Sheridan

4.3

Librarian note: an alternate cover for this edition can be found here.

In this brilliant work, the most influential philosopher since Sartre suggests that such vaunted reforms as the abolition of torture and the emergence of the modern penitentiary have merely shifted the focus of punishment from the prisoner’s body to his soul.

Cover unavailable

26

The Spirit of the Laws

Charles-Louis de Secondat baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu

4.3

The Spirit of the Laws is, without question, one of the central texts in the history of 18th-century thought, yet there has been no complete scholarly English language edition since 1750.

This lucid translation renders Montesquieu's problematic text newly accessible to a fresh generation of students, helping them to understand why Montesquieu was such an important figure in the early Enlightenment

27

Men in Black: How Judges are Destroying America

Mark R. Levin, Rush Limbaugh

4.3

"A modern conservative classic." - Sean Hannity

"Men in Black couldn’t be more timely or important….a tremendously important and compelling book.” - Rush Limbaugh

“One of the finest books on the Constitution and the judiciary I’ve read in a long time….There is no better source for understanding and grasping the seriousness of this issue.” - Edwin Meese III

“The Supreme Court has broken throug

28

Great Debates in Jurisprudence

Nicholas J J McBride and Sandy Steel

4.3

This textbook is an ambitious and engaging introduction to the more advanced writings on Jurisprudence, primarily designed to allow students to 'get under the skin' of the topic and begin to build their critical thinking and analysis skills. Each chapter is structured around key questions and debates that provoke deeper thought and, ultimately, a clearer understanding. The aim of the book is there

29

Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales

William Bass and Jon Jefferson

4.3

Dr. Bill Bass, one of the world's leading forensic anthropologists, gained international attention when he built a forensic lab like no other: The Body Farm. Now, this master scientist unlocks the gates of his lab to reveal his most intriguing cases-and to revisit the Lindbergh kidnapping and murder, fifty years after the fact.

30

Philosophy and the State in France: The Renaissance to the Enlightenment

Nannerl O. Keohane

4.3

Tracing the development of French political thought in the seventeenth century, Nannerl Keohane explores a quite different emphasis on the indivisibility of sovereignty and the expression of interests rather than rights.

Originally published in 1980.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished ba

31

The Morality of Law

Lon L. Fuller

4.3

In a lengthy new concluding chapter labeled "A Reply to Critics," Lon L. Fuller extends and clarifies his definition of the relation between law and morality put forward in the first (1964) edition of The Morality of Law. His original argument distinguishes between the morality of duty and the morality of aspiration, both of which bear on the design and operation of social institutions: the former

32

Are Prisons Obsolete?

Angela Y. Davis

4.3

With her characteristic brilliance, grace and radical audacity, Angela Y. Davis has put the case for the latest abolition movement in American life: the abolition of the prison. As she quite correctly notes, American life is replete with abolition movements, and when they were engaged in these struggles, their chances of success seemed almost unthinkable. For generations of Americans, the abolitio

33

Law's Empire

Ronald Dworkin

4.3

With the incisiveness and lucid style for which he is renowned, Ronald Dworkin has written a masterful explanation of how the Anglo-American legal system works and on what principles it is grounded. Law's Empire is a full-length presentation of his theory of law that will be studied and debated--by scholars and theorists, by lawyers and judges, by students and political activists--for years to com

34

Confessions of a Briefless Barrister

Harry Mitchell

4.3

35

Politics

Aristotle and Benjamin Jowett

4.3

What is the relationship of the individual to the state? What is the ideal state, and how can it bring about the most desirable life for its citizens? What sort of education should it provide? What is the purpose of amassing wealth? These are some of the questions Aristotle attempts to answer in one of the most intellectually stimulating works.
Both heavily influenced by and critical of Plato's Rep

36

Critical Race Theory (Third Edition): An Introduction

Richard Delgado

4.3

Updated to include the Black Lives Matter movement, the presidency of Barack Obama, the rise of hate speech on the Internet, and more

Since the publication of the first edition of Critical Race Theory in 2001, the United States has lived through two economic downturns, an outbreak of terrorism, and the onset of an epidemic of hate directed against immigrants, especially undocumented Latinos and Mid

37

Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces

Radley Balko

4.3

The last days of colonialism taught America’s revolutionaries that soldiers in the streets bring conflict and tyranny. As a result, our country has generally worked to keep the military out of law enforcement. But according to investigative reporter Radley Balko, over the last several decades, America’s cops have increasingly come to resemble ground troops. The consequences have been dire: the hom

38

Problems of Jurisprudence

Richard A. Posner

4.3

In this book, one of our country's most distinguished scholar-judges shares with us his vision of the law. For the past two thousand years, the philosophy of law has been dominated by two rival doctrines. One contends that law is more than politics and yields, in the hands of skillful judges, correct answers to even the most difficult legal questions; the other contends that law is politics throug

39

Is International Law International?

Anthea Roberts, Martti Koskenniemi

4.3

This book takes the reader on a sweeping tour of the international legal field to reveal some of the patterns of difference, dominance, and disruption that belie international law's claim to universality.

Pulling back the curtain on the "divisible college of international lawyers," Anthea Roberts shows how international lawyers in different states, regions, and geopolitical groupings are often subj

Cover unavailable

40

Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach

Curt R. Bartol and Anne M. Bartol

4.2

A comprehensive psychological approach to criminal and antisocial behavior. Building on a tradition of excellence, Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approachis accurate, well-researched, contemporary, and comprehensive. It offers a detailed look at crime, what may lead to it, and how criminal behavior may be prevented -- all from a psychological perspective. With a focus on serious crimes, partic

41

The Trial

Franz Kafka, Breon Mitchell

4.2

Written in 1914 but not published until 1925, a year after Kafka's death, The Trial is one of the most important novels of the twentieth century: the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the exc

Recommended by David Heinemeier Hansson and Michael Peel.

David Heinemeier Hansson

It’s a fascinating writing style with a 3rd party observer that’s treated as an extension of the protagonists own sentiments and mind. It’s also just exquisitely written. And the concept of being on trial for charges unknown by a vast, impersonal, yet petty, bureaucracy pulls from a timeless well of societal anxieties. So far, so very good. About half way through. [source]

Michael Peel

I read this before going to Nigeria but moving there made me think about it a lot. The idea that the system always wins. [source]

42

Unjust Enrichment

Peter Birks

4.2

This new edition is a fully updated, clear and concise account of the law of unjust enrichment, and attempts to move away from the usage of obscure terminology inherited from the past. It organises modern law around five simple questions: Was the defendant enriched? If so, was it at the claimant's expense? If so, was it unjust? The fourth question is then what kind of right the claimant has and th

43

Nuremberg Diary

G. M. Gilbert

4.2

In August 1945 Great Britain, France, the USSR, and the United States established a tribunal at Nuremberg to try military and civilian leaders of the Nazi regime. G.M. Gilbert, the prison psychologist, had an unrivaled firsthand opportunity to watch and question the Nazi war criminals. With scientific dispassion he encouraged Göering, Speer, Hess, Ribbentrop, Frank, Jodl, Keitel, Streicher, and th

Cover unavailable

44

For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto

Murray N. Rothbard, Jeff Riggenbach, et al

4.2

A classic that for over two decades has been hailed as the best general work on libertarianism available. Rothbard begins with a quick overview of its historical roots, and then goes on to define libertarianism as resting "upon one single axiom: that no man or group of men shall aggress upon the person or property of anyone else." He writes a withering critique of the chief violator of liberty: th

45

Fyodor Dostoyevsky: The Complete Novels (Centaur Classics)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

4.2

46

The Blade Itself (The First Law #1)

Joe Abercrombie

4.2

Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian – leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.

Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glor

47

The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle

Lillian Faderman

4.2

The sweeping story of the modern struggle for gay, lesbian, and trans rights from the 1950s to the present—based on amazing interviews with politicians, military figures, legal activists, and members of the entire LGBT community who face these challenges every day.

The fight for gay, lesbian, and trans civil rights—the years of outrageous injustice, the early battles, the heart-breaking defeats, an

48

State of Exception

Giorgio Agamben, Kevin Attell

4.2

Two months after the attacks of 9/11, the Bush administration, in the midst of what it perceived to be a state of emergency, authorized the indefinite detention of noncitizens suspected of terrorist activities and their subsequent trials by a military commission. Here, distinguished Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben uses such circumstances to argue that this unusual extension of power, or "state

49

Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815

Gordon S. Wood

4.2

The Oxford History of the United States is by far the most respected multi-volume history of our nation. The series includes three Pulitzer Prize winners, two New York Times bestsellers, and winners of the Bancroft and Parkman Prizes. Now, in the newest volume in the series, one of America's most esteemed historians, Gordon S. Wood, offers a brilliant account of the early American Republic, rangin

50

Justice for Hedgehogs

Ronald Dworkin

4.2

Develops original theories on a variety of issues, including: moral skepticism, literary, artistic, and historical interpretation, free will, ancient moral theory, being good and living well, liberty, equality, law, more.

Recommended by Jonathan Sumption.

Jonathan Sumption

I think that this book, which was Dworkins’ last, actually published in 2011, not long before his death in 2013, is a modern classic. [source]

51

My Own Words

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

4.2

13 hours, 18 minutes

The first book from Ruth Bader Ginsburg since becoming a Supreme Court Justice in 1993—a witty, engaging, serious, and playful collection of writings and speeches from the woman who has had a powerful and enduring influence on law, women’s rights, and popular culture.

My Own Words offers Justice Ginsburg on wide-ranging topics, including gender equality, the workways of the Sup

52

Anarchy, State, and Utopia

Robert Nozick

4.2

In this brilliant and widely acclaimed book, Robert Nozick challenges the most commonly held political and social positions of our age—liberal, socialist, and conservative.
It won the 1975 U.S. National Book Award in category Philosophy and Religion, has been translated into 11 languages, and was named one of the "100 most influential books since the war" (1945–1995) by the U.K. Times Literary Supp

Recommended by Jonathan Wolff.

Jonathan Wolff

You can come in and read even just two pages of Nozick and have to face up to the idea that maybe your deep beliefs have been challenged in an incredibly strong way. [source]

53

Authority

Joseph Raz

4.2

Authority is one of the key issues in political studies, for the question of by what right one person or several persons govern others is at the very root of political activity. In selecting key readings for this volume Joseph Raz concerns himself primarily with the moral aspect of political authority, choosing pieces that examine its justification, determine who is subject to it and who is entitl

54

The Science of a Legislator: The Natural Jurisprudence of David Hume and Adam Smith

Knud Haakonssen

4.2

Combining the methods of the modern philosopher with those of the historian of ideas, Knud Haakonssen presents an interpretation of the philosophy of law which Adam Smith developed out of - and partly in response to - David Hume's theory of justice. While acknowledging that the influences on Smith were many and various, Dr Haakonssen suggests that the decisive philosophical one was Hume's analysis

55

Poirot Investigates (Hercule Poirot, #3)

Agatha Christie

4.2

The very first collection of superb short stories featuring Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings…

First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond… then came the ‘suicide’ that was murder… the mystery of the absurdly cheap flat… a suspicious death in a locked gun-room… a million dollar bond robbery… the curse of a pharaoh’s tomb… a jewel robbery by the sea… the abduction of a Prime Minis

56

Mark Twain: The Complete Novels (The Greatest Writers of All Time Book 10)

Mark Twain

4.2

This book contains the complete novels of Mark Twain:

- The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
- The Prince and the Pauper
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
- The American Claimant
- Tom Sawyer Abroad
- The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson
- Tom Sawyer, Detective
- Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
- A Double Barrelled Detective Story
-

57

Second Treatise of Government

John Locke and C. B. Macpherson

4.2

The Second Treatise is one of the most important political treatises ever written and one of the most far-reaching in its influence.
In his provocative 15-page introduction to this edition, the late eminent political theorist C. B. Macpherson examines Locke's arguments for limited, conditional government, private property and right of revolution and suggests reasons for the appeal of these argumen

Recommended by Donna Dickenson.

Donna Dickenson

I am interested in the book mainly because it is where we find Locke putting across the now very familiar idea about the relationship between labour and property. [source]

Cover unavailable

58

Political Theology: Four Chapters on the Concept of Sovereignty

Carl Schmitt, George Schwab, Tracy B. Strong

4.2

Written in the intense political and intellectual tumult of the early years of the Weimar Republic, Political Theology develops the distinctive theory of sovereignty that made Carl Schmitt one of the most significant and controversial political theorists of the twentieth century.

Focusing on the relationships among political leadership, the norms of the legal order, and the state of political emer

59

The Social Contract

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

4.2

Preview Summary

"Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains."

These are the famous opening words of a treatise that has not ceased to stir vigorous debate since its first publication in 1762. Rejecting the view that anyone has a natural right to wield authority over others, Rousseau argues instead for a pact, or ‘social contract’, that should exist between all the citizens of a state and that should be the s

60

Lloyd's Introduction to Jurisprudence

Michael Freeman

4.1

Lloyd's Introduction to Jurisprudence is the leading textbook on jurisprudence in the English-speaking world. It enables the reader to develop a good understanding of the theories of the different schools of jurisprudence, and to appreciate the contributions made to legal theory by leading jurists and others, from the Ancient Greeks to the postmodernists.
Lloyd's combines a substantial text with ex

61

Carnal Crimes: Sexual Assault Law in Canada, 1900-1975

Constance Backhouse

4.1

"Carnal Crimes: Sexual Assault Law in Canada, 1900-1975" is an engaging and powerful book about sexual assault crimes in Canadian history by one of Canada s foremost legal historians. Using a case-study approach, Constance Backhouse explores nine sexual assault trials from across the country throughout the twentieth century. We move from small towns to large cities, from the Maritimes to the North

62

General Theory of Law and State

Hans Kelsen

4.1

Reprint of the first edition. This classic work by the important Austrian jurist is the fullest exposition of his enormously influential pure theory of law, which includes a theory of the state. It also has an extensive appendix that discusses the pure theory in comparison with the law of nature, positivism, historical natural law, metaphysical dualism and scientific-critical philosophy. "The scop

63

A History of American Law

Lawrence M. Friedman

4.1

In this brilliant and immensely readable book, Lawrence M. Friedman tells the whole fascinating story of American law from its beginnings in the colonies to the present day. By showing how close the life of the law is to the economic and political life of the country, he makes a complex subject understandable and engrossing. A History of American Law presents the achievements and failures of the A

64

Family and Intimate Partner Violence: Heavy Hands

Denise Kindschi Gosselin

4.1

For courses in domestic violence, family violence, and victimology.

The authoritative introduction to family violence
Family and Intimate Partner Violence: Heavy Hands is an authentic introduction to the crimes of family violence, covering offenders and offenses, impact on victims, and responses of the criminal justice system. Comprehensive yet easy to understand, this established text is essent

65

Law and Revolution, I: The Formation of the Western Legal Tradition

Harold J. Berman

4.1

The roots of modern Western legal institutions and concepts go back nine centuries to the Papal Revolution, when the Western church established its political and legal unity and its independence from emperors, kings, and feudal lords. Out of this upheaval came the Western idea of integrated legal systems consciously developed over generations and centuries.

Harold J. Berman describes the main featu

66

Judge Thelton Henderson, Breaking New Ground

Richard B. Kuhns

4.1

Thelton Henderson, Senior United States District Court Judge in San Francisco, rose from humble origins to become a leading civil-rights attorney and innovator of minority admissions programs. This book traces his career from a football star to his work in the 1960s as the first African American lawyer from the Justice Department in the South and his relationship with Martin Luther King Jr. to his

67

The Path of the Law (Little Books of Wisdom)

Oliver Holmes Jr.

4.1

The Path of the Law is the single most important essay about law ever written. The perfect gift for anyone who ever entered law school, it defines the responsibilities of the legal profession from one of law's greatest practitioners.

68

A Theory of Constitutional Rights

Robert Alexy, Julian Rivers

4.1

In any country where there is a Bill of Rights, constitutional rights reasoning is an important part of the legal process. As more and more countries adopt Human Rights legislation and accede to international human rights agreements, and as the European Union introduces its own Bill of Rights, judges struggle to implement these rights consistently and sometimes the reasoning behind them is lost. E

69

Black's Law Dictionary, Fifth Pocket Edition

Bryan A. Garner

4.1

For more than a century Black's has been the gold standard for the language of law. Today it is the most widely cited law book in the world. Edited by Bryan A. Garner, the world's leading legal lexicographer, the 9th Edition is the most authoritative, comprehensive law dictionary ever published. It contains more than 45,000 terms and includes: 2,000 more terms than the 8th Edition and 19,000 more

70

Two Treatises of Government

John Locke

4.1

71

The Widows of Malabar Hill (Perveen Mistry, #1)

Sujata Massey

4.1

Bombay, 1921: Perveen Mistry, the daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family, has just joined her father's law firm, becoming one of the first female lawyers in India. Armed with a legal education from Oxford, Perveen also has a tragic personal history that makes her especially devoted to championing and protecting women's rights.

Mistry Law is handling the will of Mr. Omar Farid, a wealthy Muslim

Cover unavailable

72

The Concept of the Political

Carl Schmitt, George Schwab

4.1

In this, his most influential work, legal theorist and political philosopher Carl Schmitt argues that liberalism's basis in individual rights cannot provide a reasonable justification for sacrificing oneself for the state. This edition of the 1932 work includes the translator's introduction (by George Schwab) which highlights Schmitt's intellectual journey through the turbulent period of German hi

73

Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution

Albert Venn Dicey

4.1

The Law of the Constitution elucidates the guiding principles of the modern constitution of England: the legislative sovereignty of Parliament, the rule of law, and the binding force of unwritten conventions.

A. V. Dicey (1835–1922) was an English jurist, Vinerian Professor of English Law at Oxford University, and author of, among other works, The Law of the Constitution.

Please note: This title i

74

The Rights of Others

Seyla Benhabib

4.1

This book explores the tension between universal principles of human rights and the self-determination claims of sovereign states as they affect the claims of refugees, asylum-seekers and immigrants. Drawing on the work of Kant's "cosmopolitan doctrine" and positions developed by Hannah Arendt, Seyla Benhabib explores how the topic has been analyzed within the larger history of political thought.

Recommended by Shahram Khosravi.

Shahram Khosravi

You can see traces in the Old Testament of the concept of cities of refuge and how to treat a stranger. [source]

75

Punishment And Responsibility: Essays In The Philosophy Of Law

H. L. A. Hart

4.1

This classic collection of essays, first published in 1968, has had an enduring impact on academic and public debates about criminal responsibility and criminal punishment. Forty years on, its arguments are as powerful as ever. H.L.A. Hart offers an alternative to retributive thinking about criminal punishment that nevertheless preserves the central distinction between guilt and innocence. He also

76

Philosophy of Law: A Very Short Introduction

Raymond Wacks

4.1

This lively and accessible introduction to the social, moral, and cultural foundations of law takes a broad scope-- spanning philosophy, law, politics, and economics, and discussing a range of topics including women's rights, racism, the environment, and recent international issues such as the war in Iraq and the treatment of terror suspects. Revealing the intriguing and challenging nature of lega

77

Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life

Giorgio Agamben, Daniel Heller-Roazen

4.1

The work of Giorgio Agamben, one of Italy’s most important and original philosophers, has been based on an uncommon erudition in classical traditions of philosophy and rhetoric, the grammarians of late antiquity, Christian theology, and modern philosophy. Recently, Agamben has begun to direct his thinking to the constitution of the social and to some concrete, ethico-political conclusions concerni

78

Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times

Joel Richard Paul

4.1

The remarkable story of John Marshall who, as chief justice, statesman, and diplomat, shaped the foundation of the United States.

No member of America's Founding Generation had a greater impact on the Constitution and the Supreme Court than John Marshall, and no one did more to preserve the delicate unity of the fledgling United States. From the nation's founding in 1776 and for the next forty year

79

Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations

Michael Walzer

4.1

From the Athenian attack on Melos to the My Lai Massacre, from the wars in the Balkans through the first war in Iraq, Michael Walzer examines the moral issues surrounding military theory, war crimes, and the spoils of war. He studies a variety of conflicts over the course of history, as well as the testimony of those who have been most directly involved--participants, decision makers, and victims.

Recommended by Cécile Fabre and Mary Kaldor.

Cécile Fabre

I should say that I disagree with many of the claims that Walzer makes in the book [source]

Mary Kaldor

There is a long history of literature on what counts as a just war. [source]

80

Prisons of Poverty

Loïc Wacquant

4.1

In this title, the author examines how penal policies emanating from the United States have spread thoughout the world. The author argues that the policies have their roots in a network of Reagan-era conservative think tanks, which used them as weapons in their crusade to dismantle the welfare state and, in effect, criminalise poverty.

81

Gangster Warlords: Drug Dollars, Killing Fields, and the New Politics of Latin America

Ioan Grillo

4.1

On a ranch south of Texas, the man known as The Executioner leaves five hundred body parts in metal barrels. In Brazil's biggest city, a mysterious prisoner orders hit men to gun down forty-one police officers and prison guards in two days. In southwest Mexico, a meth maker is venerated as a saint while enforcing Old Testament justice on his enemies.

A new kind of criminal kingpin has arisen: a hyb

82

Pamflety

Viktor Burenin

4.1

83

The Nuremberg Trials

Ann Tusa

4.1

This well researched book exposes the many different facets of the Nuremberg Trial. Using a variety of resources, the Tusas are able to thoroughly layout new information from the trial. This was the closure for many to World War II, and it was one of the greatest judicial accomplishements. The Tusas provide a clear history of the events and fresh insight to what happened during the trial.

84

You Have The Right...: A Constitutional Guide to Policing the Police

Laura Coates

4.1

85

Eye To Eye: [Facing The Consequences Of Dividing Israel]

William R. Koenig

4.1

86

Against The State: An Anarcho-Capitalist Manifesto

Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr.

4.1

Against The State argues the historical failure of the nation-state, and makes a case for a society based on a philosophy of anarcho-capitalism as the only rational alternative to restore liberty and sustainable prosperity to modern society.

87

Pure Theory of Law

Hans Kelsen

4.0

Reprint of the second revised and enlarged edition, a complete revision of the first edition published in 1934. A landmark in the development of modern jurisprudence, the pure theory of law defines law as a system of coercive norms created by the state that rests on the validity of a generally accepted Grundnorm, or basic norm, such as the supremacy of the Constitution. Entirely self-supporting, i

88

The Philosophy of International Law

Samantha Besson, John Tasioulas

4.0

International law has recently emerged as the subject-matter of an exciting new field of philosophical investigation. The Philosophy of International Law contains 29 cutting-edge essays by leading philosophers and international lawyers, all published here in English for the first time, that address the central philosophical questions about international law.
The volume's overarching theme is the m

89

The Criminal Law Handbook: Know Your Rights, Survive the System

Paul Bergman J.D. and Sara J Berman J.D.

4.0

The criminal justice system is complicated, understand it and your rights

Criminal law is full of complex rules and procedures, but this book demystifies them. It explains how the system works, why police, lawyers, and judges do what they do, and what suspects, defendants, and prisoners can expect. It also provides critical information on working with a lawyer.

In plain English, The Criminal Law Han

90

Juvenile Delinquency

Clemens Bartollas and Frank Schmalleger

4.0

For courses in Juvenile Delinquency
Brief. Affordable. Visual.
Juvenile Delinquency provides an affordable, thought-provoking look at the criminal justice system that uses clear writing and eye-catching visuals to get your students straight to the important concepts. The emphasis is on delinquency across the life course. By focusing on the core concepts, students will gain true understanding o

91

Central Issues In Jurisprudence

N.E. Simmonds

4.0

This textbook presents a clear introduction to the major theories and arguments in jurisprudence, using commentary to provide additional coherence to the themes examined. It gives students the knowledge to enable them to read the original writers with a real understanding of how the theories relate to each other, and how these theories cluster around certain fundamental issues.

The author has the a

92

Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America

Brian F. Haara, Fred Minnick

4.0

Bourbon whiskey has made a surprising contribution to American legal history. Tracking the history of bourbon and bourbon law illuminates the development of the United States as a nation, from conquering the wild frontier to rugged individualism to fostering the entrepreneurial spirit to solidifying itself as a nation of laws. Bourbon is responsible for the growth and maturation of many substantiv

93

From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America

Elizabeth Hinton

4.0

In the United States today, one in every 31 adults is under some form of penal control, including one in eleven African American men. How did the "land of the free" become the home of the world's largest prison system? Challenging the belief that America's prison problem originated with the Reagan administration's War on Drugs, Elizabeth Hinton traces the rise of mass incarceration to an ironic so

94

Ascent to Felicity: A Manual on Islamic Creed and Hanafi Jurisprudence

Abu 'l-Ikhlas al-Shurunbulali

4.0

Written by an eminent medieval Hanafi scholar, this is a concise yet comprehensive primer in creed and jurisprudence. It spans all five pillars of Islam, as well as the topics of slaughtering, ritual sacrifice, and haunting.

Cover unavailable

95

Law, Liberty, and Morality

H. L. A. Hart

4.0

"The three lectures collected in this slim but important volume resume a controversy that has been one of the recurrent themes of legal philosophy: is it the function of law to enforce the moral convictions of a community, or is the function of law a more limited one..." W. Friedmann, Natural Law Forum

96

Crime and Custom in Savage Society

Bronisław Malinowski

4.0

Bronislaw Malinowski achieved international recognition as the founder of "functionalism" in social anthropology, based on his studies of Melanesian society on the Trobriand Islands off New Guinea. His Crime and Custom in Savage Society is now one of the classic works of modern anthropology. In his book, Malinowski describes and analyzes the ways in which Trobriand Islanders structure and maintain

97

Historical Foundations of the Common Law 2/E

S. F. Milsom

4.0

Presents a look at the earliest framework of the common law and demonstrates the underlying structural changes that result in modern law. By examining legal, social and economic history, this book aims to reconstruct legal developments into the stages through which an entire legal system has evolved.

98

A Force More Powerful: A Century of Non-Violent Conflict

Peter Ackerman

4.0

This nationally-acclaimed book shows how popular movements used nonviolent action to overthrow dictators, obstruct military invaders and secure human rights in country after country, over the past century. Peter Ackerman and Jack DuVall depict how nonviolent sanctions--such as protests, strikes and boycotts--separate brutal regimes from their means of control. They tell inside stories--how Danes o

99

The Selected Writings of Sir Edward Coke

Sir Edward Coke

4.0

The new Liberty Fund edition of The Selected Writings of Sir Edward Coke includes selections from the four volumes of the Institutes and cases from the Reports, and several of Coke’s speeches in Parliament. Taken together, these writings delineate the origin and nature of the modern common law and indicate the profound interrelationship in the English tradition of custom, common law, authority (

100

The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Law and Legal Theory

Martin P. Golding, William A. Edmundson

4.0

The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Law and Legal Theory is a handy guide to the state of play in contemporary philosophy of law and legal theory.

Comprises 23 essays critical essays on the central themes and issues of the philosophy of law today, written by an international assembly of distinguished philosophers and legal theorists
Each essay incorporates essential background material on the