Stephen B. Presser

I grabbed a copy of this after seeing the review in the Economist, and mentally prepared myself for a couple weeks of getting weird looks whenever I had to answer the question “what are you reading currently?” I was hoping for an introduction to various theories about how to interpret the law, placed in their historical context, and I’m reasonably satisfied.

The author makes clear that he admires conservative legal theories more than those that are currently in vogue. Part of his purpose is to criticize trends that he believes pose a danger to limited government and the rule of law. This perspective does not prevent him from providing informative and intriguing introductions to the works of several progressive figures. For the most part it’s an engaging book, filled with tantalizing references to other works that should serve as interesting jumping-off points for deeper exploration.… (more)