Original post by law-bug
I'm really considering law but I really don't read much, outside of my notes, and i'm kinda bricking it thinking about reading 6 hours a day, with dry dull material...
Am I flirting with disaster?
Am I flirting with disaster?
To be honest, you'll probably find it very difficult if you can't stomach the thought of reading that much. The lectures don't always cover all of the material, and you'll be expected to read important cases in full so that you can appreciate the judges' reasoning - as well as using different textbooks and journals to gain alternative perspectives.
If you've got any more specific questions, feel free to ask.
It depends. Are you like that with all reading, or can you read books you like? Because if you have a passion for law, whereas you may not have a passion for these subjects, you'd be surprised.
Problem is I've read some intro law books- letters to a law student and what about law. I'm not sure whether I just have a casual interest in law or whether i'd actually like it- if I liked law chances are I could cope with the reading better.
But,really, the only really read 3-4 books in the past 4 years or so.
It's a complex situation because I'm getting pushed to do law as my predicted grades are A*A*A* and my local uni QUB s AAA entry (I won't be moving away,can't afford maintenance). My other idea was to do geography, but the geography department at QUB is kinda bad ( 64/68 on guardian, 37/64 on complete university guide) and therefore feel like i'd be completely wasting my grades.
But,really, the only really read 3-4 books in the past 4 years or so.
It's a complex situation because I'm getting pushed to do law as my predicted grades are A*A*A* and my local uni QUB s AAA entry (I won't be moving away,can't afford maintenance). My other idea was to do geography, but the geography department at QUB is kinda bad ( 64/68 on guardian, 37/64 on complete university guide) and therefore feel like i'd be completely wasting my grades.
Original post by Thegoodleftundone
It depends. Are you like that with all reading, or can you read books you like? Because if you have a passion for law, whereas you may not have a passion for these subjects, you'd be surprised.
I do like reading biographies, on stock trading! For example an american hedge fund by Tim sykes. The problem is I don't know whether I have a passion for law.
Why don't you try reading a law textbook then - it might be £30-£35 or so but at least then you will know whether you like it or not. I would suggest that if you enjoy reading the textbook then you will not find reading full cases or journal articles too onerous.
If you want a recommendation then Cheshire Fifoot and Furmston on contract is a first year level textbook which can be followed without any additional material, and with no prior knowledge of the law, and is not too involved, but it is a *proper* textbook - reading 'revision notes' type books will not give you a good enough idea of the work involved.
If you find it 'dry and dull' and get bored after 5 mins then I would suggest law is not the best option.
If you want a recommendation then Cheshire Fifoot and Furmston on contract is a first year level textbook which can be followed without any additional material, and with no prior knowledge of the law, and is not too involved, but it is a *proper* textbook - reading 'revision notes' type books will not give you a good enough idea of the work involved.
If you find it 'dry and dull' and get bored after 5 mins then I would suggest law is not the best option.
Original post by law-bug
Problem is I've read some intro law books- letters to a law student and what about law. I'm not sure whether I just have a casual interest in law or whether i'd actually like it- if I liked law chances are I could cope with the reading better.
But,really, the only really read 3-4 books in the past 4 years or so.
It's a complex situation because I'm getting pushed to do law as my predicted grades are A*A*A* and my local uni QUB s AAA entry (I won't be moving away,can't afford maintenance). My other idea was to do geography, but the geography department at QUB is kinda bad ( 64/68 on guardian, 37/64 on complete university guide) and therefore feel like i'd be completely wasting my grades.
But,really, the only really read 3-4 books in the past 4 years or so.
It's a complex situation because I'm getting pushed to do law as my predicted grades are A*A*A* and my local uni QUB s AAA entry (I won't be moving away,can't afford maintenance). My other idea was to do geography, but the geography department at QUB is kinda bad ( 64/68 on guardian, 37/64 on complete university guide) and therefore feel like i'd be completely wasting my grades.
Well, whilst those two books are a good start, they're not really the kind of thing you'll be reading at university. I find Nick McBride's writing style refreshingly clear, but the texts aren't always that easy to understand. If you don't want to engage with the subject matter, I find you're less likely to persevere in trying to get to grips with what the author is saying.
In terms of (cheap!) stuff to read to see what "real law" is like, have you tried reading judgments? I'm not sure which of the following are freely available, but bailii.org is probably one of the best places to start. I've tried to come up with a list of famous cases with interesting facts - try the following:
•
Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] 1 AC 562
•
R v Brown [1994] 1 AC 212
•
Miller v Jackson [1977] QB 966
For introductory texts, see if you can get your hands on a cheap textbook from the Amazon Marketplace. There's not much need for it to be in date because they're rewritten every few years anyway (and I wouldn't expect someone to retain much at your stage), so the maximum that's worth spending is £15 - and that's for a good condition used book. Criminal is quite interesting and probably one of the "easier" areas of law (because the offences have a defined structure), so maybe try that as a starting point.
Winning
Buy a law-textbook and read a few chapters, then decide. I'd recommend 'Nicola Padfield - Criminal Law'
Are you an undergrad? I'm curious since I haven't seen (m)any people outside of Cambridge recommending Padfield. I found it was OK by way of introduction, but I preferred Herring's Text, Cases and Materials. The thing I found quite frustrating about Padfield is that she gives you a chronology of the cases spanning several pages before telling you they've now been overruled...
Original post by Tortious
In terms of (cheap!) stuff to read to see what "real law" is like, have you tried reading judgments? I'm not sure which of the following are freely available, but bailii.org is probably one of the best places to start. I've tried to come up with a list of famous cases with interesting facts - try the following:
In terms of (cheap!) stuff to read to see what "real law" is like, have you tried reading judgments? I'm not sure which of the following are freely available, but bailii.org is probably one of the best places to start. I've tried to come up with a list of famous cases with interesting facts - try the following:
•
Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] 1 AC 562
•
R v Brown [1994] 1 AC 212
•
Miller v Jackson [1977] QB 966
Really, any of the cases which form the basis of chapters in What About Law would be a decent place to start--once you've read the chapter it should provide a basis for understanding the basics.
Here's links to the cases Tortious mentioned:
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1932/100.html
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1992/7.html
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/1977/6.html
One very recent case dealing with kettling might also be of interest, in that it's topical and still a live question: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2009/5.html.
Original post by jjarvis
Really, any of the cases which form the basis of chapters in What About Law would be a decent place to start--once you've read the chapter it should provide a basis for understanding the basics.
Here's links to the cases Tortious mentioned:
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1932/100.html
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1992/7.html
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/1977/6.html
One very recent case dealing with kettling might also be of interest, in that it's topical and still a live question: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2009/5.html.
Here's links to the cases Tortious mentioned:
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1932/100.html
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1992/7.html
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/1977/6.html
One very recent case dealing with kettling might also be of interest, in that it's topical and still a live question: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2009/5.html.
Ah, I'd forgotten about Austin (in my defence, I was hurrying to the Magistrates' when I was typing my post
).Also, I did get your PM but I'm ridiculously busy today (11:30am super for which I'm not ready - hence being up now - and then down to London...with the potential for a bop tonigh
). Is Friday afternoon (post-2pm) a good time for you? Original post by Tortious
Ah, I'd forgotten about Austin (in my defence, I was hurrying to the Magistrates' when I was typing my post ).
Also, I did get your PM but I'm ridiculously busy today (11:30am super for which I'm not ready - hence being up now - and then down to London...with the potential for a bop tonigh). Is Friday afternoon (post-2pm) a good time for you?
).Also, I did get your PM but I'm ridiculously busy today (11:30am super for which I'm not ready - hence being up now - and then down to London...with the potential for a bop tonigh
). Is Friday afternoon (post-2pm) a good time for you? Sent you a PM. Hope the supervision goes well, but at least you'll be done with term then!
I love reading, and i'm passionate about law and I HATE IT !
Even reading interesting cases is mind numbingly boring ! They just go on and on, repeating everything over and over again for 50 ****ing pages.
Journals are no better 30 pages of drivel, and the textbooks...ditto.
If you like I will send you one of the cases that I have had to read so far, one that you would certainly have to read at somepoint. Reading a bit of a law textbook is a good idea, but you will probably spend more time reading cases.
PM if you want me to send you one.
Even reading interesting cases is mind numbingly boring ! They just go on and on, repeating everything over and over again for 50 ****ing pages.
Journals are no better 30 pages of drivel, and the textbooks...ditto.
If you like I will send you one of the cases that I have had to read so far, one that you would certainly have to read at somepoint. Reading a bit of a law textbook is a good idea, but you will probably spend more time reading cases.
PM if you want me to send you one.
I don't read that much either. Law can be quite technical, its not like reading for fun. It doesn't follow that you won't be good at studying law because you don't read for fun, although obviously you will need to be able to read relatively quickly and absorb information.
The only real way is to read a bit of a simple introductory textbook and see what you think.
The only real way is to read a bit of a simple introductory textbook and see what you think.
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