The law is not an esoteric subject that is irrelevant to our lives; on the contrary, much of what we do is constrained or aided by how the law is written and interpreted. Understanding the law often isn't easy, but every year there are a few good books that explain the law and offer a critical perspective on how the law is "done" today. Here you can find reviews of recently published books dealing with legal issues, laws, the legal system, the courts, key legal decisions and more.

1. Hiding from Humanity: Disgust, Shame, and the Law

Sometimes overtly and sometimes covertly, many contemporary legal and social debates actually turn on questions of disgust and shame. On the overt side, there are increasing calls to have drunk drivers or sexual offenders be 'shamed' in public. On the covert side, arguments against gay marriage and pornography commonly rely upon personal notions about what is disgusting, repugnant, and impure.More »

2. Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court is one of the most influential political institutions in the United States of America. It's also a relatively unique institution: other nations have their own high courts, but these courts don't typically have the same broad power to strike down laws as the Supreme Court does.More »

3. Miranda: The Story Of America's Right To Remain Silent

You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney and to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at no cost. Do you understand these rights? If you do, it?s because of the case of Ernest Miranda v. Arizona...More »

4. Legally Wed: Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution

The legal validity of gay marriage has become an important topic in recent years, one that may outstrip abortion as one that both defines and drives the culture wars in America. Supporters of gay marriage see it as a crucial step in equal rights; conservative Christians see it as a sign of the downfall of Christian civilization. What will happen and whose perspective will prevail?More »

5. Free For All

It is often argued that the terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001, forever changed American society. However, a stronger argument can be made for the idea that the response of the American government to those attacks has made even greater changes - by systematically undermining American civil liberties. Which is worse, the disease or the so-called cure?More »

6. Law and Religion

For most Americans, the relationship between law and religion is limited almost exclusively to the question of the separation of church and state. That is not, however, the true extent of the relationship, as demonstrated in this recent anthology of articles.More »

7. The Supreme Court

William H. Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, revised and republished his history of the Supreme Court last year. He tells the story of the Court through the biographies of important justices and through explanations of key decisions. Especially noteworthy is his explanation of how the Court works behind the scenes.More »

8. Entitlement: The Paradox of Property

What is property, and how should society control its use - if at all? Such questions may sound irrelevant to most, but the opposite is true. How property is viewed and regulated is among the most fundamental issues determining how a society is structured.More »

9. Last Best Hope

Just what is the basis of democracy - what are the conditions necessary for it and what is the relationship between morality and democratic ideals? Issues like these are critical for the future of democracy in the 21st Century, but you won't often find people discussing them.More »

10. Democratic Character

To what extent does democracy depend upon the right sort of education of children - will any educational plan suffice, or are there specific needs? In fact, democracy depends a great deal upon education, and it is not true that just any sort of education will do. Democracy relies upon the existence of an informed, moral and interested public.More »