Book Reviews and Notes
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BOOK REVIEWS AND NOTES
Editor: GRAEME BROADBENT
UNDERSTANDING LAW. SKILLS AND SOURCES FOR STUDENTS. By
BOBBY VANSTONE. [Longman. 1998. 1st ed., 294 pp. £12.99
(paperback).]
THIS BOOK presents students with a stimulating array of source material,
the aim being to develop their powers of analysis and evaluation. The
introduction contains a useful and simply explained guide to the skills
needed to study law effectively and how the student can be helped to
acquire them. Part One considers aspects of the English Legal System, such
as how law is made and legal personnel, while Part Two concentrates on
substantive law, namely crime, tort and contract. The range of information
provided is impressive, including excerpts from statutes, cases, Royal
Commissions and Hansard. A glossary of terms is also provided, not just of
words in legal usage but also of more general vocabulary.
The book is said to be aimed principally at A level and undergraduate
law students, although it is also described as being suitable for anyone
studying law for the first time. Realistically, however, an absolute beginner
would experience some difficulty in understanding the content without
guidance or background reading. This becomes immediately apparent on
looking at the first chaper which contains a rather complex account of the
intricacies of European Law. Several pages of detailed information are
presented before analysis and comment are required. While there is an
interesting exploration of the constitutional implications of membership of
the EU, it would mean very little without some prior knowledge. There is a
recommendation to consult relevant textbooks before looking at the
substantive law section, and students would do well to apply this advice to
all the material.
A relatively wide target group is always going to be a difficult market to
satisfy. There is a vast difference between a 16-year-old who has just
completed a GCSE course and an undergraduate, and this can lead to
problems over what should be included. Do A level students really need
to grapple with Dworkin's theory of adjudication? Will an undergraduate
appreciate being told the meaning of words such as candid, crude and
imminent?
The layout of the book is rather daunting; the small pages and the density
of the text make for more difficult reading than a work such as Claire
Strickland's The English Legal System, a resource book aimed at A level
students. In Strickland's book, the layout is attractive with a plentiful use of
diagrams, charts and lists of key points. Understanding Law, on the other
hand, certainly provides a more in-depth study and this perhaps reflects the
wider target group.
The students who will get the most from this book are those who enjoy a
challenge and who wish to extend their knowledge and understanding of
some important legal topics. The questions that accompany the text are wide
ranging; some require no more than a straightforward descriptive answer,
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Book Reviews and Notes
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