Note: Some entries have editor’s notes. Click here for notes on this Bibliography.
► Beale, H. G. (editor), Chitty on Contracts (London: Sweet and Maxwell, 2004), 2 volumes "General Principles" and "Specific Contracts"
► Blackstone, William, Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765-1769), 4 volumes.
► Bouvier, John, Bouvier's Law Dictionary (Boston: The Boston Book Company, 1897), 2 volumes.
► Broom, Herbert, A Selection of Legal Maxims Classified and Illustrated, 10th Edition (London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1939). The 10th edition was undertaken by R. H. Kersley. Broom, who held a doctorate in law, first published his Legal Maxims in 1845. In it, he brings to life the multitude of Latin phrases which pepper and in many cases, even though they issue from Roman law, buttress the common law.
► Burke, John, Jowitt's Dictionary of English Law (London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1977). First published posthumously in 1959 by the late William (Earl) Jowitt (1885-1957). Jowitt had been first a lawyer, then a politician and in this latter function, he was a member of Winston Churchill's war governments and, later, Lord Chancellor.
►Byrne, W. J., A Dictionary of The English Law (London: Sweet and Maxwell, 1923).
►Clashfern, Lord Mackay, Halsbury's Laws of England (London: LexisNexis-Butterworths, 2007). First published in 1907 and now spanning some 100 volumes and just under 200 titles, Halsbury's is the encyclopedia of law as it exists, and evolves from time to time, in England. There have been four formal re-editions and numerous supplements with a 5th Edition planned for 2008 combined with the availability of an electronic and looseleaf version. The first edition was written by Hardinge Giffard, who he and the British refer to by his honorary title "The Earl of Halsbury". Since his death in 1921, the work has been expanded and revised by others but retaining Giffard's honorary title.
►Furmston, M. P., Cheshire, Fifoot and Furmston's Law of Contract, 14th Edition (London: Butterworths LexisNexis, 2001). In the preface to the 1st Edition (1945) professors Cheshire and Fifoot of the Oxford School of Law apologizes for the delay in publishing his book; delays caused by the war. They admit piggybacking onto older books such as Anson on Contract and Pollock on Contract but none of that has stopped this book from a well-deserved presence in any respectable law library of the common law world.
►Heuston, R. F. V., and Buckley, R. A., Salmond & Heuston on the Law of Torts, 12th Edition (London: Sweet and Maxwell, 1992).
►Milmo, Patrick and Rogers, W. V. H. (editors), Gatley on Libel and Slander, 10th Edition (London: Sweet and Maxwell, 2004. The British common law bible on defamation law. Much imitated but never matched for sheer cut-to-the-chase language, very refreshing in a law book.
►Osborn, P. G., A Concise Law Dictionary, 4th Edition (London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1954).
►Rogers, W. V. H., Winfield and Jolowicz on Tort (London: Sweet and Maxwell, 2006). Originally from New Zealand, 1907, this salvo is a perennial bridesmaid to more prestigious books on torts, such as Clerk and Lindsell On Torts. W&J On Torts is now the adopted child of Oxford Law and is well ensconced in Australia, India, Canada, Pakistan and Israel. The preface includes a dedication to the author's son who "in France on the 9th day of July, 1918, gave up his life".
►Walton, Charlesworth & Percy on Negligence, 11th Ed. (London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2006). Originally published in 1938 by John Charlesowrth, he followed up with a second (1947) and third (1956) editions until he was replaced by Rodney Percey as of the 4th Edition in 1962. Percey was himself replaced by Justice Walton as of the Ninth Edition (which they co-authored). Charlesworth practiced law in Newcastle upon Tyne, England and was appointed a judge in England's North Eastern Circuit..
►West, Leonard and Neave, F., Mozley and Whiteley's Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition (London: Butterworths & Co., 1908).
► Williams, Thomas Walter, A Compendious and Comprehensive Law Dictionary Elucidating The Terms and General Principles of Law and Equity (London: Gale and Fenner, 1816). Williams (1763-1833) was a lawyer in England but mostly a prolific legal writer as the length of his dictionary's title may suggest to some.
Notes
There are far, far too many law books! In Victoria, British Columbia alone, from where this website is published, there are three major law libraries, each with thousands of books. On contract law, for example, there are five different Canadian authors alone; and then another ten from England and a couple of American contract law books thrown in, not to mention books from Australia and New Zealand and other common law jurisdictions.
After some initial research time, to most lawyers, legal researchers and law librarians, a certain sorting the wheat from the shaft is possible.
Since 1994, when I started work on this web site, I have been able to determine which books are authoritative.
Some, such as Blackstone, merely because they were the first decent law book out of the block. Others, because of the sheer quality of the book as reflected by its popularity. Conversely, there are some real duds out there such as Waddams, The Law of Contract.
Here is my bibliography, not intended to be a comprehensive bibliography of books I refer to in my research but just the best, the crème de la crème, the Dream Law Library, without which the law as we know it would not exist, and as amended from time to time.
Lloyd Duhaime, October 19 22, 2009