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What is your take on the 30 books by 30 lawyers?

07/27/2011
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The ABA today released a list of 30 books that 30 different lawyers suggested every lawyer should read.  The ABA admitted, “…they are not the greatest or the most popular” and the ABA has not ranked or reviewed them, so I am curious to know your thoughts.

Personally, one of my favorite books is Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.  After reading that book, you will feel like you can tackle the world.  I assure you it is a fantastic read and worth your time.

As a dedicated law student, I am curious what your thoughts are about the list.

Are some better than others? Are some a waste of time?

Clearly, none of us has the time to read all 30 so I thought I would ask everyone their thoughts.

Here is the list:

  1. My Life in Court by Louis Nizer
  2. Colossus: Hoover Dam and the Making of the American Century by Michael Hiltzik
  3. 1861: The Civil War Awakening by Adam Goodheart
  4. The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow
  5. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being by Martin E.P. Seligman
  6. And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank by Steve Oney
  7. Personal History by Katharine Graham
  8. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
  9. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
  10. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
  11. Leadership on the Federal Bench: The Craft and Activism of Jack Weinstein by Jeffrey B. Morris
  12. My Personal Best: Life Lessons from an All-American Journey by John Wooden with Steve Jamison
  13. The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
  14. The Horse’s Mouth by Joyce Cary
  15. In the Shadow of the Law by Kermit Roosevelt
  16. One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School by Scott Turow
  17. Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America’s Struggle for Equality by Richard Kluger
  18. The Man to See by Evan Thomas
  19. The End of Anger: A New Generation’s Take on Race and Rage by Ellis Cose
  20. Justice Accused: Antislavery and the Judicial Process by Robert M. Cover
  21. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman
  22. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
  23. The Legal Analyst: A Toolkit for Thinking about the Law by Ward Farnsworth
  24. Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
  25. A Nation of Immigrants by John F. Kennedy
  26. Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen and Haskel Frankel
  27. The Trial by Franz Kafka
  28. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
  29. Justice for All: Earl Warren and the Nation He Made by Jim Newton
  30. Civility: Manners, Morals and the Etiquette of Democracy by Stephen L. Carter
**Jennifer Lipinski is a law student at Michigan State University. We have been fortunate to have her working at our firm as a summer assistant**

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