How many and what are the best books to buy for 1L classes?

[MuMuGuy]

Hi all, I'll be starting school in the fall. I want to buy different hornbooks and other study aids now so that I'll have stuff ready for my 1L classes. How many extra books would you all recommend for each of the 1L classes? I know in LSC, the author recommended that people only buy 1 extra book due to time issues preventing people from using more than 1 book for each subject.

Also, which book(s) should I buy for each 1L class? Thanks in advance

[Ninja1]

Most profs will tell you what they think is the best supplement for their class if you ask them. Some even just announce it. And at least in the case of FSU, most of the supplements are usually available in the library.

That said, I wouldn't waste my time. Anything they want you to know, they'll cover in class. And believe me, the last thing you're going to want to do during your first semester is read ANOTHER 400-500 pages of Ks or torts or whatever, most of which will be highly redundant or irrelevant to your class.

[UnbiasedObserver]

Most profs will tell you what they think is the best supplement for their class if you ask them. Some even just announce it. And at least in the case of FSU, most of the supplements are usually available in the library.

That said, I wouldn't waste my time. Anything they want you to know, they'll cover in class. And believe me, the last thing you're going to want to do during your first semester is read ANOTHER 400-500 pages of Ks or torts or whatever, most of which will be highly redundant or irrelevant to your class.

I tend to agree.  However, I don't think supplements are a bad thing if you don't stress yourself over it and read them leisurely (yes, I just typed that!  ) just to get the very basics of, e.g., contract law.  Having the basics down will help you when many students are very confused at the beginning of the semester just trying to get the basics understood.  (And this could reduce your original stress levels.)

A friend of mine who is an attorney once told me that you don't take a subject, but you take a professor, with all his quirks, etc.  I tend to buy that.  I've had quite a few professors say that they *only* recommend certain supplements, and that you risk following the wrong path if you read unrecommended supplements because they: a) don't cover many of the concepts; b) don't agree with their interpretations; or c) a combination of the above.

Just a few things to think about.   

[Ninja1]

Most profs will tell you what they think is the best supplement for their class if you ask them. Some even just announce it. And at least in the case of FSU, most of the supplements are usually available in the library.

That said, I wouldn't waste my time. Anything they want you to know, they'll cover in class. And believe me, the last thing you're going to want to do during your first semester is read ANOTHER 400-500 pages of Ks or torts or whatever, most of which will be highly redundant or irrelevant to your class.

I tend to agree.  However, I don't think supplements are a bad thing if you don't stress yourself over it and read them leisurely (yes, I just typed that!  ) just to get the very basics of, e.g., contract law.  Having the basics down will help you when many students are very confused at the beginning of the semester just trying to get the basics understood.  (And this could reduce your original stress levels.)

A friend of mine who is an attorney once told me that you don't take a subject, but you take a professor, with all his quirks, etc.  I tend to buy that.  I've had quite a few professors say that they *only* recommend certain supplements, and that you risk following the wrong path if you read unrecommended supplements because they: a) don't cover many of the concepts; b) don't agree with their interpretations; or c) a combination of the above.

Just a few things to think about.   

This is actually pretty spot on. Also, supplements can be helpful for clearing up some trouble area you're having. But yeah, you totally take a professor as much if not more than a class.

[UnbiasedObserver]

This is actually pretty spot on. Also, supplements can be helpful for clearing up some trouble area you're having. But yeah, you totally take a professor as much if not more than a class.

Yeah.  There is so much to learn in these subjects that professors often pick and choose, like a buffet.

[Terrible Ivan]

The only supplements I've ever bought were Glannon Q&A for CivPro and Chemerinsky for ConLaw. I got them both used for a couple bucks off eBay. Glannon publishes newer versions, but heck, there's only a couple exam-worthy things that have changed in the last 5 years on the rules of procedure.

Here's my frank advice:

At first, only buy the main textbook for each class (the one you see with all the readings assigned). Don't buy the supplements, 'suggested readings,' etc., until you know you'll need them (that is, you've been assigned substantive readings in them). I think I still have a model rules supplement, a treaty supplement, some K collection, and a crappy Nutshell book around here somewhere that were wastes.

Try not to buy books that are in your library (esp. ones that are on permanent reserve). And don't ever get a Blacks Law Dictionary; the day you do, someone will give you one as a gift.

Save your money for a laptop lock so you can go take a piss while in the library without risking your laptop getting stolen.

Ivan

[just Trev]

The only supplements I've ever bought were Glannon Q&A for CivPro and Chemerinsky for ConLaw. I got them both used for a couple bucks off eBay. Glannon publishes newer versions, but heck, there's only a couple exam-worthy things that have changed in the last 5 years on the rules of procedure.

Here's my frank advice:

At first, only buy the main textbook for each class (the one you see with all the readings assigned). Don't buy the supplements, 'suggested readings,' etc., until you know you'll need them (that is, you've been assigned substantive readings in them). I think I still have a model rules supplement, a treaty supplement, some K collection, and a crappy Nutshell book around here somewhere that were wastes.

Try not to buy books that are in your library (esp. ones that are on permanent reserve). And don't ever get a Blacks Law Dictionary; the day you do, someone will give you one as a gift.

Save your money for a laptop lock so you can go take a piss while in the library without risking your laptop getting stolen.

Ivan

cooley, huh?

[UnbiasedObserver]

cooley, huh?

Actually, that is good advice at any law school.  While it's not prevalent, theft does happen at law schools.

[Terrible Ivan]

Me, at Cooley? Nope. I'm at the U of Georgia (lol...not really...).

I'm more like that guy in Arizona last year who was willing to give up his wallet to some burglar, but he drew the line at his laptop. See #3 at http://www.abovethelaw.com/2008/12/top_law_school_stories_2008_1.php

I don't know anybody at my school whose laptop has been stolen. But I regularly see students from the medical school in our library studying, and since they're accruing twice the debt as us law students, I'm going on the safe side.

[sheltron5000]

Me, at Cooley? Nope. I'm at the U of Georgia (lol...not really...).

I'm more like that guy in Arizona last year who was willing to give up his wallet to some burglar, but he drew the line at his laptop. See #3 at http://www.abovethelaw.com/2008/12/top_law_school_stories_2008_1.php

I don't know anybody at my school whose laptop has been stolen. But I regularly see students from the medical school in our library studying, and since they're accruing twice the debt as us law students, I'm going on the safe side.

lolz


OTN: Getting to maybe, and IN THIS ECONOMY!!!! the guerrilla guide to the law job of your dreams, might be good to get, even if you don't buy supplements. I also liked law school confidential, but at this point in the cycle you might only need the last two thirds...