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serf21's review
3.0
Probably somewhat dated in some of its descriptions, but provides a good story about an individual experience of going through law school. Also probably applies to a number of programs, but definitely a good primer for anyone considering attending.
drcopeland's review against another edition
4.0
A good book for those that want to go to law school. It helps you to remove the rose colored glasses and get an idea what of law school is really like.
kszielin's review
3.0
The book is obviously outdated ($25 for an 'expensive' casebook? I wish!). There are a couple of tips that could still be useful though. Other than those tips, the book doesn't really apply to me--I don't know if it's still the same at Harvard, but I'll have a different schedule. The story was a good narrative, although I wish he would have developed, for lack of a better word, some things more...I think just about anyone knows that school is going to be tough and competitive.
tomissa's review against another edition
3.0
2019 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge - 17: A book set on a college or university campus
I remembered seeing a copy of One L at the Harvard Coop the last time I visited, and I was enthralled by the subject matter. I would have liked the book better if I weren't such an empathetic person, as I took on a lot of Turow's stress from 1977 into my own life in 2019.
I remembered seeing a copy of One L at the Harvard Coop the last time I visited, and I was enthralled by the subject matter. I would have liked the book better if I weren't such an empathetic person, as I took on a lot of Turow's stress from 1977 into my own life in 2019.
johnsaveland's review
5.0
This reminded me how exciting and borderline nauseating it is to go back to school, especially after entering the working world as Turow did (and as I did, before getting my masters). The dizzying rush that comes with encountering so much new information that you may somehow actually learn.
It's also a fascinating time capsule of what law school (& higher education) was like in 1975-76. Harvard Law Review gets its first female president. (It won't have its first black president until 1990, with Barack Obama.)
Turow's experience may have been a unique one, but it was an engaging and rewarding one - and it reminded me of the panics I've had (completely unwarranted in hindsight) when facing exams or the job market.
When I finished reading this, I wanted to read 2L and 3L. Or even experience One L for myself.
It's also a fascinating time capsule of what law school (& higher education) was like in 1975-76. Harvard Law Review gets its first female president. (It won't have its first black president until 1990, with Barack Obama.)
Turow's experience may have been a unique one, but it was an engaging and rewarding one - and it reminded me of the panics I've had (completely unwarranted in hindsight) when facing exams or the job market.
When I finished reading this, I wanted to read 2L and 3L. Or even experience One L for myself.
davidpaige's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't read a bad Scott Turow story yet. This one is no exception. This story covers his first year at Harvard Law School as a One L. He came in not quite knowing what to expect from law school. He becomes critical of the Socratic method of teaching, but acknowledges that no one quite knows how to replace it and still get student participation.
Exams are a particularly stressful time, as they represent the only source of grades during that period.
One of the parts I liked is when he talked about the prices of the books. He says the law books were particularly expensive compared to other areas of study, in the range of $16-25.
Normally, characters show up in multiple books. Carolyn Polhemus only shows up in Presumed Innocent because she dies. The only name I recognized from this book was Sandy Stern, a very competetive law student.
And, yes, what review would be complete without some comparison to The Paper Chase. I'm not sure which came first, but he mentions as they study for final exams at the end of the year, some of the students move out of the dorms because it is too crazy, just like happened in The Paper Chase.
Exams are a particularly stressful time, as they represent the only source of grades during that period.
One of the parts I liked is when he talked about the prices of the books. He says the law books were particularly expensive compared to other areas of study, in the range of $16-25.
Normally, characters show up in multiple books. Carolyn Polhemus only shows up in Presumed Innocent because she dies. The only name I recognized from this book was Sandy Stern, a very competetive law student.
And, yes, what review would be complete without some comparison to The Paper Chase. I'm not sure which came first, but he mentions as they study for final exams at the end of the year, some of the students move out of the dorms because it is too crazy, just like happened in The Paper Chase.
nyertryingtoreadeverything's review
2.0
This book and I didn't mesh too well. I'm giving it a 2 because he does have some very smart thoughts about law which come out at the end. Most of the time though the narrator comes of as whiney and like he feels like law school will be an easy walk in the park. It was difficult to understand what was happening or remember who any of the different people were. It definitely does not deserve the hype but it wasn't a total waste of time to read.