Trials & tribulations : appealing legal humor : a collection /

Although specifically intended for those in the legal profession, this eclectic collection of more than 100 humorous law-related poems, novel excerpts, personal correspondence, articles, and cartoons should appeal to a wider audience. American humorists George Ade, Mark Twain, Art Buchwald, and Will Rogers are represented beside lesser-known writers whose works often appeared originally in well-regarded magazines, newspapers, and journals. A letter from Groucho Marx to Warner Brothers Studios is one of the funnier pieces. Warner Brothers was threatening legal action against the Marx brothers for proposing to use "A Night in Casablanca" as a movie title. ("I had no idea that the city of Casablanca belonged exclusively to Warner Brothers," wrote Groucho. "I am sure the average movie fan could learn in time to distinguish between Ingrid Bergman and Harpo.") A spirited, amusing collection for legal beagles and others. --Sue-Ellen Beauregard

For this anthology of legal humor, editor White states his principle of selection as, ``I know it when I see it,'' and for the most part, he does. His excellent collection of 140 mostly American (but also British and Canadian) stories, letters, poems, quotations, cartoons, and even a judicial opinion, are full of humor as well as insight into the law and legal profession. Entries (which generally date from the 19th and 20th centuries) run from 100 to 750 words. Two-thirds of them are written by legal professionals, the others by humorists such as Groucho Marx, Robert Benchley, and Mark Twain. Almost all are reprinted from other sources. While this has an index and bibliography, its best use is for the very enjoyable reading it provides. Another recent work, Peter Hay's The Book of Legal Anecdotes (Facts on File, 1989), offers 500 shorter selections. As there is little overlap, law libraries and larger libraries will want to own both.-- Mary Jane Brustman, SUNY at Albany Libs. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.