Legal Books

Being a fan of JAG I was surprised and excited when I found out there was a TV Tie-In book for the series. I promptly ordered the book and wasn't quite sure what to expect, having read a fair amount of Tie-Ins that were nothing like the series they portrayed. Happily, I was well pleased with my choice!

I feel that Robert Tine really captured the feel of an episode of JAG. The characters were well-drawn and right on par with the ones I've grown to love through the show. The dialogue and thought processes of the characters were spot-on except for Harm's penchant to revert to heavy cursing -- something I felt was completely out of character for someone who is so good at expressing himself.

The action was fast paced and exciting, I was kept guessing and completely immersed until the very end. This story line would certainly make a wonderful episode of JAG -- one I'd love to see. There was just enough humor thrown in -- namely Harm being shifted from one place to another -- to lighten the mood while still advancing the plot.

Mr. Tine also captured the chemistry of Harm and Mac perfectly -- right down to the way they play so well off one another. And as a bonus -- Harm even gets to fly! That, in my opinion, is always a plus!

There were a few disappointments such as one quite confusing place where some sentences seemed to have been left out of a pretty important scene and there were a few typos spattered throughout that could have been caught through tighter proofreading.

I was sad to note the absence of a picture section toward the middle as I've seen in other TV Tie-Ins -- it would have made a nice addition to the book.

All that aside, I still rate this book 5 stars because it kept my attention as well as the actual program does and the fact that I will read this book again. Mr. Tine certainly did his research, I could actually see the actors who play these parts in my head as I read.

Despite the few errors and the brief slip-up on Harm's character it was a good, solid read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm completely looking forward to the next JAG novel by Robert Tine -- Clean Steel -- and hope that there are plans for other Tie-In novels for this spectacular television program.

Great stroy and a suprise twist at the end

I found this book to be very fun to read. I am a JAG lover and felt that Mr. Tine, expressed the characters true to how they are shown on TV. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read or lover of JAG.

The story is exciting and would be a wonderful base for an episode of JAG ( next season perhaps *hinthint*'Cleverness and fairness of the JAG lawyers are shown with much perfection. Some well hidden, but deep friendship showing moments, are given, too. *shipperheartbeatinghere*
A big must for all the JAG Fans out there :)

The book is very good. It stays true to the series. This story would make a good episode.

Wow! I didn't realize how much I didn't know about the business until I got this book. It's organized in an easy to understand format and offers tips for avoiding costly pitfalls. It truly is like having a lawyer in your pocket without the hefty fees. Totally recommended.

This book helps anyone who wants to do or is doing anything in entertainment be on top of their game. I carry this book with me, along with my bible (that says a lot about the book right there!) I read it every chance I get and learn so much more as a Writer/Producer, about the legalities and expectations of each member of a production team. This book is necessary for a business minded person. Crowell educates the readers in the basics of entertainment law, however he does not use language that only an attorney or judge can comprehend. He breaks concepts down in bite size pieces. I have gained a better understanding of what needs to happen in pre, pro. and post production of a film and will make sure that the many areas in film making get the attention and documentation that it needs because of this book.

This book is so useful, I don't know where to begin. It's well-structured, well-researched, and I don't know where I'd be without it. The author has so much useful information, and puts it in a way a filmmaker, who doesn't speak legalese, can understand. This book gets a very high recommendation from me for sure.

Having the hindsight of producing several movies, I wish I had read this book much earlier. ANY filmmaker would benefit from reading this book as early in their career as possible and then keeping it on their shelf as an invaluable reference tool to return to again and again.

This review is specifically directed to aspiring professional screenwriters: GET THIS BOOK.

(Note I did not say "buy" this book, since, if you truly are an aspiring professional screenwriter, you're probably sucking your own body lint for food and live under a bush overlooking the Santa Monica pier.)

Yes, do whatever you have to do. Beg, borrow, steal...pawn...get this book. You've already read your Sun Tzu:

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt."

Hollywood was built on exploiting talent, and specifically exploiting writers. It's time we (YOU!) writers start preparing for the business side of things because gosh knows the other guys are plenty prepared already. Reading this book will make you realize three things.

1. Actually getting your great little/big screenplay made will be incredibly complicated, even if you're just selling it to someone who already knows what they're doing.

2. There are ways to make your script more attractive for producers/distributers and more lucrative for you.

3. Thom Crowell is an informative and entertaining scribe.

I had a friend of mine in negotiations with a major studio executive. True story. Wrote a little script called "Balls, No Balls II." Guy tried to get my buddy to sign a contract without an NDA. My buddy stood up, whipped out his Pocket Lawyer and KA-BLAW! Smacked that suit right in the mouth! "You want my high concept? I WILL be signing that NDA!"

Hmmm, actually this never happened. But at least I know what an NDA is now. Do you? Oh, you don't? GET THIS BOOK!

And yes, AMAZON, you do offer a very reasonable price. I suppose buying it isn't out of the question.

My teacher had us use this book for my class Murder in America. I really don't like to read, especially textbooks, but I had no problem reading this. It is a great book. I usually sell all my textbooks after class to get money for new textbooks but I kept this for my personal library (of what little there is). I is good reading. Eric Hickey has been on many documentaries about his work and is a professor at CSU Fresno. He also is the director of the largest forensics studies program in United States. He definitely knows his stuff and loves it. I actually wrote him an email to tell him how much I loved this book and he wrote me back in less than 24 hours. He is very nice too. He said that he loves what he does. I think he is a great author and I want to buy more of his books.

Of the many, many books I have read on this topic (which is one of my areas of interests) this is book is by far the best one I have read. This would be, in my opinion the most complete, informative and unbiased work on the subject.
The book covers just about everything most readers would like covered on Serial Murder. It covers fact, fiction, history, definitions, in fact everything you could imagine. I could not believe just how much is packed into the 380 odd pages.
Not only is the book a wealth of knowledge on the subject (and many related areas eg Stalking, Insanity Defences) but is also loaded with 'Profiles' of many individuals (and teams) to illustrate the area under discussion. Many tables also provide interesting reading.
The book also looks at the phenomina of Serial Murder in countries other than the USA.
Another thing I really like is the way Hickey presents various aspects and theories. Hickey discusses all the theories, views etc along with their apparent strenghts and weaknesses. For example, other authors I have read flatly dump the FBI Psychological Profiling Model. Hickly presents all the pros and cons on the topic in a very unbiased manner.
This book is not just a good book, it is a great book. It is a 'must have' in your collection, if this is your area of interest or you really want to learn about it. If someone asked me for just one book to read on Serial Murder, this would be the one. It covers so many topics within a topic, yet it is concise and very readable. The average person with no knowledge on this topic would walk away with a good 'working knowledge'.
I have read the book twice and have now been drawn back to a third read.
I will now be searching for other works by this author and congratulate him on a 'classic'.

This is an excellent reference book, but what really makes it stand out is the "Mind of a Killer" CD-ROM included with it.

The videos and searchable information on the CD-ROM really bring the subject vividly to life. There documentaries on about a dozen famous cases with footage I'd never seen before including confessions made to police, interviews and courtroom scenes.

I was also impressed with the mapping system that plots the locations of different cases or types of cases with all kinds of search options.

After reviewing and studying the material within this cover, you will see life in a different way. We all want to see the good in people; As any physical realm, there is the duality from good to evil. What exactly happens when what we see the destructive nature of man? What makes the destructive destructive? Who are they? What do they think? Where do they come from? and What will they do next?
This book helped me to breeze through my serial and mass murder class ... AND actually lock onto possible perpetrators in real world scenarios.
After reading this book and studying the nature of homocide, you'll be analyzing everything through rational choice. When you walk down the street, youll look at everyone as you notice their demeanor and watch their subtle actions. You'll look at the small and obscure nuacnes in nature as you enhance your deductive reasoning. Most of all, you will build a base in whch to combat becoming a victim.
I highly recommend the first piece you read in this book to be (pg 278) "An Interview with a Male Serial Murderer". This passage will restrain you to read and study this work to its end if not for learning, but to possibly stop a tragedy such as this from happening to someone you love.
You should supplement this book with TV: A&E, Biography, and History Channels will suffice.

I am a graduate student of Dr. Hickey's at California State University, Fresno. I came to this institution specifically as a matter of curricula, and I must say that after a review of the literature both broad and exhaustive Dr. Hickey's book is the closest thing we have to the reality of our special killers' doctrine. What is most compelling about this piece of literature is the open mentality that is greatly lacking in nearly every other book out there. We have relied to a great extent on the works of the FBI and, in a much more aniquated way, the works of Freud and the general positivists.

This text is certainly a sociological treatise, but even more so it underlines the issues inherent in both criminology and a general study of human nature. What should be garnered from this read is what we DON'T know as compared to what we do. One must applaud Dr. Hickey for his ability to admit that the evaporative quality of this field of study is prevalent and must be dealt with.

Of particular interest is the discussion of the mythology surrounding "serial killers" and the true affect with which they operate. Take these things for what they are worth and you are left with many questions. I have no doubt in my mind that this was the objective of Dr. Hickey, and is ideally the objective of any social scientist. Those who wish to comprehend the nature of serial killers will not find all their answers here, but they may find some questions that our humanity dearly needs to be addressed; the most important part.

This book really helped me to identify and deal with a terribly confusing ordeal. I am really happy someone told me about this book and it was available to help me.

It's hard to believe that sexual harassment is a reality in today's workplace. Unfortunately it is and this book is truly insightful and provides a needed safety net of information for those dealing with this difficult subject. Definitely the best I've seen on this subject.

Thank God this book was written! Unfortunately due to confidentiality clauses victims are made to sign, others dealing with similar problems on the job do not have the benefit of their experiences. Thanks to Ms. O'shea and Ms. LaLonde for having the courage to explore this difficult subject.

Having "been there and done that" this book validated all the emotions and choices I made as the victim of sexual harassment. It really tells it like it is. I highly recommend it to anyone who truly wants to understand the ramifications of sexual harassment.

Understanding the sensitivities surrounding the subject of the book, I realize it may seem rather obtuse to "enjoy" reading it.

However, this book is not just about condolence. Rather, it gives us the realization of the prevalent societal truth. Also, the book is not just a mere reference, but true stories based on authors' own experiences.

Authors sketched the very contours of real life in our society, but it's a finely tuned portrait, with deep perspective and understanding, rather than a mere description.

The book is well written and unapologetic in its frankness.....most readers, whether it'd be a man or a woman, should find some relatedness to this book.

I am the director of advocacy at The University of Texasl School of law. I look at a lot of trial books and this is a fresh and updated approach to trial advocacy. With almost four hours of video of focus groups and specific trial clips, the DVDs are worth their weight in gold. Shane Read has spent countless hours analyzing actual trials to bring the best teaching examples to your fingertips. If you are looking for the best advocacy book, this is it. Winning at Trial is a comprehensive guide to trying a case, from start to finish, voir dire to closing argument, including exhibits and objections. This book should be on the shelves of every student, lawyer and teacher of advocacy. Whether you are trying your first case or your 100th, you must read this book.

A journeyman knows the mechanics of his trade where a master craftsman knows not only the mechanics, but the theory behind his trade. It is easy to see that the author of this work is a master craftsman as well as a master teacher.

"Winning at Trial" gives clear, concise guidance on how to navigate the turbulent waters of a trial without running aground. Mr. Read teaches not only the basics, but also the nuances of courtroom performance, and does so with concrete, real-world examples from actual cases. The information is presented within the National Institute for Trial Advocacy's model for trial advocacy, and that model is an excellent one.

I particularly liked Mr. Read's handling of cross examination. His description of the objectives of cross examination was very good, his instruction on how to impeach by prior inconsistent statement was sound, and he gave an excellent analysis of when and how to ask the ultimate question.

I teach a criminal clinic at Texas Tech University School of Law. In that clinic my students represent real clients with real criminal problems in real time. I refer my students to "Winning at Trial" as an indispensable tool to answer those everyday questions new lawyers ask. For the more experienced trial attorney this book provides a quick, practical refresher on trial advocacy techniques. Well written and easy to understand, the author's use of practical examples from real cases brings the theoretical into focus. This book is a must read and a reference tool all attorneys should have on their desk.

Shane Read astutely condenses time-proven trial techniques into a reference book that is easy to read and internalize. The combination of succinct instruction and video pulls the reader out of mere academia and into the courtroom setting. As a J.D. graduate who recently finished law school, I can attest that Winning at Trail provides a competitive edge to those seeking to excel on mock trial teams. The book further provides a springboard to J.D. candidates aspiring to careers in litigation. I am not surprised to learn that even experienced trial attorneys, in addition to law students, find Read's book useful in honing their skills and reminding them of those critical trial techniques that truly make the difference.

I purchased "Winning at Trial" as a required book for a Trial Techniques course, taught by the author D. Shane Read. And I must say that it was the most informative trial tech book I've ever read. "Winning at Trial" takes the reader through each performance step of the trial process. From how to give a successful voir dire through how to perform a memorable closing argument.

Additionally, Read's book touches on how to get over stage fright and how to incorporate your own personality into one jurors can liken to. I could really go on and on all day about the benefits of this book. Personally, for me, it has changed my life forever, because before reading Shane's book and taking his course I was absolutely petrified of speaking in public (which trust me was disheartening because I've always intended to be a trial attorney). But after reading his book I'm ready to go to court Law and Order style.

I don't know what it's going to take to finally get the world passed it's denial that the HIV/AIDS connection has been a horrible mistake...a giant hoax... but maybe this novel, based on hard, cold facts, will get the attention that Dr. Peter Duesberg's book, Inventing the AIDS Virus, deserved. How this nightmare all came about is unthinkable, but NOT unbelievable. I truly hope that someone in Hollywood has the courage to turn this book into a movie.

I enjoyed the book. It read like a cross between a John Grisham legal thriller and an informative scientific treatise on AIDS.

One of the things that gives great plausibility to this novel is the scientific history of AZT -- the primary drug used to treat AIDS patients from 1987-1996.

In short, AZT is highly toxic cancer chemotherapy. When the AIDS experts utterly failed to develop a vaccine, they panicked, floundered and turned to AZT as a Plan B. The problem, though, is that like most cancer chemo, AZT, kills white bloods leading to immune deficiency.

Indeed, the first double-blind study of AZT, showed that one of the major hematological abnormalities (ie, deadly side effects) was leukopenia -- a decrease in white blood cells.

So, if HIV purports to kill white blood cells, Why would anyone take a toxic drug, that also kills white blood cells? Wouldn't this compound the problem, rather than ameliorating it?

In any event, Davis has provided a real page-turner, that shows some of the dark side, greed and incompetence that has permeated AIDS science since its inception 25 years ago. I definitely recommend it.

After reading this book, I just wanted to yell out to all the world to Please, WAKE UP!

Stephen Davis! You wrote an extaordinary book that once opened, cannot be put down! This book is a Powerful Truth placed in the context of a courtroom drama that kept my attention from first page to last!

Everyone has always felt in their gut that there was something that just was not quite right with HIV and AIDS. You have shown us exactly what was wrong: ALL of it, from beginning to end. Wrong causes and wrong cures, and our very human ignorance that has kept us enslaved to our fears and cost hundreds of thousands of needless deaths.

You have uncovered and documented the truth and presented it in a way that keeps the reader hanging on every word. The reader is left praying that the AIDS trial you describe would actually come to pass so that all of mankind could learn the lessons involved and learn them before one more life is unneccesarly lost.

Thank you Mr. Davis for your gifts of truth!

Simply put, this novel is an impossibility. What author could take a straight-forward, all dialogue, scientific exposition and somehow infuse it with the crackling tensions of "12 Angry Men", the sublime discoveries of the "Microbe Hunters", and the numbing absurdities of "The Pentagon Wars"? And toss a jolting plot twist into the middle of it all? And casually append a 70-page "Plaintiff's Exhibits" (a reference bibliography) as if it were something common to all novels? Behold, that impossibility is here made manifest. To note just one chapter, you've never heard of SMON, have you? Well, you'll be glued to your seat, discovering how Japan's deadly SMON fiasco foretold the far more deadly AIDS fiasco, and you'll marvel that you never heard of it and that a book could bring science so vividly to life.

WRONGFUL DEATH - The AIDS Trial
By Stephen Davis

AT LAST THE TRUTH THROUGH FICTION ABOUT THE DEATH OF A GENERATION OF YOUNG MEN
Review by Joan Shenton - medical journalist and documentary producer.

As I read Stephen Davis's remarkable book I said to myself, "This could have happened. This should have happened."

Having followed and participated in the debate surrounding HIV as the cause of AIDS from the very beginning there is no doubt in my mind that the death of a generation of young men and some women who had been diagnosed HIV antibody positive took place, caused by AZT.

No one survived the high dose regime of 1,500 milligrams a day. The truth behind Peter Duesberg's challenge to the HIV/AIDS hypothesis would have emerged through the public arena of the courts had a few lawyers had the courage to pursue the cases of drug injury put before them.

Duesberg will attest how the initial enthusiasm shown by the lawyers who were approached soon cooled as they checked in with the ruling scientific orthodoxy who told them of the "overwhelming evidence" that HIV causes AIDS. It was hard for lawyers to take the risk as the very few independent scientific voices on this issue were drowned by the cacophony from the National Institutes of Health and from academics across the United States whose departments were receiving money from the pharmaceutical industry for running their multi-centre clinical trails for AZT.

Davis's book is disturbing but also deeply satisfying to read, as through his fictitious narrative he slowly "gets the villains". The hero, prosecuting lawyer Benjamin Mesick, is a cross between Don Quixote and a samurai warrior. He calls witnesses from the scientific orthodoxy who require a subpoena, scores his points off them and leaves the defence struggling.

The villain is Dr Robert Gallo who claimed to have "discovered" HIV as the cause of AIDS. Davis recounts all the political shenanigans surrounding the deal brokered by Chirac and Reagan when Gallo was accused by French scientist Luc Montagnais of having stolen his virus.

The book is also all the more juicy for an British reader as UK libel laws would, as I understand it, prevent the real names of scientists like Robert Gallo, Anthony Fuci and also the names Burroughs Welcome and the National Institutes of Health to be used in such a pejorative context.

As for accuracy, the book is minutely reached with hundreds of references. As well as sticking closely to documented fact it introduces an important imaginary scenario which, if implemented today, could provide a solution to the current veil of secrecy and censorship in the scientific community. Davis introduces a witness, a scientist from Japan who describes the way a mysterious illness involving paralysis and blindness had gripped the Japanese people (and others across the world) in the 60s. It was called SMON - Sub acute Myeloid-Optic Neuropathy. This disease was initially thought to be infectious, caused be a virus. When Japan realised that this could affect their hosting of the Olympics they decided to set up a multidisciplinary commission to investigate.

In an academic climate where virologists and organisations controlling infectious diseases did not hold sway, some solid epidemiological detective work took place and it was discovered that the cause of this dreadful malady was the toxic effect of anti-diarrhoeal drugs containing variations of clioquinol which severely damaged the nervous system.

Once a multidisciplinary team is set up to investigate the science behind the infectious hypothesis for AIDS it will not take long for the verdict on the cause AIDS to be declared a toxic one. In other words the erosion of the body's immune system caused by risk associated conditions such as poverty, malnutrition, recreational drug use and certain clinical conditions like haemophilia.

This book is important on many different fronts but perhaps the most important is its presentation of the way in which scientific inquiry can become derailed by financial an ultimately political interests. It will take more careful documentation and chronicling, at times a fictitious presentation of the facts and most importantly the creation of a multidisciplinary commission in order to get independent scientific inquiry back on the rails and for the truth about AIDS to get out.

not a bad book but since i already knew most of the information in it, it wasn't as interesting as i hoped. Yeah, FDA is joke, most doctors prescribe antibiotics without even considering your illness or your medical history, sort of like free candy. Modern medicine became a sham since there are plenty of "alternative" or "natural" cures that work as well as most of medications that are being supressed. I have also had a negative reaction to antibiotics before and because of it stopped taking it altogether. Nothing new there.

This book begins as a personal story. One day journalist Stephen Fried was forced to rush his wife, novelist Diane Ayres, to an emergency room, when she suffered a severe seizure. She turned out to be suffering an adverse reaction to an antibiotic, Floxin, which she had been instructed to take for a minor urinary infection. "Bitter Pills" grew out of Fried's attempts to understand what had happened to his wife.

Fried, and his readers, soon discover that Diane Ayres' case was not unique, or even rare. Floxin is only one of legions of prescription drugs which can cause severe adverse reactions, which cause at least 45,000 deaths per year in the US (some estimates go as high as 200,000). It is a tribute to Fried's excellence as a reporter that he is able go beyond his dramatic personal story to give a comprehensive picture of what he calls " the hazardous world of legal drugs."

Fried reviews the history of drug regulation in the US, and ably documents the shortcomings of the current regulatory system, as well as the inordinate influence drug companies have on the process. Two of the many specific "hazards" he identifies are the desperate need for doctors to have an independent, reliable source of information on the drugs they prescribe (almost all the informatin they currently have comes from drug manufacturers), and the equally crying need for an effective system for reporting and cataloging adverse drug reactions.

I put this book down very impressed with Fried as both a reporter and a writer. He has clearly immersed himself in an important issue long enough, and deeply enough, that he has mastered it. He has then turned around to convey the complex issues involved to readers very effectively and without losing their interest. I look forward to work of similar excellence from Fried in the future.

"Bitter Pills" is the real-life version of "Strong Medicine" by Arthur Hailey. With a very personal beginning resulting from his wife's near death and slow recovery from taking ONE PILL (Floxin), author Fried went on to find whether there were other victims (many), and why the drug was approved in the first place. Interviews in profusion show why the FDA has its problems. Examples are given of the tendency of drug companies to defend their drugs at any cost regardless of evidence. The end of the book contains addresses of many drug companies, organizations to whom to report adverse drug reactions, and a sample form to send to the FDA. Well thought-out advice for patients (or their helpmates) to investigate drugs are given. A number of other good books on the subject are listed.
Fried is to be congratulated for doing a very accurate job with a minimum number of accusations. I did not find a single technical error in the entire book, and I have about 12 years exploratory drug development and teaching about it as a professor of medicinal chemistry.
Even Fried may not have realized how many drugs not discussed in his book shorten life, because they are tested and accepted based on surrogate endpoints for short periods. This may not be so bad for antibiotics that are taken for two weeks, but can be very destructive for drugs intended to be taken for 20-40 years.

I didn't know about Stephen Fried and "Bitter Pills," much less quinolone antibiotics, until I myself was, like Mr. Fried's wife, "Floxed," just a few weeks ago. I began my search for information on reactions to quinolones after four days of gatifloxacin (brandname Tequin) left me with tingling and weak arms and legs, difficulty swallowing and breathing, visual disturbances, headaches, dizziness, and more. I seriously thought I had a stroke or Guillain Barre syndrome or rapid onset multiple sclerosis, I was so sick.

Let me say that first, Stephen Fried's book is an excellent overview of the circumstances of adverse drug reactions to quinolone antibiotics. And with the increased visibility and use of Cipro, and the ease with which doctors dispense heavy-hitting antibiotics like Levaquin and Tequin, I'm sure I'm not going to be the last person to suffer a reaction and end up being "Floxed" and needing the information and reassurance provided by this book.

But it is also much much more. It's an expose of the pharmaceutical industry's fast and loose way of dealing with drugs, drug safety and the American public. This is not a rant -- it's an impeccably researched and detailed presentation of the intricacies involved in drug approvals and tracking of adverse reactions that exposes the limitations of the system, and the dangers those limitations present to us as patients and consumers.

As a patient advocate and spokesperson for thyroid and autoimmune disease patients, I know all too well the feeling of being held hostage to big pharmaceutical companies at the expense of my health and wellness.

Stephen Fried has finally exposed and explained -- clearly and without rancor -- how the drug industry really works, and his book, including the excellent appendix on how to contact pharmaceutical companies, report adverse reactions, protect yourself against bad drugs, and generally protect yourself as a consumer -- is must-reading for every empowered patient or health consumer.

I highly recommend this book to doctors, patients, and anyone who prescribes or takes prescription drugs.

I am another victim of a Fluoroquinolone, just like the author's wife. Take this book very seriously, because what doctors tell you is 'rare' is in fact extremely common. Levaquin (one of the fluoroquinolones) caused me to develop Fibromyalgia. For a time I had to use a walker. I was in constant pain for nearly one full year. Although the doctors say this is 'rare', three other women in my office of 30 people also developed Fibromyalgia after taking one of these pills. In my realm of family and friends, I have discovered nine others...each and every single one had a doctor telling them they did not know the cause of their pains. Each and every single one took a Fluoroquinolone pill before getting these terrible pains that never go away. No doctor will admit to it, and so therefore it goes unreported, and continues to falsely be considered a 'rare event'. There is a group of victims on yahoo that number more than 1600 from all over the world. Some have died or have family members who have died from these pills. Others are permanantly in wheel chairs or confined to bed from the pain. The pain these pills can cause is not like anything else you have ever felt. It's new and extraordinarily tortuous. I have been suffering for almost two years because of ten Levaquin pills. I am only in my 30s and before Levaquin was in great health. The information in this book is worth reading, because the Fluoroquinolones are the most prescribed antibiotic out there, and chances are you will be handed a prescription for one. You need to know the truth about these pills before you even take just one. The first pill nearly ruptured my eyes! The third pill decayed my ankle. The list goes on forever, even long after I stopped the last pill, and you can never be entirely the same after you're affected.

"I'm going to do whatever I can to see justice is done in the courtroom. If the town burns down because of it, so be it." Those words were spoken by Roy Black, the author, who shares with readers his passion for defending the criminally accused. In this book, he tells the story of four trials. In one, he represented Luis Alvarez, a young cop who shot a black man which caused a large riot in Miami. Another case involved a bartender who faced death for murdering his girlfriend. In that case, Black dissects the botched police investigation and shows how to take apart a prosecution's case built on circumstantial evidence.

Throughout the book, there are many insightful practice tips for defense attorneys. For example, Black instructs for cross-examination that "although jurors needed to understand that the detectives had failed to do many things, I didn't wnat to transmit the impression that 'my client's guilty, but the cops blew the investigation and so they didn't prove it."

All four cases in the book read like great mysteries. Whether you are a defense attorney or not, you are sure to thoroughly enjoy this book.

Roy Black once said, "The kind of cases I handle are the ones people can't afford to lose." On the eve of yet another notorious public figure facing penitentiary chances, Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis made the call, "Get me Roy Black." And why not? Mr. Black has attained legendary status as one of the top legal minds in the country. From his days battling in the PD's office in Miami to his rise as Miami's `super lawyer' , Black's deft handling of the media makes for a formidable one-two punch when you combine his PR skills with his presence in the courtroom. Francis knows he's in for the fight of his life. The government has tattooed crosshairs on his back for the last ten years, and he knows he's facing the end of his rope. Who wouldn't hire Black?

This book encapsulates all that is Roy Black. Delivering gut-wrenching stories of trench warfare, he said, "My cases are World War III to me. I don't take prisoners when I go to trial." Attorneys make their living through words. And this book is a testament to that. Written for the everyday man, the style of writing is brief, easy to read, and compelling. It's as if Black is masterfully telling his stories to a jury. And once again, he wins them over. Highly recommended.

Do you sometimes wonder why anyone could possibly want to defend the scum, the losers, the obviusly-guilty-because-the newspapers-said-so? Well, if you think that way you will find a very good answer in this book. Roy Black describes four different cases which seemed impossible to defend, yet he did and did it well. He lets you in on what it's like to be on the defense side of the aisle. His writing style is smooth and flowing and each of the cases was so interesting I found it hard to put the book down. For me this was one of those books you can't help but read fast because it's fascinating, yet want to read slow so it lasts longer. For any True Crime genre fan, this is a MUST read.

I really enjoyed "Black's Law." He tells four different seemingly story-like narratives about four different cases. He discusses in detail every aspect of trying a case from research to voire dire. If you are interested in either legal strategy or just in a good story, you should read this book.

A great book. Written by a expert in communication. Each case brought you into the defense, you believe in the actions brought forward to give not only a legal defense by our constitution but to see a inocent person never is incarcerated,if that ever comes to pass. I would hope Mr. Black will write more, he is able to take a very complicated subject and break it down to a laymans understanding.

We hear a lot about corporate taxes during this current political season. The average federal and state tax rate of small businesses is around 35%. But what is not generally known is that through the advantages of legal tax deductions most companies do not pay anywhere near that amount of tax assessment on their general revenues. Where it was once necessary to employ a top flight tax attorney, now anyone starting up an entrepreneurial venture in the form of a small business can take full and lawful advantage of all their tax deductions associates with start-up expenses, operating expenses, health and medical related expenditures, retirement commitments, as well as costs associated with entertainment, meals, travel, inventory, equipment, operating a home office, and so much more. They key to all this is "Deduct It!: Lower Your Small Business Taxes" by tax attorney and specialist Stephen Fishman. Now in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "Deduct It!" should be considered a thoroughly user friendly and instructive 'Tax Bible' for every small business owner wanting to steer clear of the IRS while taking full and legal advantage of every appropriate (and profitable) tax deduction allowed by law.

i just started (well just INCORPORATED) my catering business. i found this book to be written in an accessible and unintimidating style. Fishman goes to great lengths to give examples, cite external sources for additional information, and generally uncomplicates the IRS jargon. now only if i had read this 6 months ago, i would really be ahead of the game!

I read this book after forming a C-Corp in California (using the Nolo guide). Although I am familiar with many biz deductions, this book walks you through many examples of deductions you can take if you plan ahead. I really like the "Day in the Life of..." examples of how you can maximize legal deductions pertaining to mileage. There's an excellent section on home office deductions. My husband, a self-admitted dummy when it comes to expense reports, taxes, etc., picked up the book after I was done, and even he understands the concepts. Already he has found deductions for his sole proprietorship and non-reimbursed employee biz expenses. Great value and so easy to understand. Highly recommend.

This book is a must small business owners because it can improve their bottom line. Although it provides fairly good overview of tax deudctions, it should not be used as a comprehensive reference for tax professionals.

The book is a relatively light read in a highly readable format. Each tax deduction has a good overview and a case example to boot. It isn't, however, an answer to complex tax questions which the book willingly acknowledges should be taken to a tax professional. For most business owners, this book should be sufficient for most of the tax deduction questions they may have. This book certainly answered all of mine.

The book provides valuable information on the probability of an IRS audit (don't form sole proprietorship if you want to avoid an audit) and how one can minimize one's chances of an audit.

Great book. Just one comment. A lot of the text in this book is identical to the text in Tax Deductions for Professionals. You don't need both books; choose one.

You can't beat the early Rumpole stories. My old paperback of "Rumpole of the Bailey," the first of the books collected in this omnibus edition, had grown so tattered and worn through reading and re-reading that I needed a fresh copy. And the omnibus gives you the two subsequent Rumpole books as well. These early stories really establish all the character traits that make Horace such an unforgettable character, his fearlessness before the bar, his inability to stand up to his wife, his love for small cigars and cheap red wine - Chateau Thames Embankment. The later stories - like those in Omnibus Three, especially -- can sometimes seem flat and tired but here, you get Rumpole in top form. I'm sure I'll read this one to tatters soon enough. Long live Rumpole!

I have read all three Rumpole Omnibuses several times. I ordered an additional set for my mother, a former probate judge. What I find remarkable about John Mortimer's work, is that Rumpole is as engaging at the end of the series as at the beginning. I have also enjoyed Mortimer's three autobiographical books. I read and reread these stories, not as mysteries, but as a series of one act plays, where the dramas are spun out of the interaction of stock characters in the style of commedia dell'arte. Rumpole himself plays the part of the buffoon as barrister: fat, vain, self-centered, addicted to greasy food and cheap wine; but also extremely intelligent, perceptive, and compassionate. As I read more of the stories, Rumpole became less of a stock character and more of actual human being. Unlike Perry Mason, Rumpole does not necessarily win all of his cases. When Rumpole loses, we get to see him go down to cells beneath the Old Bailey, with all of the sounds and smells of prison life, to say goodbye to his former client. The stories are often very funny, but occasionally poignant and even sad.

Finally, John Mortimer is one of the masters of modern English prose. Just read a few paragraphs of any airplane novel (preferably one that has "Code" in the title), and then read a few paragraphs of any Rumpole story, and you will see what I mean. And nobody, including Raymond Chandler, does dialog better than John Mortimer.

Horace Rumpole presents himself as just an Old Bailey hack doing run-of-the-mill burglary defenses and the odd car-heist case. In reality he defends the best in the Anglo-American legal traditions against modern forces (for example, the presumption of innocence) - and this was written 20+ years ago!

Rumpole is the lovable defender of the average man and foe to all stick-in-the-muds. His motto "Never plead guilty." It could just as well be comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Hilarious, warm, human, touching, self-effacing and ever-ready to pierce the pompous gasbag - that's Rumpole of the Bailey. Start with the First Rumpole Omnibus and work your way through the rest.

Guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and warm your heart.

The First Rumpole Omnibus gathers the material from Rumpole of the Bailey, The Trials of Rumpole (six short stories each), and Rumpole's Return, a novella. All of those books are now out of print and can only be purchased in this Omnibus form. The first several short stories establish some of the long-term status quo for the series. Characters such as Phyllida Trant join the Chambers while others such as Rumpole's old friend George Frobisher leave. Unlike most series, however, the status quo is much more fluid in the world of Rumpole and people marry, have children, move on to become judges, etc.

The writing in this compilation was a bit uneven. The first group of short stories are reasonably entertaining, but nothing that would cause me to become a true fan. The second group of six short stories rounded into form nicely, though, and the humor was much sharper. I found myself chuckling or laughing out loud fairly often at Rumpole's little asides. Basically, it just took Mortimer a few stories to truly find Rumpole's voice.

Unfortunately, the Omnibus is topped off with a novella that is roughly five times the length of the short stories and the quality drops once again. I don't want to overstate the case, it's not a bad read. But it's pretty clear that Mortimer was used to the tighter plotting of the short stories and things wander a bit as he essentially takes plots that would have made up two or three shorts and spreads them out into one novella.

This was my first experience with Rumpole. I had never seen the TV show or read any of the books. While I may not have become his number one fan, I can say that the best stories are truly excellent and the worst are still pretty good. I find myself curious to read the The Second Rumpole Omnibus (Rumpole) and even more so to try the TV adaptation with Leo McKern. I would recommend the book to others, not as rapturously as the most devoted fans, but earnestly nonetheless.

I certainly don't need to review "Rumpole of the Bailey." You know all about it. So, I'll just mention that he's especially good company when you fly. You can read a well-crafted story in what, 30 minutes? Ideal for airports and airplanes. Do this, sit for an hour, do that, sit for another hour, etc.