New Miscellany-at-Law

The Rt Hon Sir Robert Megarry, LL.D, FBA, became a Chancery judge in 1967 and was the Vice-Chancellor of the Supreme Court when he retired in 1985. He was Reader in Equity in the Inns of Court, 1951-1967, a member of the Lord Chancellor's Law Reform Committee, 1952-1973 and Chairman of the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting, 1972-1987. He is a celebrated author of books on equity, land law, the Rent Acts and the literature of the law. His first two Miscellanies were legal bestsellers. Bryan Garner teaches and publishes extensively on legal writing, usage, and drafting. He has written several acclaimed books on the subject, and is hailed by the American Bar Association as "the pre-eminent expert in America on good legal writing."

After having been engrossed in this book for a week or more, it came as no surprise to me to learn that this amusing tome had been Wildy's of Lincoln's Inn's the booksellers 'Book of the Month'. It deserves a place on all law students' desks - if only as a source of interesting anecdotes for dinner and other parties. John Gibson Legal Information Management, Vol 6 2006 ...the best way to describe these legal joys is to say that they are much more than a collection of legal wit, humour and wisdom, although they are certainly all of these...Do treat yourself to it. The Litigation Letter May 2006 This is, without doubt, one of the great works of legal literature of our times. David Pannick Times Online, www.timesonline.co.uk January 2006 ...admirable prose...there are records of incidents concerning the conduct of judges and lawyers which are of high contemporary relevance. A.G. Noorani Frontline May 06 Sir Robert's ability to entertain has clearly not deserted him... No law library should be without A New Miscellany. It is a perfect bedside book or something to be dipped into during a quiet day in chambers of a tiresome day on the bench. Mark McGinness Australian Law Journal, Vol 80, No. 7 July 06 I have just read the 'New Miscellany-at-Law', which has cheered me up and given me more kindly feelings about my profession than anything since I was called to the Bar. Simon Levene, 12 King's Bench Walk Sept 06 ...a rich source of useful information...Students in particular would profit enormously from dipping into its pages, as will anyone even remotely interested in the history, the quirks and the peculiarities of the law. The Commonwealth Lawyer, Vol 15, No 2 August 06 Every page carries the unmistakable Megarry imprint. As Professor David Walker...put it: bringing this volume to publication has done legal literature a service. In the reviewer's opinion that service is indeed considerable... The dominant impression of his writing, whether in judgment or text, is of wide yet profound learning. Stephen Cretney The Law Quarterly Review, Volume 123 January 2007 ...if you are called upon to give after-dinner speeches regularly and need a source of legal quotes and quips this is an essential arrow in your quiver. The New Zealand Law Journal Dec 06

• 1 Lex Loquens2 Judex Non Juridicus3 Beggar or Fool4 Into Battel5 Ars Bablativa6 Short of Water7 Figs and Pippins8 Living in our Ancestors9 All Deliberate Speed10 Le Needfulness De Eux11 Statutes at Larger12 A Plain and Simple Question13 Maxima14 Andorandororand15 Dark with Excessive Brightness16 An Uncharted Sea of Doubt and Difficulty17 The Paperwork18 Every Prospect Pleases19 Winter’d One Whole Summer20 Fustum Funnidos Tantaraboo21 A Certain Amount of Sobriety22 Narrowed to a Filament23 The Evil of Evils24 Powafuchswowitchahavagganeabba (Chicago)