Reviews
"William Wiecek's Lost World of Classical Thought reads like a first-rate legal mystery story. We have always known that the 'switch in time that saved nine' in 1937 was a crucial turning point in the history of the jurisprudence of the U.S. Supreme Court. But it wasn't very clear how theanti-New Deal attitudes of the pre-1937 Court derived from what Wiecek calls the 'classical' jurisprudence of the late nineteenth century. Nor have we known how the post-1937, but pre-Warren, New Deal Court built its own distinctive jurisprudence. Wiecek's account tells that story, and in so doinghelps us understand the origins of the truly modern jurisprudence of the 1950s. Everyone who wonders how the preconditions of the Warren Court were constructed will want to read this absorbing and important book."--Stanley N. Katz, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, "William Wiecek's The Lost World of Classical Legal Thought is a remarkable achievement. It has an extraordinary sweep, synthesizing with admirable clarity a transformation of enormous scope and importance. The book can serve extremely well as an introduction to the legal history of the period. Scholars who toil in these fields will find in the book a well-balanced yet distinctive point of view. For them it will also be a consistently useful resource because of Wiecek's wide-ranging use and discussion of primary and secondary sources, capped by a wonderful bibliographical essay."--Richard Friedman, Oxford University"We have needed a rigorously researched, perceptively analyzed, and comprehensively clear synthesis of this core topic for a very long time. Eureka!"--Harold M. Hyman, Rice University"In this thorough and deftly written account of classical legal thought and its role in privileging powerful economic interests and social elites, Professor Wiecek presents an important, forceful challenge to revisionists who have stressed its libertarian and egalitarian elements."--Michael Les Benedict, Ohio State University"William Wiecek's Lost World of Classical Thought reads like a first-rate legal mystery story. We have always known that the 'switch in time that saved nine' in 1937 was a crucial turning point in the history of the jurisprudence of the U.S. Supreme Court. But it wasn't very clear how the anti-New Deal attitudes of the pre-1937 Court derived from what Wiecek calls the 'classical' jurisprudence of the late nineteenth century. Nor have we known how the post-1937, but pre-Warren, New Deal Court built its own distinctive jurisprudence. Wiecek's account tells that story, and in so doing helps us understand the origins of the truly modern jurisprudence of the 1950s. Everyone who wonders how the preconditions of the Warren Court were constructed will want to read this absorbing and important book."--Stanley N. Katz, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, "In this thorough and deftly written account of classical legal thought and its role in privileging powerful economic interests and social elites, Professor Wiecek presents an important, forceful challenge to revisionists who have stressed its libertarian and egalitarian elements."--MichaelLes Benedict, Ohio State University, "William Wiecek's The Lost World of Classical Legal Thought is a remarkable achievement. It has an extraordinary sweep, synthesizing with admirable clarity a transformation of enormous scope and importance. The book can serve extremely well as an introduction to the legal history of theperiod. Scholars who toil in these fields will find in the book a well-balanced yet distinctive point of view. For them it will also be a consistently useful resource because of Wiecek's wide-ranging use and discussion of primary and secondary sources, capped by a wonderful bibliographicalessay."--Richard Friedman, Oxford University, "William Wiecek's Lost World of Classical Thought reads like a first-ratelegal mystery story. We have always known that the 'switch in time that savednine' in 1937 was a crucial turning point in the history of the jurisprudence ofthe U.S. Supreme Court. But it wasn't very clear how the anti-New Deal attitudesof the pre-1937 Court derived from what Wiecek calls the 'classical'jurisprudence of the late nineteenth century. Nor have we known how thepost-1937, but pre-Warren, New Deal Court built its own distinctivejurisprudence. Wiecek's account tells that story, and in so doing helps usunderstand the origins of the truly modern jurisprudence of the 1950s. Everyonewho wonders how the preconditions of the Warren Court were constructed will wantto read this absorbing and important book."--Stanley N. Katz, Woodrow WilsonSchool, Princeton University, "William Wiecek's The Lost World of Classical Legal Thought is a remarkable achievement. It has an extraordinary sweep, synthesizing with admirable clarity a transformation of enormous scope and importance. The book can serve extremely well as an introduction to the legal history of the period. Scholars who toil in these fields will find in the book a well-balanced yet distinctive point of view. For them it will also be a consistently useful resource because of Wiecek's wide-ranging use and discussion of primary and secondary sources, capped by a wonderful bibliographical essay."--Richard Friedman, Oxford University "We have needed a rigorously researched, perceptively analyzed, and comprehensively clear synthesis of this core topic for a very long time. Eureka!"--Harold M. Hyman, Rice University "In this thorough and deftly written account of classical legal thought and its role in privileging powerful economic interests and social elites, Professor Wiecek presents an important, forceful challenge to revisionists who have stressed its libertarian and egalitarian elements."--Michael Les Benedict, Ohio State University "William Wiecek's Lost World of Classical Thought reads like a first-rate legal mystery story. We have always known that the 'switch in time that saved nine' in 1937 was a crucial turning point in the history of the jurisprudence of the U.S. Supreme Court. But it wasn't very clear how the anti-New Deal attitudes of the pre-1937 Court derived from what Wiecek calls the 'classical' jurisprudence of the late nineteenth century. Nor have we known how the post-1937, but pre-Warren, New Deal Court built its own distinctive jurisprudence. Wiecek's account tells that story, and in so doing helps us understand the origins of the truly modern jurisprudence of the 1950s. Everyone who wonders how the preconditions of the Warren Court were constructed will want to read this absorbing and important book."--Stanley N. Katz, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, "William M. Wiecek...has succeed in the difficult task of writing an intellectual and legal history that should be readily accessible to a wide audience of students, lawyers, and historians, while sensitively situating Classical Legal Thought within the social, economic and politicalconditions that gave rise to it....The World of Classical Legal Thought is deftly written, thoroughly enjoyable, and a book well worth reading. It will undoubtedyly become an important resource for both students and scholars, and will serve as an excellent book for the law-school classroom. Wiecek'sappendix, a detailed historiography of Classicism, is an absolute must for those working in the field." --Felice Batlan, New York University, in H-NET, "William Wiecek's Lost World of Classical Thought reads like a first-ratelegal mystery story. We have always known that the 'stitch in time that savednine' in 1937 was a crucial turning point in the history of the jurisprudence ofthe U.S. Supreme Court. But it wasn't very clear how the anti-New Deal attitudesof the pre-1937 Court derived from what Wiecek calls the 'classical'jurisprudence of the late nineteenth century. Nor have we known how thepost-1937, but pre-Warren, New Deal Court built its own distinctivejurisprudence. Wiecek's account tells that story, and in so doing helps usunderstand the origins of the truly modern jurisprudence of the 1950s. Everyonewho wonders how the preconditions of the Warren Court were constructed will wantto read this absorbing and important book."--Stanley N. Katz, Woodrow WilsonSchool, Princeton University, "William M. Wiecek...has succeed in the difficult task of writing anintellectual and legal history that should be readily accessible to a wideaudience of students, lawyers, and historians, while sensitively situatingClassical Legal Thought within the social, economic and political conditionsthat gave rise to it....The World of Classical Legal Thought is deftly written,thoroughly enjoyable, and a book well worth reading. It will undoubtedyly becomean important resource for both students and scholars, and will serve as anexcellent book for the law-school classroom. Wiecek's appendix, a detailedhistoriography of Classicism, is an absolute must for those working in thefield." --Felice Batlan, New York University, in H-NET, "William Wiecek's The Lost World of Classical Legal Thought is aremarkable achievement. It has an extraordinary sweep, synthesizing withadmirable clarity a transformation of enormous scope and importance. The bookcan serve extremely well as an introduction to the legal history of the period.Scholars who toil in these fields will find in the book a well-balanced yetdistinctive point of view. For them it will also be a consistently usefulresource because of Wiecek's wide-ranging use and discussion of primary andsecondary sources, capped by a wonderful bibliographical essay."--RichardFriedman, Oxford University, "In this thorough and deftly written account of classical legal thoughtand its role in privileging powerful economic interests and social elites,Professor Wiecek presents an important, forceful challenge to revisionists whohave stressed its libertarian and egalitarian elements."--Michael Les Benedict,Ohio State University, "We have needed a rigorously researched, perceptively analyzed, and comprehensively clear synthesis of this core topic for a very long time. Eureka!"--Harold M. Hyman, Rice University, "William Wiecek'sThe Lost World of Classical Legal Thoughtis a remarkable achievement. It has an extraordinary sweep, synthesizing with admirable clarity a transformation of enormous scope and importance. The book can serve extremely well as an introduction to the legal history of the period. Scholars who toil in these fields will find in the book a well-balanced yet distinctive point of view. For them it will also be a consistently useful resource because of Wiecek's wide-ranging use and discussion of primary and secondary sources, capped by a wonderful bibliographical essay."--Richard Friedman, Oxford University "We have needed a rigorously researched, perceptively analyzed, and comprehensively clear synthesis of this core topic for a very long time. Eureka!"--Harold M. Hyman, Rice University "In this thorough and deftly written account of classical legal thought and its role in privileging powerful economic interests and social elites, Professor Wiecek presents an important, forceful challenge to revisionists who have stressed its libertarian and egalitarian elements."--Michael Les Benedict, Ohio State University "William Wiecek'sLost World of Classical Thoughtreads like a first-rate legal mystery story. We have always known that the 'switch in time that saved nine' in 1937 was a crucial turning point in the history of the jurisprudence of the U.S. Supreme Court. But it wasn't very clear how the anti-New Deal attitudes of the pre-1937 Court derived from what Wiecek calls the 'classical' jurisprudence of the late nineteenth century. Nor have we known how the post-1937, but pre-Warren, New Deal Court built its own distinctive jurisprudence. Wiecek's account tells that story, and in so doing helps us understand the origins of the truly modern jurisprudence of the 1950s. Everyone who wonders how the preconditions of the Warren Court were constructed will want to read this absorbing and important book."--Stanley N. Katz, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, "We have needed a rigorously researched, perceptively analyzed, andcomprehensively clear synthesis of this core topic for a very long time.Eureka!"--Harold M. Hyman, Rice University
