Ed. Note: This review was written for a now defunct livejournal account while I was in my first year of law school.

One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School
Scott Turow

Before I started law school, I was repeatedly told to buy this book by bestselling mystery author Turow’s on his first year at Harvard. I was told to read it read it “if for no other reason than everyone else there will have read it”.

Well, I’m one week into law school, and no one has mentioned it, thanks.

Still, it wasn’t a totally waste of time. Reading how horrific Turow’s professors were to him steeled me for my first day of class. I was totally ready for someone to cry. No one did. I was almost disappointed at how nice all my professors are, then I came to my senses and was just fucking relieved.

Turow’s writing is punchy and enjoyable, and the book goes down easy. I think I finished it in about two days. You can see why he left the law to be a full time writer, and his horror stories are amusing and cautionary. I don’t know if I would have taken my first weeks as seriously as I have if Turow hadn’t put the love the god in me.

Recommended for those attending law school. If you don’t read it, you’ll never get a job or relate to you fellow students.