This little book is not only readable---a feat in itself---but also insightful and provocative in its treatment of the folklore and practice of the civil law. . . . A lively introduction to civil law thinking with its historical, political, and social dimensions. --The American Journal of Comparative Law The most readable and succinct account of the origins, the development, and the philosophy of the civil law. . . . Written for those unfamiliar with the study of comparative law and legal systems, the book distinguishes the civil law tradition from that of the common law tradition of the English speaking countries. . . --Houston Law Review