Book Review: Is Eating People Wrong?
An essential introduction to Common Law told through some of the great cases that have shaped our understanding of justice
I was nine-years-old when I first picked up a textbook from a small-town public library. It was a book meant for middle-school students which provided an introduction to Canadian law — illustrated and complete with those “You Be the Judge” exercises at the end of every chapter. The name of the book escapes me, but it is memorable for two reasons: it was the only book that I read from cover-to-cover in a single-sitting, and it opened my eyes to the fascinating world of constitutional law.
Ever since that day, going to law school has been a bucket-list item of mine, and I’m proud to say that those studies will begin in earnest this Fall.
For the time being; however, I’m consuming as much of the law as I can through reading all of the introductory pre-program readings, and this book by Allan C. Hutchinson could not have been a better primer toward understanding the importance of this evolving legal tapestry we call the common law.
Perhaps the best description of this book comes from the author himself in his descriptive copy on the book’s back cover:
This book explores eight exemplary cases from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia that show the law as a living, breathing, and down-the-street experience. It explores the social circumstances in which the cases arose and the ordinary people whose stories influenced and shaped the law, as well as the characters and institutions (lawyers, judges and courts) that did much of the heavy lifting.
Hutchinson’s romanticism toward the study of law is apparent in the opening pages of the book, and without knowing anything about his other work, gives away that he is a prominent voice in Canadian jurisprudence.
Not only does Hutchinson breakdown the cases he explores into concepts easily understood by those with no academic background, but the narrative structure of the work is fluid and consistent with all of the central tenets of good storytelling. Without knowing anything about his teaching style, it does seem that Hutchinson adopts an instructional paradigm, at least with this book, which enables the reader to learn of concepts, cases and legal principles through the telling of a compelling story.
Every chapter provides a detailed account of the events which lead up to the legal challenges, and is told in such a way that communicates all of the relevant facts while providing for an exciting story. Just as the chapter shifts to a legal focus, the reader is left pondering how the case might play out. For me personally, this became a more academic, modern-day version of those “You Be the Judge” exercises I remember from my first foray into legal literature, and with each legal maneuver and twist being played out in the book, I became more enthusiastic about Hutchinson’s view of “the common law as an untidy but stimulating exercise in human judgment and social accomplishment.”
“Is Eating People Wrong?” draws the reader in with a sensational murder on the high seas, a case which serves as inspiration for the book’s title. This chapter alone is a treasure trove of knowledge one might find useful in a game of Trivial Pursuit. Whereas other books about the law may start with foundational concepts, Hutchinson dives right in with the story of a little-known shipwreck, cannibalism and a hair-raising coincidence involving Edgar Allan Poe. While most books will start with exploring concepts like the rule of law, or parliamentary supremacy, or perhaps with a polarizing issue like abortion or capital punishment in the constitutional context, Hutchinson begins with a question everyone can relate to — whether necessity can, and ought to, be used as a legal defense for a criminal act.
Any prospective student of law should familiarize themselves with the recommended pre-program readings not only to understand foundational concepts, but to discover whether the investment they will make in studying the law will be one they can commit to for the long-haul. “Is Eating People Wrong?” is a book every prospective law student should not only read — it should be their first book on their academic journey.