[.ca] Contracts in a Nutshell (ISBN 0314169245)

Contracts by Schaber:
The book has an excellent presentation of the theory of contracts. The six main categories are described initially and explained in the ensuing text. These categories consist of: 1. Express contracts consisting of the standard offer-acceptance and consideration trilogy 2. Implied in fact contracts distinguished by conduct rather than by express words 3. Promissory estoppel referred to as detrimental reliance 4. Subsequent promises to perform pre-existing obligations 5. A minority theory of imposing liability based upon a subsequent promise to pay for material benefits previously conferred. 6. Implied in law quasi-contracts which are non-consensual obligations The theory of an offer arouses an expectation in the mind of a reasonable person. Such an expectation may create a power of acceptance in the offeree. An offer must be sufficiently certain to make any resulting agreement enforceable and damages calculable. The offer must be certain as to the parties, subject matter, price and time of performance. An offer in which the offeror or offering party promises to do or not to do something in exchange for a promise by the offeree to act is an offer for a bilateral or two-sided contract. Further details as to bargained exchanges, the statute of frauds and a whole host of complicating factors are set forth simply with a generous sprinkling of stare decisis cases to illustrate the legal points explained. The text will be helpful for law students,journalists, constitutional scholars and a whole host of other constituencies in academe. This text is a good supplement to the standard legal texts on contract law. It is well worth the price charged.