[.ca] The New Yorker Book of Lawyer Cartoons (ISBN 0679430687)

No Holds Barred: Lawyer Humor Requires Visuals:
I first discovered The New Yorker when I was a teenager. When I saw how many people subscribed to the magazine, I started asking people why they did. Inevitably, the answer was, "For the cartoons." Since then, I have come to realize that The New Yorker is like the hall of fame for cartoonists. I recently read The New Yorker Book of Money Cartoons, which encouraged me to read this book. Unfortunately, that book made this one seem a bit inadquate (hence the four star rating). First, there is no witty essay in this one to introduce the subject, unlike Christopher Buckley's outstanding one in the money book. Second, the lawyer humor seems a bit forced to me, compared to the money humor in that book. While I think this book will appeal to many lawyers and their families, I think that few defendants and plaintiffs will be amused because the humor is often about how lawyers prosper at the client's expense. It's hard to convey a sense of these cartoons without showing one. Unlike the money cartoons that usually work as quips, these cartoons almost always need visuals to work. Many of them involve lawyers circling like sharks surrounding a potential client, or invoke other old chestnuts of lawyer humor. The privileged position of the lawyer compared to the client comes through clearly. "I've just about resigned myself to your getting twenty years." Lawyers are expensive, as is the legal system. "You have a pretty good case Mr. Pitkin. How much justice can you afford?" The humor works best when it is fresh. My favorite was "May I ask you, Miss Howre, what made you select a homeopathic attorney?" As you can see, this book would make a wonderful present to the attorney who lost your case and you just sued for malpractice. Seriously, the humor is pretty savage. I'm not sure that someone who is proud of being a lawyer would appreciate it. The market is limited to those lawyers with humility and a sense of humor. The lesson for nonlawyers is to resolve your conflicts without the legal system, whenever possible. That can be a great stallbuster! Retain your sense of humor in the meantime!

A very funny book.:
No one can resist picking up this very funny book of cartoons. Short enough to read in one sitting, the New Yorker Book of Lawyer Cartoons also looks great in the home or office. The humor is urbane, the art work fresh and eye-catching. Every lawyer should have this book.