Rating: 
Summary: the gems obscured by the confusion
Review: One of the worst things a 1L can do is rely on confusing, ambiguous advice. The law is ambiguous, but the way to succeed in law school really isn't. This book is simply not direct enough to be helpful, and it contains too much unhelpful advice. If you learn nothing else from any of these books, learn this: You must outline (preferably on a computer, where you can move fast, have high endurance, be neat, and move stuff around, if nec.). Start early and keep up regularly. How you outline is more flexible than is sometimes suggested. Just do it.
Rating: 
Summary: Very helpful, specific, and accessible
Review: This book is incredibly helpful for those planning on attending law school and are unsure of what to expect. Instead of merely urging discipline, Deaver details a concise plan of action with outlined strategies for study. The author is never pretentious and does not assume the reader has vast amounts of knowledge of the law prior to reading the book. I literally could not put this book down.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, and out of date, book
Review: This is an excellent primer on the law school experience that is out of date. I recommend this book with the understanding that certain of its references are woefully--sometimes, amusingly--out of date. The book was originally published in 1984, and subsequently revised in 1992--the blurb on the back cover reads, in part: "Written by a former Wall Street lawyer, [the book] includes over 50% new material for today's law student." Keep in mind that "today's law student" was today's law student 10 years ago, and therefore, references to first-year associates' salaries in Manhattan, costs of legal education, and computer and information technology are out of date. Additionally, there is a brief section on the components of the LSAT, which, though I have not looked at closely, may also be out of date.What, then, is this book good for? I think it's good for introducing the prospective law student to a broad, strategic understanding of what the study of law is about, as well as practical steps to excel in its study. These broad, "high level" concepts do not change frequently, and certainly, they do not change in twenty years. Chapters such as "Daily Survival in the Classroom", "How to Brief Cases", "Sample Briefs," and the chapters devoted to preparing for law school exams are excellent. Essentially, therefore, read this book with the understanding that any reference to a fact or figure that sounds out of date, or inaccurate, probably is.
Rating:
Summary: Great, and out of date, book
Review: This is an excellent primer on the law school experience that is out of date. I recommend this book with the understanding that certain of its references are woefully--sometimes, amusingly--out of date. The book was originally published in 1984, and subsequently revised in 1992--the blurb on the back cover reads, in part: "Written by a former Wall Street lawyer, [the book] includes over 50% new material for today's law student." Keep in mind that "today's law student" was today's law student 10 years ago, and therefore, references to first-year associates' salaries in Manhattan, costs of legal education, and computer and information technology are out of date. Additionally, there is a brief section on the components of the LSAT, which, though I have not looked at closely, may also be out of date. What, then, is this book good for? I think it's good for introducing the prospective law student to a broad, strategic understanding of what the study of law is about, as well as practical steps to excel in its study. These broad, "high level" concepts do not change frequently, and certainly, they do not change in twenty years. Chapters such as "Daily Survival in the Classroom", "How to Brief Cases", "Sample Briefs," and the chapters devoted to preparing for law school exams are excellent. Essentially, therefore, read this book with the understanding that any reference to a fact or figure that sounds out of date, or inaccurate, probably is.
Rating:
Summary: Not Bad But Don't Even Think About It If...
Review: You haven't read "Law School Confidential" - LSC is far and away better all comparable aspects plus contains plenty that this book does not. LSC also draws on the experiences and advice of many fresh perspectives rather than just one. Also consider that 1992 is rapidly becoming outdated. Don't go with this one unless you have to.
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