The Common Law

audiobook

The Common Law

by Oliver Wendell Holmes

EN·~12 hours·14 chapters

Chapters

14 total
1

THE COMMON LAW - By Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

1:07
2

LECTURE I. — EARLY FORMS OF LIABILITY.

59:23
3

LECTURE II. — THE CRIMINAL LAW.

1:05:09
4

LECTURE III. — TORTS.—TRESPASS AND NEGLIGENCE.

1:29:29
5

LECTURE IV. — FRAUD, MALICE, AND INTENT.—THE THEORY OF TORTS.

58:43
6

LECTURE V. — THE BAILEE AT COMMON LAW.

1:06:45
7

LECTURE VI. — POSSESSION.

1:05:17
8

LECTURE VII. — CONTRACT.—I. HISTORY.

1:07:13
9

LECTURE VIII. — CONTRACT. II. ELEMENTS.

30:18
10

LECTURE IX. — CONTRACT.—III. VOID AND VOIDABLE.

53:52

Description

In this thoughtful exploration of the common law, the author invites listeners to travel from the earliest forms of liability—when justice was rooted in vengeance—to the sophisticated legal doctrines that shape modern courts. By weaving together historical anecdotes, classical references, and vivid examples from Anglo‑Saxon and Roman traditions, the narrative shows how law is less a cold set of logical formulas and more a living response to society’s changing needs and moral sensibilities.

The book balances rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling, revealing how judges’ instincts, public policy, and the practical demands of the day have continually reshaped legal principles. Listeners will discover why certain rules feel intuitively right, while others trace back to ancient customs that seem foreign today. This blend of history and theory offers a fresh lens on the foundations of our legal system, making the subject both engaging and relevant for anyone curious about how law evolves.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~12 hours (727K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Stuart E. Thiel and David Widger

Release date

2000-12-01

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

Subjects

About the author

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Oliver Wendell Holmes

1809–1894

A celebrated voice of 19th-century America, this physician-writer mixed wit, warmth, and sharp observation in poems and essays that made him a household name. He is especially remembered for the lively Breakfast-Table series and for "Old Ironsides," the poem that helped save the USS Constitution.

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