Considering that Chris Goodrich was a Yale graduate himself, as well as editor of California Lawyer magazine prior to the start of his law fellowship (i.e. he's a smart guy), the man exhibits a striking degree of naivete about how the legal system works. He expresses shock and disappointment that the legal profession is not really about "helping people" or "finding the truth", but rather about doing one's best to represent the interests of one's client, and that whoever can present the best arguments usually wins. Goodrich's view of the law is so overly idealistic that it strains credulity. One can't help but wonder if it is only a manufactured device through which to write a book such as this.

The author goes on at length about the arrogance and pretentiousness of those in the legal profession, yet he himself exhibits the very same qualities in his condescending moralizing against its faults. Studying the law transforms one's soul (and not for the better), Goodrich says, and goes out of his way to let you know he is so much above all that. To be sure, Goodrich raises some valid points and concerns about the profession. But rather than attempting to examine them in an objective, journalistic fashion, he stakes out a self-righteous position of moral superiority, effectively concluding that he's glad he was able to successfully resist the temptation all his classmates succumbed to.

The book was not without its strong points, particularly in the first half. The depiction of life as a first-year law student and the glimpses of the discussions that take place inside the lecture halls were nothing short of fascinating. The chapter devoted to the recruitment of students by law firms was also especially revealing.

However, these strengths were quickly drowned out by Goodrich's holier-than-thou tone. The second half, especially, consisted of rambling editorializing about the faults of law school, without offering much in the way of workable solutions, or without objectively examining why things exist as they do. The book concludes with Goodrich's graduation, where once more he can't help but point out his own superiority. He chooses not to wear the traditional robes and garb of the ceremony, instead donning a suit, then snidely remarking that to him, those wearing the robes appear to be constrained in straitjackets. Once again, Goodrich thinks he is better than everyone else, which ironically is one of the traits he professes to despise the most of those in the legal profession.

The kind of people that make the choice to sell their souls and begin their study of "the Law" are often typically the sort of overachieving people that overresearch, and look for ways to win the game several moves deep. As such, they peruse the different "how to do law school" books: Law School Confidential and Planet Law School being the foremost names in this category. That exhausted, they move on to Scott Turow's "1L", which is an autobigoraphical account of his first year at Ha-vad, and from that, and repeated viewings of "the Paper Chase", get a picture of what their lives will soon be like. And often it is an erroneous picture.

This book is one man's attempt to describe HIS 1L year (or his only L year, as he got the one-year M.L.S. or whatever it is called from Yale). This is a tremendously good book: it presents law school as most find it: the amorality, the confusion, the lack of praise, etc. inherent in conquoring that beast. And it's a pretty good read as far goes these books written by journalists posing as professional students. It's a DEFINATE must read for anyone who's making the mistake of trudging off to study these endless rules, but it's an interesting take on our society if you're not.

Totally, this is a book that you should read. I recommend it fully...

While Goodrich's left-wing analysis of the modern industrial age and its' relation to the worker are in a word *wrong*, I enjoyed the minority of the book describing the history of the Lotus Seven and his first drives of them. The author's perhaps unwitting presupposition that capitalism's mass production and consumption have done more harm than good is framed absent of obvious benefits such as a greatly enhanced standard of living. The efficiency of the market has improved life across all divisions and throughout the world. It's particularly clear that in places where the free exercise of profit-motivated self-improvement has been surpressed that peoples' progress most greatly suffers.

I suspect a thorough history of Lotus and the brilliant, eccentric folks associated with them would make a great story. One could also find a great deal of mechanical intrigue in the 1960s race and street cars Lotus built. That would be a different book from this.

What a great idea for a book! Goodrich sometimes is a fine and even thrilling writer. His description of his first drive in the sports car he built was so perfect I read it twice. But as my college philosophy professor Gresham Riley once said, "Don't conduct your philosophical education in public!" The bulk of the book is philosophy and history mixed together about cars. That would be OK if the analysis was as insightful and incisive as Goodrich's description of why bolts stick to nuts. But it's not. Still, Goodrich's all-too-brief mentions of building the Seven are so good that you have to order and read the book.

When I read the Local Newspaper's review of "Roadster",I Zipped right out and bought it,diving in with great relish,and reading the rather creative way that Mr Goodrich dealt with his midlife crisis. I in no way expected to read a bolt-by-bolt dissertation on how to build a seven (There are plenty enough out there) but how the process of kit assembly affected this man's life, especially given his Professional background,and how he reconnected with the satisfacton of seeing something coherent rise from the jumble of parts and boxes. However good I think "Roadster" is, I feel that this is the omega of what I call the "Dissatisfied Professional" books. This will probably be the last book of its kind I read,for I feel that the territory of the Automobile and its affect on individuals and society at large has been covered. Very good book,just don't try to read anything else into it.