Here is a simple introduction to the intellectual challenges presented by law in the western secular tradition written by one of that tradition's most revered and eminent scholars. This book provides the intelligent student contemplating a career in law with a brief yet comprehensive introduction to the subject. It also makes an ideal starting point for the general reader who is curious to explore the intellectual interest of the subject.

Treating not just British law, but the whole western tradition of law, Professor Honoré guides the reader through eleven topics which straddle various branches of the law, including constitutional and criminal law, property, and contracts. He also explores moral and historical aspects of the law, including a discussion of justice and the difference between civil and common law systems. The law, Honoré argues, is mainly concerned with the question of obedience to authority, and establishing the situations in which obedience is required and those in which it may be waived ought to be the central concern of all legal theorists.

All these issues are examined broadly and simply, keeping technicalities at a minimum. The result is a book that offers as broad a picture of western law as possible, providing an accessible overview and a firm base for further study.