I know this question on study aids has been addressed in many many posts, but mine is about study aids that are NOT from the examples and explanations series. I know some people recommend them highly, but a few of the volumes are a disappointment to me and did not cover lots of topics that should be. Does anyone know of study aids, not dense hornbooks, but ones that are like Constitutional Law: Principles And Policies by Erwin Chemerinsky, but for TORTS, CRIMINAL LAW, PROPERTY, CONTRACTS, etc...?

Thanks!

I really like the Nutshell series, but then I really like the E&Es, so YMMV.

I hated the nutshells (at least the evidence one- WAY too much information to be useful for exam cramming). That's not to say they are universally bad, but to reinforce that study aids are a very personal thing. I like most of the E+Es, but a few are awful (like the corporations one). I would argue that the Civpro and Torts E&Es are practically works of art though.

who has thoughts on con law, crim, contracts, and, lastly, property E&Es???

planet law school says to buy them but I'm hard-pressed to find any info on them?

Chemerinsky is generally TCR for conlaw.

Crim E&E is pretty worthless IMO, Dressler was much more helpful and LaFave was pretty good.

Contracts the E&E is okay, I used it, it was definitely helpful, although I used a bunch of other things... Cali Lessons are good, so is erm, the Crunchtime.

No opinion on the others, as I haven't taken them yet.

I didn't like the contracts E&E. My final is tomorrow but I basically have been studying off a 2L's outline. Contracts is a lot more straight forward - theres that little blue book with the Peerless on it. I forget what its called, but I think thats helpful just to explain basic concepts.

So any recommendations for CORPORATIONS or TORTS?

E+E for Torts

Corporations is tough because it's a really diffuse subject where different profs will emphasize different things. Honestly, they only thing I have found useful for corps is old outlines.

The Civ Pro E&E is pretty good, but I found the "Acing Civil Procedure" book better (and shorter). Glannon is somewhat excessively verbose, and the E&E's coverage of pleading is kinda spread-out all over the book.

I found the torts E&E somewhat redundant, but then again our torts casebook (Basic Tort Law, Arthur Best) was extremely good. All of the cases are on-point, clearly illustrate each principle, and the case notes actually tell you what you should've gotten out of the case, instead of rambling on about something pointless.

Aren't all the Crunchtime by Emanuel supposed to be helpful for all possible classes?

The Crunchtimes are ok but it's on the assumption you have some idea what's going on; they are just basic review from the times I used them. They just oversimplify things which is great for a refresher but not trying understand the subject matter. The reason why most of the E&E's are so good because it's very detailed and breaks down the issue to truly understand it.

I had a good experience with Gilbert's outlines, because they have good questions in the back of the book and the break down the issues and rules well (especially for Torts)

I had the same torts casebook and found myself wondering why other casebooks can't be as clear and logical as that one. Lots of modern cases that were edited nicely, simple explanations of the concepts, examples that were actually helpful. Wish I could say the same for my contracts book.