As a general rule, I usually don’t advocate on behalf of books I haven’t read. But there is an exception. When I have read several of the author’s previous works, and I just know his next will be as spectucular as his previous ones.

I have read NYU Professor Barry Friedman’s books, articles and blog posts enough to know that anything he creates will be wonderful. So as a 1L myself, I was incredibly excited when I saw that Professor Friedman recently published a book that helps law school students with the dreaded exam preparation process. 

So why do you need this book and how can it help you? Well, I will let Barry explain it.   

My co-author John Goldberg always says that for 1L law students, the scariest day is Halloween. Why? Because that is when it dawns on them that exams are looming and it is time to get in high gear. With Halloween fast approaching, here is a shameless plug for our new book Open Book: Succeeding on Exams from the First Day of Law School. (And thanks to Shon for welcoming us to Cocklebur.) In the book we try to demystify the exam process, relating it to what is going on in class right now, and what law students will be doing as they practice law. If you purchase the book, you also get access to the premium part of our website, The Commons, where there are a variety of sample study aids and other materials of use to law students.

We also are doing something we think entirely unique – we have created a suite of practice exams in 1L subjects that come complete with professor feedback including actual student exams that have been annotated by the profs so you can see what went right and wrong. (There are samples of the exams on the website; we will have the actual exams ready for sale in a couple of weeks – it is too early for practice exams now anyway.)

Finally, we’ve done one webcast – available on our site – and will be doing another, on outlining, preparing for exams, and taking exams, on November 8. Sign up will be available on the website shortly. (You can also sign up there for notices from us.) If you have questions, send them along using the contact page on the site.

We’ve gotten great feedback so far. Here’s Danielle Citron at Concurring Opinions, and news of the book at Above the Law.

We hope to see you at The Open Book Commons.