Property: Notable Books in Main Collection

An exhaustive list of the Property-related titles available in the law library would be - as you can probably imagine - massive and pointless, so instead we at the library have selected a few major titles that run the gamut of material a student is likely to encounter in our collection. Our full collection can be browsed either via the University's online library catalog or in person in the 3rd Floor stacks, around KF560 to 570.

 Principles of Real Estate Law by Paul G. Creteau

This classic treatise on Real Property law focuses on the land ownership aspects of the subject, and can serve as a reference on those subjects. Creteau's work is rather short for a scholarly treatise, so a reader might find his direct explanations of difficult topics more helpful than the occasionally meandering hand-holding of a law school study aid.

 Private Property in the 21st Century by Harvey M. Jacobs

Prof. Jacobs pulls together a group of Property scholars across the political spectrum to speculate on the future of Real Property in America, based on the largely correct premise that Property was a foundational right in the Constitution, thus inviting questions of what the relationship between citizen and State will look like in the future as the nature of what we own changes independent of government influence. 

 American Property: A History of How, Why, and What We Own by Stuart Banner

This book was envisioned as a lay-accessible history of Property Law in America, following its development to the present day. Central to the work is the idea that the very idea of Property - what a human being can claim to own - is constantly in flux and the definition used at a given point in time in inextricably bound up with the contemporary national character.

 Contemporary Real Estate Law by C. Kerry Fields and Kevin C. Fields

This book is not actually technically a legal text; it was originally intended as a textbook for an undergraduate level Real Estate course in a Business department. However, it is still primarily concerned with the law itself, so while it does not go into nearly the level of detail an actual legal treatise would it contains additional material a legal treatise would not, such as transactional and financing document examples and explanations, property management checklists, and permitting instructions, giving a full "soup to nuts" explanation of the business of Property Law a law school casebook would not.

Land Law and Real Property in American History by Kermit Hall, et al

This collection of essays by Real Property scholars covers numerous Colonial and Early Republic systems of land governance, of particular note as for people of that era, land was by far the single most valuable asset available and ownership dictated one's fortune and social station to a degree far eclipsing its impact today, as significant as land ownership still is. Much of the work contained here is a little anachronistic but the data the authors collect on value extraction and exchange is impressive.

 Commercial Real Estate Law Practice Manual with Forms by James P. McAndrews

This practice guide, published as part of the American Bar Association's extensive collection of work supporting solo and small firm practice, aims to review all relevant Property doctrine as pertains commercial Real Estate, as well as basic transactional work the attorney may or may not be directly involved with. It also contains numerous forms and sample documents to be used in a transactional Real Estate Practice. 

Not only does this book simply provide good information, it can introduce the interested law student to the legal practice guide: a major genre of treatise the ABA specializes in, focusing not so much on generally educating the reader in the abstract but rather walking them through real-world work, and serving as a quick reference for points of confusion. The ABA produces hundreds of guides on all manner of subjects like this one.