Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman — Edition Insights

The Limits of Common Sense

The author's choice of examples reinforces the theme. He recounts a case where a jury awarded nearly the full amount for a minor's extravagant wardrobe—twelve coats, seventeen vests, twenty-three pairs of trousers—only to have the reviewing court set aside the verdict, remarking that the bill made the members shudder. Here, common sense (the jury's) was overruled by a legal principle: a minor is liable only for necessaries suitable to his condition. Bolles uses such vivid anecdotes to make abstract doctrines memorable.

Necessaries and the Minor's Contract

The author also addresses fraudulent contracts by minors. If a minor lies about his age to buy goods, the seller cannot recover on the contract itself, but the minor is liable in an action of deceit for the value of the goods. This distinction—between voiding a contract and being sued for fraud—is the kind of nuance Bolles consistently highlights. He also notes that a minor with a parent or guardian cannot contract even for necessaries; if the parent refuses to provide them, the law can compel support. These details give the reader a practical map of rights and risks.

Mortgages: Two Kinds, One Principle

A key point: a mortgage may cover future advances, but not in preference to loans made by another without knowledge of those advances. Bolles adds that a subsequent lender need not inquire whether the mortgagor has borrowed more than the recorded amount. This rule protects the integrity of the public record. The author's treatment is procedural rather than theoretical: he walks the reader through the logic of recording, the roles of mortgagor and mortgagee, and the consequences of failing to record. The language is precise but avoids jargon, making the mechanics accessible.

Cautions and Caveats for the Lay Reader

The author's own examples underscore the need for caution. He tells of a man who wrote his own will and inadvertently nullified a legacy by having the legatee sign as a witness. The railway president's misplaced comma is another cautionary tale. Bolles's tone is that of an experienced instructor who has seen laymen make costly mistakes. He does not promise to make the reader a legal expert; he aims to instill a habit of carefulness. "If this book shall make the reader cautious concerning the legality of his undertakings," he writes, "it will be worth to him many times its price."

Bolles's book is best read as a series of guided reflections on legal reasoning rather than a quick-reference manual. The examples—from minor's coats to mortgage recording—are chosen to illustrate how law supplies definiteness where common sense wavers. Readers will benefit most by reading consecutively, noting how each principle connects to everyday transactions. The author's voice is that of a patient teacher who expects his audience to think, not merely to look up answers. For those willing to engage with the text, it offers a practical education in legal caution.

That rainy afternoon with Putnam’s Handy Law Book, I kept thinking how thin the line is between what we assume is fair and what actually holds up. A contract, a signature—such small things carrying such weight. Later, wandering, my fingers found a slim volume, another kind of weight entirely: where common sense fails entirely and violence writes its own rules. Lynch Law in Georgia — Reading Companion sat beside it, quietly. The rain never stopped.