Johnson (history, Univ. of Northern Iowa), who has written several books on the history of U.S. law, including The Struggle for Student Rights, here uses a scholarly analysis of both state and national cases to show how the legal system affects our lives. Approximately a fifth of the 201 essays are new to this revised second edition, which follows the first by a decade. The essays, which vary in length depending upon the significance of their subjects, focus on five main categories: crime and criminal law; governmental organization, power, and procedure; economics and economic regulation; civil liberties; and race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. These pieces usually examine 20th-century political and legal change as a byproduct of social and economic matters. Providing clear analysis and a good selection of issues related to U.S. law, especially in the last decade, this reference will be useful for students and nonspecialists looking for substantial background to help them understand the implications of important legal cases. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.