Book Review: Anonymous, Spring 2002 UNL College of Law Upperclass Registration Packet (2001)
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No book has been more eagerly anticipated than the new Spring 2002 UNL College of Law Upperclass Registration Packet. Followers of this series have waited breathlessly to see how the still-anonymous author’s characters would fare in their latest escapades. The wait has been worth it; fans of the Fall 2001 book will not be disappointed by the sequel.
This season’s edition follows the same basic format as the previous edition, making the book somewhat predictable. However, this book throws in some unanticipated plot twists to keep the reader guessing. Who, for example, could have anticipated the intriguing Federalism and State Sovereignty by Professor Bansal, a character introduced for the first time in this edition? And scheduling the Mass Communications exam on the first Saturday in May surprises even the most alert reader. The ending also does not disappoint. I will not disclose the unexpected outcome, but it will delight fans of the recurring character NRoll.
These surprising twists should not worry the reader looking for the familiar registration packet characters. All of the usual favorites—Legal Profession, Estate Planning, Negotiations—are still here. And the Spring 2002 Schedule and the Upperclass Course Listing appear in their usual roles. In short, the author has produced a positively exciting mix of old and new.
The writing, as usual, is excellent, sometimes overwhelming. Who would not be moved by the following passage: “Acceptance of registration by the University of Nebraska and admission to any educational program of the University does not constitute a contract or warranty that the University will continue indefinitely to offer the program in which a student is enrolled.” Faulkner and Hemingway at their very best could not have done as well.
The production quality is very good, but not quite up to the level of the packet’s other elements.From the beautiful multi-image yellow cover to the crisp black text on white paper, the publisher has spared little expense in the production of this spring’s materials. But the publisher unfortunately decided to retain the single-staple binding that was so widely criticized in reviews of earlier editions.
I strongly recommend this registration packet to all UNL College of Law readers. This is probably the best UNL registration packet of the new millennium—not up to the unsurpassed excellence of the Fall 1993 edition, but clearly superior to the recent Spring 2000 and Fall 2001 versions, and much better than the widely disparaged Fall 2000 packet. If the upcoming Fall 2002 edition is as good, this series should remain popular for many more years.