Nilesh Jasani's Reviews > The Rule of Laws: A 4,000-Year Quest to Order the World

Rules of Law is an ambitious project zipping through the fragmented history of law globally. It oscillates between covering too much ground in too little time and then, paradoxically, too little in too much. The author's exhaustive approach creates a desultory journey through minutiae or loosely related facts with little purpose other than to present the material the author collected.

Despite the division into twelve chapters covering different aspects of history, most of the book feels like a whirlwind tour, darting from one tiny aspect of a societal structure to another, spanning time and space with little to no transition. This abrupt shifting of focus can leave the reader disoriented and struggling to follow the narrative thread. While ostensibly dedicated to exploring the specific legal codes of different cultures, the chapters often deviate into discussions on a wide array of topics ranging from formal rules to guidelines, from religious edicts and proclamations to societal norms and community guidelines.

'Rule of Laws' is teeming with anecdotes and details, which, while intriguing in their own right, often feel disjointed and tangential to the broader themes. The narrative frequently jumps from one era to another within the span of a few paragraphs. And still, across chapters, the book appears repetitive, with many themes or even societies/eras revisited multiple times. There is a wealth of information in every part, but with few, that would make a reader pause.

In conclusion, the ambitious book falls short of delivering a cohesive and enlightening narrative.