The Legalist Reformation

“Confident and successful. . . . Ranges across decades to depict the transformation of the common law of New York in the twentieth century. . . . A major contribution to twentieth-century American legal history. It goes into extraordinary depth into New York common law across the century and considers how one influential state legal system . . . met the legal demands of religious and ethnic diversity.” — Law and History Review

“Nelson’s vision is expansive, his research prodigious, his analysis insightful, and his achievement impressive. . . . This fresh research is scholarship of the first order, in itself a major contribution.” — Journal of American History

“Drawing on a beautifully detailed study of thousands of court opinions and life in New York, William Nelson reveals how twentieth century common law jurists brought together the diverse racial, ethnic, and religious factions in the state.” — Harvard Law Review

“This splendid book was fifteen years in the making, and it sets a new and very high standard for studies of American legal history in the twentieth century. It is based on intensive work in an immense body of source material.” — American Historical Review

“Nowhere is the concept of the law as an evolving, dynamic, and progressive force in modern American society better espoused than in this seminal, exhaustive piece of legal and historical research. . . . This scholarly work is highly recommended for academic and law libraries.” — Library Journal

“An excellent history of our most influential state legal system. A brilliant achievement.” — Morton J. Horwitz, Harvard Law School

“A stunning achievement. Nelson’s reading of thousands of cases has enabled him to construct a fascinating picture of change over time in New York. This will be a book of great interest to legal, political, social, and economic historians.” — Laura Kalman, University of California, Santa Barbara