{"product_id":"william-blackstone-law-and-letters-in-the-eighteenth-century-9780199550296","title":"William Blackstone: Law and Letters in the Eighteenth Century","description":"\u003cp\u003eLawyer  judge  politician  poet  teacher  and architect  William Blackstone was a major figure in eighteenth century public life. Over his varied and brilliant career he made profound contributions to English politics  law  education  and culture through involvements in legal practice  Parliament  and the University of Oxford. Throughout he also remained engaged in his societys literary and spiritual life. Despite the breadth and influence of his work  Blackstone the man remains little known and poorly understood  the lack of engagement with his public and private life standing in stark contrast to the scale of his influence  particularly on the development and teaching of the law.  Blackstones Commentaries on the Laws of England remains the most celebrated and influential text in the Anglo-American common-law tradition. This great book has inevitably overshadowed its author  while the dispersal of his personal and professional papers further complicates the task of understanding the man behind the work. The lack of a thorough account of Blackstones life has fuelled controversy surrounding his intellectual background and political views. Was he the deeply reactionary conservative painted by Bentham  or rather a committed reformer and early champion of human rights?  The present biography makes full use of a considerable body of new evidence that has emerged in recent years to shed light on the life  work  and times of this neglected figure in English and American history. Exploring Blackstones family upbringing and private life  his political activities and ideology  his religious outlook and championing of the enlightenment  Prest weaves together the threads of an extraordinary mind and career.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45648345595957,"sku":"ByrdShop_0199550298","price":105.14,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780199550296.jpg?v=1781716545","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/william-blackstone-law-and-letters-in-the-eighteenth-century-9780199550296","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}