We start, of course, with speed traps and the suggestion of a radio talk show host that giving speed trap warnings is a religious obligation. Our major topic, though, is the insanity of the textbook market. Christian takes a typically moderate position and argues that all textbooks should be free. Joe takes a typically strident position and argues that it’s more complicated than that. We discuss our respective projects to change the nature and distribution of law school casebooks. Topics include: textbooks as playlists, how their production is like and unlike the production of wikipedia, the traditional model and how much students pay, the weird market for textbooks, Joe’s collaboration with Lydia Loren to become the Radiohead of textbook publishers, and one publisher’s attempt essentially to lease rather than sell textbooks. We close by noting that it’s hot here now (the slight hiss when Joe speaks is the air conditioning) and Christian’s related parenting woes.

This show’s links:


Atlanta’s News Radio 106.7 FM and, in particular, The Michael Graham Show
Episode 7: Speed Trap and follow-up on speed-trap law on Episode 8: Party All Over the World
Christian Turner, This Thing I Made, describing HydraText
Yochai Benkler, The Wealth of Networks, from which you can download the book or read it in a browser
The Berkman Center’s H2O Project at Harvard University
eLangdell, CALI’s casebook project
Semaphore Press, Joe’s and Lydia Loren’s casebook company
James Grimmelman, Internet Law: Cases and Materials
Daniel Nazer, Aspen to Students: Your Property Book is Not Your Property
Mike Masnick, Publisher 'DRMs' Physical Legal Textbook About 'Property,' Undermines Property And First Sale Concepts
Josh Blackman, Aspen Casebook Connect Textbooks Must Be Returned At End Of Class, Cannot Be Resold
Josh Blackman, Aspen Issues Revised “Connected Casebook” – Now You Can Choose To Keep Your Book
Ian Chant, Law Profs Revolt after Aspen Casebook Tries to Get Around First Sale Doctrine