How to Be Sort of Happy in Law School Paperback – August 7, 2018

As a current second year law student who read this book as a 1L, I can say, without reservation, that this book made all the difference for me. It's full of wisdom, humor, and important reminders of things you may already know but can easily lose sight of while immersed in the law school environment. Unlike the typical how to navigate law school book, this book is written not only for the law student who seeks to accumulate all the well-known badges of prestige, but also the law student who is LGBTQ, racially diverse, interested in pursuing public interest law, or struggling to stay connected to the values that brought them to law school in the first place. In addition to being a quick and enjoyable read, it is deeply affirming, tailored to the individual experience, and overflowing with pragmatism and concrete advice that you can employ immediately to make the law school experience more pleasant. I would recommend it wholeheartedly and enthusiastically to anyone attending or thinking of attending law school.

I am a university professor and many of my students want to go to law school. I now recommend this book to all of them. But I also recommend this book more broadly. This is not your typical back to school book for L1 students. How to Be Sort of Happy is a rigorously researched, sociologically oriented, and well-written book that should be read by educators and education scholars as well as current and potential law students, practicing lawyers, and people who left law school. I learned a lot about legal education and the ways in which inequality is playing out in law students' lives. Professor Young is an award winning educator and sociologist. But it is her humor in this book and expertise in the field of legal education that make this book such a joy to read.

This truly is a must read for prospective and current law students, their family and friends, and anyone else considering or actively pursuing higher education. Unlike most resources aimed at prospective students, Young doesn't dance around troubling statistics (lack of diversity, prevalence of mental health struggles and financial debt). Instead, through qualitative research and an extremely personable voice, she presents a more realistic look into the world of law.Beyond its honesty and informational value though, this book is amazing for the soul. In each chapter, there are thought experiments and tangible solutions that allow readers a deeper understanding of themselves and a sense of control.This book is eye-opening and particularly ahead of its time in the way it shines light on often stigmatized topics in institutional environments (and most high stress environments for that matter). Still, one can't help but feel more assured of their purpose, empowered in deciding to take action, and less alone in their fears after reading.

After finishing my first semester I can say this book is spot on. A must read

Gave this book to my son who really enjoyed reading it.

This book will vaccinate you against so many of the horrors of law school. It'll prepare you for law school, the sheer of amount of work, the not-so-kind people, etc.It'll also uplift your spirits! It'll make you feel like you belong in law school and reinforce your reasons for going to law school.With so much uncertainty in the world, especially with regards to how law school will look like for the Class of 2023, I highly recommend you read this book. For my fellow incoming 1Ls, we may not be able to control what law school will look like, but we can control how we react to it and this book will help you do just that!

I read this book this past weekend and found myself constantly nodding and saying "Yes!" out loud. There were just so many points in reading the stories and anecdotes that so completely resonated with my own law school experience (which was, unfortunately, felt largely miserable and lonely). I wonder how things might have been different, at least for me emotionally and mentally, if I'd had this book with me as a companion during those three years. Certainly, I would have known in many respects, the experiences of alienation and self-doubt that I was having were much more universal, and I know that even that would have been a great comfort.I've already gifted this book to two friends of mine -- one is in her first year of law school, and one is about to start in the fall. The friend who is in her first year has already professed how helpful the book has been in helping to allay so much of the anxiety that crops up during her first semester. I'm so thankful to Professor Young for putting this book out there, and it makes me happy to know that in giving her book to others, I am hopefully helping them find a better way to muddle their way through the experience that is law school, than I had myself.

This book is an honest guide on what to expect while in law school. I HIGHLY recommend this book not only to law students but to everyone [kids, parents, friends, etc] who plans to spend time around them. It's honest and direct, there's no sugarcoating a difficult journey in law school. I sent my friends each a book so they could try and understand what my journey will be like, and how they could best support me on this next chapter of my life.