n Journal of South African Law / Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg - Introduction to International Law, T.W. Bennett and J. Strug : boekbesprekings

Abstract

This is the first edition of Introduction to International Law by Bennett and Strug. As the title suggests, this is an introductory text on public international law with the purpose of whetting the appetite of readers to individually conduct further research into specific topics. This is a well-researched and well-written book. Public international law overflows with complex principles and concepts, and Bennett and Strug manage to unlock this by making it understandable to persons unfamiliar with these principles and concepts. From cover to cover Introduction to International Law is a classic example of everything that a lawyer looks for in an introductory legal text: from the detailed table of contents, index of cases and treaties, bibliography, relevant use of headings and footnotes in the text-part of the book, right to the comprehensive index at the end of the book. However, what distinguishes this book from other legal texts is the extras added by the authors, consisting of "graphic material", text boxes and a "table of country information". Bennett and Strug explain this as an endeavour to overcome the fact that "[l]egal works are, like most academic texts, notorious for being dry and inaccessible to lay readers" (v), an accusation that cannot be made in relation to this book.