I really quite enjoyed this book, but then again, my interest lean into legal system stories. It's been a few years since I read it and it's high time for another read, I suspect. ( )

If you are interested in law this is a good place to start. Written for the uninitiated, it has a mild tone and is easily digested in one sitting. She uses interesting tales to illustrate different aspects of family law. I do wish however she had spent less time on one main case and instead expanded more on other cases presented throughout the book. ( )

Interesting glimpse into problems of family law practice, particularly regarding changes in expectations, child bearing arrangements and custody disputes.

Margaret Klaw is a good storyteller. This was a very enjoyable book. I liked seeing behind the scenes of family law. It read a little bit like a serialized novel in that the main case narrative was interrupted with interesting facts about how the courts work. These asides did not appear to relate to the case however. They were very interesting tidbits and I was startled to learn about them for the first time. It did keep me turning pages. ( )

Keeping It Civil is extremely entertaining. It's the kind of book you can read on a one-way train ride from New Haven, Connecticut to midtown Manhattan. I should know because I just did it. It's a peepshow into the world of relationships which are on the brink of complication. Divorce is the obvious scenario for which a family lawyer is needed but consider these cases: same-sex marriage and artificial insemination rights, to name a two. Nothing about humans or their relationships is cut and dried anymore. For example, I was surprised to learned that as a same-sex couple, you can get visit the state of Vermont and get married while you are there, but to get divorced you have to have lived in the state for a minimum of six months. ( )