property

Property
$14.00
Winner of the 2003 Orange Prize, Property by Valerie Martin is an extremely readable story set in the South and is, obviously, about slavery and what it means to be free.

Manon is the wife of a cruel slaveowner and is miserable in her marriage. She idealizes her father, who was kind (relatively speaking) to his slaves, and hates her husband, but really, she is not that kind to her slaves herself. Manon is not a likable character at all, though we do feel a little sympathetic toward her situation. Her attitudes toward slavery were probably typical of the time -- in other words, deplorable.

It is ironic that Manon really is `property' to her husband as well. I believe that is the thrust of the novel. There is a parallel story between her and her slave Sarah. Both desperately want freedom, but Manon cannot understand why Sarah won't accept her position as slave. There is a certain scene between Manon and Sarah that I *did not* care for, but it illustrated Manon's attitudes perfectly. She was enforcing her `ownership' of Sarah just as her husband did.

I thought the story was leading up to a certain conclusion in the end, but it didn't happen, and the book ends a bit abruptly. Though I wanted more, the book definitely is thought-provoking. It is a quick read -- I read it in a single day, and I do recommend it if you're interested in the time period or Orange Prize winners.

Gilbert Law Summaries on Property, 17th
$30.95
I really like this study aid because it was in outline form, which made it quick and easy to read. If you know there is a certain topic that you need to brush up on you can look at the Table of Contents and flip to the exact subject you need easily because it is well organized.

Additionally, the Exam Strategies are really helpful because they are little hints to remember. It reminds you to keep in mind something that is particularly tricky or special about a rule or subject matter.

This helped me learn the subject of property because it allowed me to supplement my class notes and fill in any holes that I had. It was easy to read and follow which made it extremely beneficial.

CrunchTime: Property
$29.95
I used this book to study two weeks prior to finals. It saved me. I just wished I would have started it earlier. Great flow charts included.

Property Examples & Explanations, 3e
$43.95
I am using the 3rd edition Property E&E to prepare for my finals and it is appalling how terrible this one is. I'm surprised that many other reviewers are giving this book good reviews. I agree completely with the previous negative reviews. The authors use incoherent sentences, do not flesh out the topics in enough depth, and ask questions which cannot be answered solely based on the explained content. Wish I had time to go find a better alternative...