The essential Holmes : selections from the letters, speeches, judicial opinions, and other writings of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. / edited and with an introduction by Richard A. Posner.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- Aging And Death: -- To Green (Oct 14, 1911) -- Reflections on the past and future (1912) -- To Einstein (Aug 30, 1908) -- To Sheehan (Sept 3, 1910; Oct 18, 1912) -- To Einstein (April 17, 1914) -- To Laski (March 31, 1920) -- To Pollock (Nov 19, 1922; Dec 31, 1922; Aug 12, 1923; Dec 1, 1925) -- To the Pollocks (May 24, 1929) -- To Laski (May 30, 1929) -- To Einstein (June ?, 1929; June 5, 1928) -- To Laski (June 15, 1929; Sept 29, 1929) -- To Pollock (May 20, 1930; June 9, 1930) -- To Einstein (Feb 8, 1931; May 29, 1931) -- To Pollock (Aug 16, 1931) -- To Federal Bar Association (Feb 29, 1932) -- Radio Address (1931) -- To Pollock (April 21, 1932) -- Joie de Vivre: -- To Green (Nov 9, 1913) -- To Laski (Dec 15, 1923) -- To Lady Pollock (Jan 10, 1094) -- To Einstein (Jan 6, 1908) -- To Sheehan (Nov 23, 1912; Dec 15, 1912) -- To Laski (Dec 31, 1916; Nov 30, 1917; Dec 22, 1922) -- To Pollock (May 21, 1922; Nov 5, 1923) -- To Cohen (Jan 30, 1921) -- To Laski (Jan 12, 1921; March 15, 1917; March 29[23?], 1917; Feb 19, 1920; Feb 25, 1921) -- To Pollock (April 6, 1924) -- To Laski (Feb 20, 1925) -- To Pollock (June 10, 1923; April 2, 1926) -- To Laski (July 1, 1927; Jan 23, 1928; Feb 18 1928) -- Culture And Personalities: -- Dr S Weir Mitchel (1900) -- To Laski (March 26, 1925) -- To Green (June 7, 1914) -- To Pollock (Oct 13, 1921) -- To Laski (Aug 24, 1924; Feb 1, 1925) -- Herbert verses Shanley Co (1917) -- To Einstein (July 28, 1928) -- Bleistein versus Donaldson Lithographing Co (1903) -- To Laski (March 11, 1922) -- To Pollock (Jan 23, 1922) -- Einstein (Dec 5, 1913) -- To Laski (Feb 17, 1924) -- To Einstein (July 23, 1906) -- To Pollock (Feb 26, 1911) -- To Laski (March 28, 1924) -- To Pollock (Aug 9, 1924) -- To Einstein (March 8, 1914) -- To Laski (Sept 22, 1922; April 14, 1921) -- To Pollock (Feb 10 1925) -- To Laski (July 21, 1921; Aug 6, 1917) -- To Sheehan (Oct 27, 1912) -- To Pollock (Feb 9, 1921) -- To Einstein (Nov 24, 1912) -- To Laski (Dec 15, 1917) -- To Pollock (May 25, 1906; Dec 31, 1911) -- To Einstein (June 17, 1908; Sept 27, 1909) -- To Laski (June 14, 1922) -- To Einstein (May 19, 1927) -- To Ford (Aug 20, 1917) -- Life Struggle: -- Fraternity of Arms (1897) -- Address at Ipswich (1902) -- To Einstein's daughter (May 6, 1925) -- To Laski (Aug 20, 1926; Dec 15, 1926) -- Bar Association Speech (1900) -- Memorial Day (1884) -- To Soldier's Faith (1895) -- Class of 61 (1911) -- On receiving the degree of Doctor of Laws (1886) -- To Laski (Nov 13, 1921) -- George Otis Shattuck (1897) -- Address of Chief Justice Holmes (1902) -- To Einstein (October 12, 1914) -- To Pollock (Feb 1, 1920) -- Buck versus Bell (1927) -- To Cohen (Sept 6, 1920) -- Metaphysics: -- To Laski (Jan 27, 1929; Jan 11, 1929) -- To Pollock (Aug 30 1929) -- To Laski (June 1, 1919) -- To Cohen (Feb 5, 1919) -- To Green (Oct 1, 1901) -- To Laski (Feb 26, 1918; April 13, 1929; Sept 27, 1921) -- To Einstein (May 21, 1914) -- To Ford (Dec 29, 1917) -- To Laski (Dec 9, 1921; April 6, 1920) -- To Green (Aug 20, 1909) -- To Laski (June 24, 1926; Sept 15, 1929; April 18, 1930) -- Ideals and doubts (1915) -- Social Struggle: -- Gas-Stokers Strike (1873) -- Commonwealth versus Perry (1891) -- Vegelahn versus Guntner (1896) -- Plant versus Woods (1900) -- Economic Elements (1904) -- Northern Securities Co Versus United States (1904) -- To Ford (April 6, 1911) -- Dr Miles Medical Co versus John D Park & Sons Co (1911) -- To Laski (July 23, 1925) -- To Einstein (Oct 28, 1912) -- To Laski (Aug 1, 1925; May 24, 1919; Feb 28, 1919; May 21, 1927; July 8, 1928) -- Law and the Court (1913) -- Activity Of Law: -- Despondency and hope (1902) -- Twenty years in retrospect (1902) -- Giles versus Harris (1903) -- America Banana Co versus United Fruit Co (1909) -- Olmstead versus United States (1928) -- Path of the law (1897) -- Dunbar versus Boston & Providence RR (1902) -- To Pollock (Jan 19, 1928) -- To Ford (Jan 13, 1911) -- Natural law (1928) -- Learning and science (1895) -- Law in science and science in law (1899) -- To Ford (Feb 8, 1908) -- Jackman versus Rosenbaum Co (1922) -- Stack versus New York, New Haven & Hartford RR (1900) -- Holdsworth's English Law (1909) -- John Marshall (1901) -- Walbridge Abner Field (1899) -- William Allen (1891) -- To Pollock (Aug 27, 1883) -- To Laski (June 4, 1920; Dec 17, 1925) -- To Pollock (Feb 24, 1923) -- To Laski (Nov 10, 1923; Jan 16, 1918) -- Profession of the law (1886) -- Sidney Bartlett (1889) -- Law (1885) -- Use of law schools (1886) -- Common Law: -- Southern Pacific Co versus Jensen (1917) -- Black & White Taxi Co versus Brown & Yellow Taxi Co (1928) -- Western maid (1922) -- To Laski (Jan 29, 1926) -- To Pollock (March 5, 1881) -- Common Law (1881): Lecture 1: (Early forms of liability) -- Lecture 2: (Criminal Law) -- Lecture 3: (Torts-Trespass and Negligence) -- Lecture 4: (Elements of Contract) -- To Laski (Feb 1, 1919; June 1, 1922) -- Globe Refining Co Versus Landa Cotton Oil Co (1903) -- LeRoy Fibre Co versus Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul Ry (1914) -- United Zinc & Chemical Co versus Britt (1922) -- Baltimore & Ohio RR versus Goodman (1927) -- Brown versus United States (1921) -- Commonwealth versus Pierce (1884) -- Hamilton versus West End Street Ry (1895) -- Butler versus New York, New Haven & Hartford RR (1900) -- Burt versus Advertiser Newspaper Co (1891) -- Hanson versus Globe Newspaper Co (1893) -- Arizona Employers' Liability Cases (1919) -- Interpretation: -- Towne versus Eisner (1918) -- Johnson versus United States (1908) -- International Stevedoring Co versus Haverty (1926) -- Boston Sand & Gravel Co versus United States (1928) -- Gompers versus United States (1914) -- Missouri versus Holland (1920) -- Springer versus Philippine Islands (1928) -- Theory of legal interpretation (1899) -- Opinion of the Justices (1901) -- Storti versus Commonwealth (1901) -- Liberty: -- McAuliffe versus Mayor & Board of Aldermen of New Bedford (1892) -- Otis versus Parker (1903) -- Lochner versus New York (1905) -- Adkins versus Children's Hospital (1923) -- Hammer versus Dagenhart (1918) -- Truax versus Corrigan (1921) -- Tyson & Bro versus Banton (1927) -- Baldwin versus Missouri (1930) -- Schenck versus United States (1919) -- To Laski (March 16, 1919) -- Abrams versus United States (1919) -- To Laski (Oct 26, 1919) -- Gitlow versus New York (1925) -- Einstein (July 11, 1925) -- United States versus Schwimmer (1929) -- Hyde versus United States (1909) -- Silverthorne Lumber Co versus United States (1920) -- To Laski (Aug 24, 1927) -- Frank versus Mangum (1915) -- Moore versus Dempsey (1923) -- Index.

Overview: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., has been called the greatest jurist and legal scholar in the history of the English-speaking world. In this collection of his speeches, opinions, and letters, Richard Posner reveals the fullness of Holmes' achievements as judge, historian, philosopher, and master of English style. Thematically arranged, the volume covers a rich variety of subjects from aging and death to themes in politics, personalities, and law. Posner's substantial introduction firmly places this wealth of material in its proper biographical and historical context.