Some law students find jurisprudence daunting, impersonal, dry and seemingly detached from practical affairs. Building on a pragmatic view of jurisprudence, this book explores different ways of reading and using juristic texts, to set them in context, to bring them to life and to engage with the reader's own concerns. It aims to bring together into a coherent whole widely scattered articles/essays centering on three related themes: reading juristic texts, the role of narrative in law and the relationship between theory and practice. The author challenges parochial assumptions about legal theory and outlines a programme for a revived general jurisprudence in the context of globalization. He also explores in depth different ways of reading and using juristic texts, with particular reference to Holmes, Hart, Bentham and Llewellyn, and examines the uses and abuses of narrative and story-telling in legal contexts.