THE IPKAT BOOK OF THE MONTH: SEPTEMBER 2003

We all have them -- objects of desire, choice items of personal property which we savour and enjoy. Be it a fine bottle of single malt whisky, an elegant piece of jewellery or a state-of-the-art camcorder. The IPKat's current pet object desire is the new edition of Bill Cornish's classic, Intellectual Property. Patents, Copyright, Trade Marks and Allied Rights , the fifth edition of which has just been published by Sweet & Maxwell. This new edition, extending to nearly 900 pages, has been co-authored by London solicitor David Llewelyn of White & Case, who has taken responsibility for this tome's four chapters on trade marks.

Having sampled various segments of the new Cornish, the IPKat is pleased to pronounce it excellent. Tightly written, it provides a review of UK and much European IP law which is as remarkable for its depth of analysis as for its breadth of subject-matter. As it travels the years the work also seems to have become increasingly navigable (though this is possibly at least a by-product of the IPKat's increasing familiarity with it). Although the work was originally written for students, practitioners and academics will greatly appreciate it. The text is current to spring 2003. The paperback retails at £32 for the benefit of students, but the real object of desire -- the handsome, solid hardback edition in its smart black binding with green and gold title box -- is a snip at the mere £80 asked for it.