In this looseleaf work the author describes various aspects of the competition laws of the United States, the European Community, Germany and the United Kingdom. He concludes with a comparative evaluation of the provisions in these systems that deal specifically with monopolies and mergers. It is intended to produce supplements at regular intervals: one appeared in 1989, and there will be two or perhaps three in 1990.

This is a frustrating book. At times it is helpful and interesting: the treatment of U.S. law, for example, is concise and uptodate; treatment of mergers is useful throughout. The author shows a clear understanding of the facts of commercial life, and many passages of the book are absorbing. However, one must ask whether it possesses sufficient qualities to justify an initial outlay of £187.50, plus £58 per annum for supplements, given the amount of material already on the market in this area. This reviewer has doubts.

The first doubt is one of identity: it is not clear what the object of this work is: it is clearly not intended as an exhaustive practitioners’ guide—it would be difficult to deal with the competition laws of these four jurisdictions in 2592 pages, let alone 592. If, however, the intention is to present a scholarly comparative analysis, one wonders whether a shorter, and therefore cheaper, volume would not have been more appropriate than a looseleaf work. What has actually emerged lies awkwardly between these two possibilities. Also, on the question of identity, one wonders why the author chooses to concentrate mainly on monopolies and mergers rather than cartels; was this choice dictated by space? If not, some explanation of what appears a rather arbitrary exclusion of an integral part of competition law might help.

As to the exposition of the law itself, the book reflects a considerable amount of research and contains much information. For readers in the United Kingdom, the analysis of German and, in particular, U.S. law will be helpful. However, there are some curiosities, which may be ironed out in supplements. The author, writing in 1987, refers several times to the 1977 Notice on Minor Agreements which was in fact replaced in 1986 (see, e.g., pp. 193, 202 and 259). In the passage on exclusive distribution agreements under EEC law, the author cites the Commission’s draft Regulation of 1982 rather than the actual Regulation of 1983, leading to an