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CHOICE Review

Laband (Clemson University) and Heinbuch cover the early history, current laws, and some economic effects of Sunday closing (blue) laws in the 50 states. The chapter on the history of blue laws largely contains samples of and excerpts from early English and American statutes, from 399 CE and 1610 respectively. The Sunday-closing laws are summarized state by state in a chapter consisting of about 40% of the volume's pages. In considering the public policy debate, the author presents some arguments on blue legislation and reproduces other arguments (two letters to an editor, a position paper, and two essays). The economic impact analysis in Chapter 5 examines church membership and contributions, energy consumption, per capita income and poverty, and recreation, all compared in 20 states, half with (and half without) blue laws. The volume concludes with a discussion of blue laws in England, Australia, and Canada. This interesting study usefully summarizes but does not evaluate the arguments for and against blue laws and conveniently details relevant state laws. The quantitative economic analysis is merely suggestive, not convincing. References are selective but include some early and useful works. Upper-division and graduate audiences.-R.A. Miller, Wesleyan University