Don't Go to Jail!: Saul Goodman's Guide to Keeping the Cuffs Off

by Saul Goodman, Steve Huff

Got the long arm of the law around your neck?
Does Lady Justice have her eye on you?
Were you set up at a lineup?
Saul Goodman can help!

There are some crazy laws out there. Did you know that in New Mexico there’s a law that says “idiots” can’t vote? Or that Massachusetts still has a ban on Quakers and witches? Or that in Georgia it’s illegal to put a donkey in a bathtub?

Even if you’re not bathing a donkey (and hey, if you are, no judgment from me!), you could be breaking the law right now and not even know it. That’s why you need Don't Go to Jail! You can carry the advice of a seasoned legal practitioner with you anywhere you go, helping you to stay out of the courts and in the good graces of the criminal justice system.

Want to be your own attorney? Want to avoid getting hauled in on a warrant? Want to keep the cops from discovering the baggie of “your friend’s” marijuana stashed under the passenger seat of your car? This is your chance to get those tips and many more savory bits of indispensable legal advice--all for much less than my usual hourly fee.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Audiobook, Law, Crime, Comedy

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2016

About the author

Saul Goodman is a fictional character from the television shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.

Reviews

[Cathrine Trautman · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've ever watched Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul, then the humor of this book will definitely prevail. For the most part, much of the legal advice (at least to me) was pretty much common sense. As stated several times throughout the book, this is just a "tip of the iceberg" perspective of the legal world. What is pretty interesting are the many examples he gives of real legal stories.

[Heenee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saw this in the book store and had to own a Breaking Bad book!😂 It wasn't the most interesting thing ever, but it definitely felt like Saul Goodman.

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw this book I had to have it. Never mind that I came into the store on my lunch break for some emergency Ramen - I needed this! So, book in hand without my Ramen because I got distracted, I left the store... and left this on my shelf for almost a year.

I got this because I loved Breaking Bad and am equally fond of the spin-off Better Call Saul.
In Don't Go to Jail! you get advice from a "lawyer" in a humorous way. For those of you who watched either series: Yes, it sounds like it straight from the mouth of Saul Goodman.
Pros: Comically written. Common sense kind of stuff. Light reading.
Cons: It's still based on legal subjects, so it took a little bit of pushing to get through. (Says the reader who finished it within a couple of hours.)

I'd recommend this to fans, anyone with a career in the legal field, and as a white elephant gift.

I bought this at a Dollar Tree store - $1.07 well spent.
Read the intro and you'll find the humor of having this "dollar in my pocket".

[Robert Federline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is mischaracterized as comedy. It may be presented in a slightly amusing fashion, and in the voice of the fictional somewhat shyster lawyer, Saul Goodman, but it is surprisingly spot-on in its legal advice.

This is actually a book of rather practical advice on how to approach legal issues (representing yourself in court, speaking with investigators or the police, what are potential defenses or alibis, etc). The advice is solid. It is not presented in the language of the Harvard Law School scholar,, but is very relatable with the similes and metaphors used by someone much closer to the street.

This is highly recommended for those of you with larceny in your hearts and wondering how to get away with it. The easiest way, of course, is not to try it in the first place. But knowing how easily you may be influenced by peers and an excess of your favorite cheap beer, this book will help you figure out what to do after you already made your mistakes, and are trying to minimize the price you must pay when found out.

Comedy? Perhaps so. Practical? Very.

[Rob Hermanowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fans of AMC's TV series "Better Call Saul" (which is, beyond all expectations, a fantastic spinoff/prequel to "Breaking Bad")will find this to be a fun, if not essential, book. Though not narrated by Bob Odenkirk (who plays Jimmy McGill - aka Saul Goodman), Fred Berman sounds a lot like him, and keeps the tone of the audiobook version very upbeat and humorous. It actually seems to contain a fair amount of useful legal advise, too.

[Krissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really not very good. I'm a huge Better Call Saul fan (preferred it to Breaking Bad) and this just doesn't feel like the character of Saul Goodman (or Jimmy McGill.) I wish someone from the actual BCS/BB writing team had written this book. Disappointing.

[David Macpherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a media tie in book, this was pretty good. Saul Goodman's guide on how to use a lawyer. It had the humor and schtick of the character from Better Call Saul. It even tied into his character and some of the story, a tiny bit anyway. The legal advice was rudimentary but the attitude was good. Also, it knew not to outstay its welcome. It was short, and a smart choice that.

[Chris Lund · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't really figure out what this book is trying to be. It's sort of comedy, sort of genuine advice, but seems to occupy a weird middle space where it attempts to do both, but succeeds at neither. A lot of the writing is an attempt to mimic the speech and mannerisms of Saul Goodman, but it's really not the same when it isn't coming out of Saul Goodman himself. It feels really forced, like they just threw in some phrases here and there without any consideration of the rest of the context. A lot of the info is also very vague and general, and is kind of all over the place. Oh well - at least it's a fun cover that looks good on a shelf.

[KingSolomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shockingly very interesting. I thought this was going to be a drag but I was very engrossed. I never rlly got the hype for Saul or his humor in Breaking Bad, never cared to check out Better Call Saul. I may have wrote him off too quick because he caught me giggling a few times. The amount of legal advice here while very helpful has me wondering if lawyers rlly need to stipulate “This isn’t legal advice”? Bc I don’t recall Saul doing so. Cool that the narrator sounds like Saul tho it’s not his actor.

My two gripes would be that he repeated himself a bit at times, and some of his jargon was outdated and awkward to me. Otherwise, pleasant.

4.6

[Anna Kopp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the show and saw this on Reddit so I had to check it out. Didn't know what to expect, but I enjoyed reading it. It's just a very entertaining (non-fiction) down-to-Earth guide on what to do when you're in trouble and need a lawyer, filled with fun stories about real life people. Not something I'd ever thought I would like reading but the witty writing had me hooked.

[Edwin Notw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool funny and interesting. I’ve gotten myself into some trouble before and this does give you sound advice. I can especially hear my lawyers voice every time he said “Keep your mouth shut!” Which the writer of this book highly emphasizes. It was a fun read and an entertaining couple of hours. Being a fan of the show helps out too.

[Mari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh! Might’ve been more enjoyable in printed form, but I had the audiobook & the reader makes a difference. I didn’t care for his obvious attempts to sound like the actor who plays Saul Goodman. Aside from a couple funny anecdotes, this can be appreciated by only the most die hard BB/BCS fans.

[Sadistic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read like an episode of better call Saul

[Travines · Rating 3 out of 5]

good cheap legal advice by a Saul Goodman impersonator.

[Matthew Furman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't search too hard for "Breaking Bad" references here; there's precious few. But there IS some surprisingly helpful and practical legal advice.

[Richard Kothe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative about our legal system but I was hoping for a comedic adventure not sure who the target audience is

[syd]

ultimate goodwill find of biblical proportions

[Greg M. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this audiobook thinking it would be humorous fiction, closely based on the Breaking Bad character. Turned out to be real legal advice, starting with very useful tips for the typical citizen. It soon delved into areas of advice for activities closer to those undertaken by the unsavory characters on the show, from shoplifting to prostitution to murder, and how to get away with it. But ends with a serious call for people who might be like the characters in the show to clean up their act, including getting married and going to church.

[Bradley Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you find yourself in a situation where you could be on a one-way trip to the Big House, lawyer up. And when times are tough, don’t get a “criminal lawyer,” hire a “criminal” lawyer. This book is an introductory guide through the legal process from covering everything such as why you should not be your own lawyer, what qualities to look for in a lawyer, possible outcomes and scenarios to various felonies and misdemeanors, and what you should do if you want to become a lawyer. There are also tons of helpful nuggets of information such as not talking to the police even if you’re innocent, life coaching to turn your past negative influences into more positive influences, conviction and appeals options, tips and tricks to survive when you’re locked up, and laws behind detainment, entrapment, and searches. The book is written in Saul’s language complete with sly jokes and witty observations, but it is also meant to be a helpful (and humorous) resource for a basic understanding of the judicial process.

Since Saul Goodman is a fictional lawyer from the television series “Better Call Saul,” this book is obviously not written by Saul or the actor who portrays him Bob Odenkirk. Steve Huff, the actual author, is an accomplished columnist and contributor to many publications. This book was designed as a tie-in to the series. If you were looking for a character-driven book full of jokes and inaccurate information presented as facts such as Jon Stewart’s or Stephen Colbert’s books, then this isn’t that book. Saul is a lawyer and, once paid, has attorney-client privilege to get you the best possible scenario in your case and this book serves as a means to help with that. This book isn’t meant to be some great legal resource that will help you pass the bar, but it has useful information that is always helpful to have in any situation. You may not be able to explain what adjudication is in great detail, but it doesn’t take a lot of time and energy to remember stuff like “don’t talk to anyone but your lawyer.”

[Trea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shut up and lawyer up!

[E7boehm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun for what it is good reading break legal tips are actually good.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty fun and informational, should you ever find yourself in need of a 'criminal' lawyer

[TheVexedGerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny look at the legal system in line with the comedy from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.