The bill of lading has been the subject of numerous articles, dissertations, and textbooks over the years, and this is hardly surprising. The bill of lading has a fascinating history, it has several functions with roots in both contract and property law, and its issuance may trigger the application of an international convention on the carriage of goods by sea, the Hague–Visby Rules. Whereas most books on the subject deal with the bill of lading in general, this book zooms in on the straight bill of lading and covers the differences (and similarities) with a negotiable (order or bearer) bill of lading.