Rating: 
Summary: Eye Opening Experience
Review: "Four Trials" by John Edwards has opened my eyes into the life of these four trials that John took up during his law practice. These trials help change the lives of his clients, at first I was skeptical, but the direction he took these trials makes you want to believe in the system. This book is a definate must read, it gives you information into the life of John Edwards and why he was running for president. This book does not describe totally why he was running for president, but just gives you detials into his life of why he wants to help people. This book makes you cry and makes you wanna believe again in the legal system. I have nothing more than praise for John Edwards and I wish him well in the rest of his career. Even if your not a person that intersted in John Edwards, a Democrat, it is a book that does not have any political boundries. It deals with everyday issues regarding how lives can change so suddenly for the worse and you need people to help you get through tough times and is very symbolic of the American Dream. It is one of my all time favorite books now and definatly encourage you guys to read it just take my word for it. After you read it, you will have nothing more than praise for it. It is also suprising how it is an easy read even though you might think it will not be due to law jargon. Anymore questions or comments AVINAY62@aol.com
Rating:
Summary: Now I understand
Review: As a nurse, the thought of a trial lawyer has caused me to come out in hives or more than one occasion, but I would be lying through my teeth if I didn't admit that mistakes with horrendous sequelae do sometimes happen. That said, do not genuinely hurt people have a right to financial compensation for the wrong they have sufferred? If it were my child who was born with cerebral palsy and I later found out that it could have been prevented had appropriate care standards been followed; you better believe I would be suing, and as a nurse, I would expect to be held responsible for my actions if I were involved in such a case. Frivolous lawsuits aside, there are many other suits with merit that never come to the trial stage. It has become fashionable to blame "frivolous" lawsuits on the high cost of healthcare. Perhaps, if we really paid attention to the mistake statistics in our health care facilities, we would understand that the real way to solve these problems is to improve processes so that actual errors become fewer. Should we deny injured people the result to financial compensation for a lifetime of pain and suffering because we are worried about the companies and people who messed up? How fair would that be? We're sorry but you can no longer sue for lost wages and all the special equipment you now need just to get by because we're trying to cut back on frivolous lawsuits! Give me a break!! D. Allison should go back and read the book again and ask herself if she genuinely feels that these particular cases had no merit and that John Edward's sole motivation in bringing them to trial was self gain. The child who was eviscerated over some screws that were not deemed important by a company deserved every penny she received. Sure, Mr Edwards made money, but I don't think any of us would do what we do for free.
Rating:
Summary: Lawyers - also see Common Sense Rules of Advocacy
Review: Edwards' book is excellent, but lawyers who want to be more persuasive should also get a practical book on trial advocacy, "Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers." The author, Keith Evans, practiced as a British barrister for a decade and as a California trial lawyer for many years. He also lectured regularly to many American Inns of Court.What others have said about Evans book: "Terrific"
-- Philip H. Corboy, Corboy & Demetrio, Chicago, IL "Valuable review for the old timers and an excellent primer for those who are starting the climb."
-- Jacob A. Stein, Stein, Mitchell & Mezines, Washington, DC "A wonderful 'Bible' for the trial lawyer who wants to win. If only we had had this in law school!"
-- Browne Greene, Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler, Santa Monica, CA "Even the most experienced trial lawyer can pick up some new techniques here."
-- Frederick C. Moss, Professor, Dedman School of Law, Southern Methodist University "Remarkable compendium of useful advice."
-- Roxanne Barton Conlin, Roxanne Conlin & Associates, Des Moines, IA (first woman President of Association of Trial Lawyers of America) "Great introduction for the new lawyer and a wonderful learning tool for the advocate with experience."
-- Sherman L. Cohn, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center (first national President of American Inns of Court) See more information about Evans' book by searching Amazon for ISBN 1587330059
Rating: 
Summary: Courtroom drama is riveting
Review: Full disclosure - I am a Republican trial attorney who supports tort reform. And I served briefly in the NC State Senate this year which means as I am sure you would discern, I have some strongly held positions relative to the types of cases that Edwards writes about in this book - suffice it to say that I am certain that he and I would disagree on the issue of tort reform!
But I have also tried many cases in North Carolina Courts and was overwhelmed with the drama of these particular cases. I will leave the debate over malpractice caps, liabilty reform, collateral source rules, etc. to another forum and write solely about the merits of this book. It is an impressive display of a practitioner who is at the top of his game. I have had many trials that were as important to me and my clients as these were to Edwards' and his. Indeed, I would submit that every trial attorney has "war stories' that they think are worthy of a book. What distingusihes our cases from his are the complexity and the depth of his successes. These are not easy cases and as a 31 year old (in the 1st one), he was not handed these victories. When starting out as a trial attorney, one has nothing but his character and work ethic and it is evident to me at least, that Edwards is tops in both these categories. I know about those moments in testimony when a witness says the magic words that either make your case or break it; it is a hair-raising experience when your heart is beating out of your chest, you have 1 preemptory challenge left, and you just passed a "ringer" juror for the other side (or so you think). These things are not theatrics, but happen in EVERY case and are critical to our system of justice. How you prepare for them is what wins you the case or causes you to lose it. Edwards recounts his experiences with fervor and dignity. Like him, I believe our system is a work of art and serves the minority when it should - as long as we have hard-working lawyers not fearful to make a stand and do what they think is right. I am not suggesting that suing OBGYN's for a living is as noble as he might think. My experiences are more on the criminal side when the defendant is indigent, with no family support and who has been virtually forgotten by society. Winning (or losing) these cases has not made me a millionaire. But they have taught me similar lessons as Edwards and in that regard, I can identify with his experiences in the courthouse.
It used to be that the Courthouse was the central part of our small towns. Drive around any North Carolina town today with a population of less than 15,000 and you cannot miss the symbolism - circular drives, intersections that all end in front of the courthouse. Their beautiful rooms were the center of life as our country was forming itself into a nation of laws - they became the cultural center of small town North Carolina. And you can feel the magic of the courtroom within these pages of Edwards book.
I do not support him for President and never would. I am a Republican and do not agree with a lot that he advocates on the national stage. In fact, he is out of the mainstream of most North Carolinians with regards to his political leanings. But do I admire him? Yes. He is a gifted man who sees things in people and in his work that few others even come close to glimpsing. Notwithstanding his politics, he reminds me to look a little closer in the eyes of those folks yearning to be defended, to be helped. He is a good man and it shows in his work ethic as an attorney who cared deeply for his clients.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkably touching
Review: Having read a lot of reviews, I knew what to expect, yet was very touched in reading Senator Edwards' comments about his thoughts and memories during the four trials.
My emotions ran high - anger, sadness, relief for a few. I couldn't out the book down, because each case was unique and interesting. John Grisham's books are fine, but not real life. These were real life and while I can't believe some judges are asinine, as are CEO's and doctors, there are mistakes made in bad judgement. Everyone makes mistakes, and not all are cold cutthroat people who spit on the little people. Edwards seemed to get through all that, and did his job.
As for Wade, he was a remarkable boy, just like his Dad.
Rating:
Summary: A man of compassion and commitment
Review: I read John Edwards book in one evening, and could not put it down. Although a Kerry/Edwards supporter, I was not enthusiastic about John Edwards before reading his book. Now I am.
Four Trials is not a political book, and although Edwards shares about his life, it is not primarily a personal autobiography. It is about four personal injury suits he dedicated himself to day and night as a lawyer, his deep caring for his clients and anger about their (often terrible) injuries or losses, the obstacles he faced, and how he won. It is also about his love for his own family, and his near-paralyzing grief when his beloved son Wade died in a car accident in 1996 - and how fighting for compensation for a young girl who was disemboweled by an unsafe pool suction drain helped bring him back to life despite his grief, and direct his pain and outrage to a constructive cause.
It is a book of heart and soul, the book of a dedicated public servant who as a lawyer let nothing get in the way of his caring for people who suffer needlessly as a result of negligence and downright indifference of institutions dedicated to profit, and his commitment to helping them win in court so they could pay lifelong medical costs and survive.
Did he make money doing so? Yes. But was money a primary source of motivation? Read his book, and decide for yourself. If you have any doubts about genuineness of John Edwards, or that he is the best man out there to be our vice president, read his book. Even if you don't have doubts, read this book. It will touch your heart. It will help you believe again that there are politicians out there who truly our committed to helping people in real need and changing the direction of this country.
Tracy Marks
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable read
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The approach is somewhat unique. We get some of Edwards' most significant cases interweaved with his biographical information. We see Edwards' passion and ambition, and the court cases illustrate the good that a trial lawyer can do. The cases were discussed in a very compelling manner - almost like reading a courtroom drama, except that these are true cases. Living in the Raleigh/Durham area myself it was interesting reading about some of the references to the North Carolina culture and how it affected the trials. The tribute to his son Wade was very moving without being exploitative.
Rating:
Summary: Four Trials
Review: Outstanding read. This man knows how to connect with real people. His values are our values. God Bless and win the election.
Rating:
Summary: Different from the usual political memoir
Review: Political memoirs are usually disappointing. They're self-serving, self-aggrandizing (I met blah, and then I met blah2, and my wife loved his wife, blah blah blah), humorless and pretentious. Most of all, they're boring. After all, constant name-dropping, self-justification and glossing over of any failures gets dull after, say, 20 pages.
Senator (and possible Vice President) John Edwards' book is a refreshing oasis among the political memoir desert. For one, it's more focused than the usual political memoir. Sen. Edwards before he was Senator was already renowned as a fearsome trial lawyer. This book focuses mainly on four trials that Sen. Edwards won in his 20-year career. John Edwards likes to consider himself a warrior for the "little guy." His first trial that he highlights in his book is a settlement he won for an alcoholic who was given a huge dose of Antabuse and was left completely debilitated by the neurotoxic drug. I couldn't help but admire Edwards, who when he took on this case was rather inexperienced. Many trial lawyers will not take cases for former alcoholics, as they don't exactly make for the most sympathetic plaintiffs. But the fact that Edwards refused to settle and fought for this crippled alcoholic IMO shows compassion.
Johh Edwards in this book comes across quite differently from his television persona, which is unfailingly sunny, even sweet. Here he sounds fiercely determined. I thought that if I was a corporate lawyer I wouldnt want to mess with Edwards. In particular he describes outsmarting the "other side" in the courtroom -- he seems particularly fond of letting unsympathetic witnesses dig their own graves. He describes personal tragedies (like the death of his son Wade) and there's palpable anger towards irresponsible doctors and companies.
His book is occasionally maudlin -- his descriptions of his wife and kids, for example. The book is written mostly in a flat, inoffensive prose so prevalent in these kinds of memoirs. John Edwards was too young to have been a war hero (a la John McCain), but despite the lack of overt heroics I came away with a sense of admiration for John Edwards, for his fairness and determination.
Rating: 
Summary: Champion for the little guy?
Review: Senator Edwards' book was certainly an eye opener. He portrays himself as a humble advocate for the overlooked and underpriveledged. Unfortunately, because of his actions and the actions of similar malpractice and personal injury lawyers, jackpot jury awards are driving the up the cost of physician malpractice insurance to shocking levels. It is becoming increasingly difficult for these same overlooked and underpriveledged people to have access to proper medical care as a result of doctors fleeing hostile states. He also fails to eduacate the reader about the fact that he became very wealthy from his contingency fees. I can almost see the ghost of Bill Clinton in the background of his book cover as he "feels their pain". Cry me a river.
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