Rating: 
Summary: Make sure you find time to rest at work, what a read
Review: This was one of the most interesting non-fiction stories I have ever read. I developed so many relationships with the subjects it was difficult not to challenge the judicial system at every injustice. It was fascinating to observe the various lawyers and there tactics. I gave a copy to a friend as a gift and got a call shortly after that he had received the same book from a friend. I would say that is good testimony.
Rating:
Summary: How objective is it?
Review: This story of a young, ambitious lawyer's courtroom battle against two large chemical corporations is very well written and seems well researched. However, it makes me wonder how objective the writer was when writing this book. Jonathan Harr creates the strong suggestion that a miscarriage of justice took place, and that in particular Judge Skinner, who presided over the case, was biased against the plaintiffs. I find it hard to believe that, if that were the case, all the appeals would have failed the way they did. Is the entire US legal system corrupt or lazy (as suggested by this book), or was the quality of the evidence gathered for the plaintiffs simply not sufficient to prove that the chemical companies caused the leukemia cluster in Woburn? I would have loved to see Judge Skinner's angle on this case, but I guess interviewing a judge on a case he or she presided would be out of the question. Despite this flaw, "A Civil Action" is one of the very few non-fiction books which really deserve the epithets "page turner" and "unputdownable", and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: A Civil Action is an account of a true story which reads like a novel. When reading, you become involved in the cause of the Woburn families and miss the characters once you are finished with the book. I consider myself more of a fiction lover than non-fiction, but this is a must read for all book lovers.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Inside View of a Civil Trial Ever Written
Review: Takes you through the remarkable spills, thrills and chills of a real life American tragedy. Written with style and the unmistakable tenor of a very, very gifted author who keeps you riveted to the many twists and turns of the drama and as shaken as if you were also present to witness to the events unfold.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for the concerned reader...
Review: A Civil Action is a compelling read for anyone. For me, as a law school student and one-time resident of Woburn, MA, the book had special significance. It puts our legal system into perspective and allows us to reflect on both its wonders and its failings. Justice was not served on the residents of Woburn, but this book makes an excellent attempt to explain why not and what happened on the way.
Rating:
Summary: Professionally, Jan Schlichtman is all a lawyer wants to be!
Review: I think I have read great reviews above. I couldn't give my opinion in a deeper or better way. Just one point: It is not a 10 just because of the sometimes unnecessary day-to-day details about Schlichtman's bankruptcy. Highly recommendable.
Rating:
Summary: Expected Nothing: It Changed What I Thought of Justice
Review: I picked this book up almost by accident and didn't expect much. However, the way the author was able to tell a true story with almost fictious details, and the absolute insanity the big companies were able twist the facts made for truly enjoyable reading. Jan Schlittman (a humorous name in and of itself) is not a savior or a God...he is an ambulance chaser who got the biggest ambulance case he was ever going to get. Somewhere in the middle he realized that big companies did incredibly wrong things and lots of people died because of them. He then proceeded to give everything of himself and very nearly destroyed his life in the process. The author presents him in the best tradition of Homer and Shakespeare. He becomes the tragic hero setting himself up for the fall. Jan Schlittman is a tragic hero for the 1990s. And I am glad the author had the wisdom to see that. To make me see that. The best read I have had in a very long time.
Rating:
Summary: A Word of Caution
Review: I just read through almost all of the prior reviews of this book (omitting only the most long-winded), and have a word of caution. It is a great story and is extremely engaging and well-written. But, it would be a mistake to take it as typical of litigation. Jan is obsessed, but most plaintiff personal injury attorneys are not; they are simply out to make what they can out of each case. Most defense counsel are not corrupt; they are simply protecting their clients' interests to the extent possible. As a veteran of large, complex litigation matters (on the defense side), I know that most attorneys are honest, will not hide evidence nor misrepresent the facts to the court. The one lesson that I think this book teaches that is absolutely true is that settlement and/or judgment of any litigation is not likely to bear a real relationship to the actual damages incurred. I have been thinking about alternatives to the adversarial legal process, and wonder if we wouldn't be better off with a modification of the German model in which the court, and its representatives, gather the facts, and the parties' attorneys' argue over their meaning. I have been involved in more than one case in which the factual issues were complex enough that the court ordered the parties to choose a neutral expert to gather facts, and render an objective opinion. This is risky for both sides, but it is permits the "system" to get to the heart of the matter with less one-sidedness, less game-playing, and probably saves money and time.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant. Sets a new standard for non-fiction.
Review: This is the story of a suit brought by leukemia victims against corporate giants W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods. Jonathan Harr did such a superlative job of research and was so close to this case for so long, that he was able to lay the whole thing out as dialog. I was totally involved. I found myself mentally arguing with the jurors who appeared to be siding with Grace and Beatrice ("How stupid can you be? Didn't you listen to the testimony?"). This is one of the best books, of any kind, that I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: demonstrates the elusive nature of causation
Review: A page turner, but disturbing nonetheless. Yes, the chemicals probably did cause the cancer, but it never seemed as if the proof which would typically be necessary was entirely there. I found this book disturbing also because I believe in the legal process and it didn't quite seem to work here. More destruction and suppresion of documents than one would expect from good corporate counsel who can face substantial sanctions. Most troublesome was the failure of the court to order sanctions when evidence was supressed in the truly blatant manner of this case. By nature, I distrust plaintiffs in these types of actions, yet I found myself sympathizing with the plaintiffs more than normal. A decent overview of the trial process. However, most trials are not half as interesting and few plaintiff counsel become as enmeshed in their cases as this one. This book has to have the most unanimously positive reviews of any one that has been subject to review by Amazon customers.
|
