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A Civil Action

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 6,804 ratings · 466 reviews

"The legal thriller of the decade." --Cleveland Plain Dealer

Now a Major Motion Picture!

In this true story of an epic courtroom showdown, two of the nation's largest corporations stand accused of causing the deaths of children. Representing the bereaved parents, the unlikeliest of heroes emerges: a young, flamboyant Porsche-driving lawyer who hopes to win millions of dollar...more

ebook, 512 pages

Published August 10th 2011 by Vintage (first published 1995)

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Jun 07, 2012 Jaimin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A gripping and informative saga of a man's resolve to take on a giant corporation for purportedly causing cancer by polluting the groundwater in a residential area (yes, reminds you of Erin Brockovich). What is most amazing about the story is that something happens to the protagonist in the story - some event that appeals deeply to his conscience - that makes him give everything he had in his quest for justice.

The movie inspired by this book is superbly made, especially the protagonist's monolog...more

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May 16, 2012 Anna Ligtenberg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ISBN 0679772677 - A true story, A Civil Action is the story of several families in Woburn, Massachusetts, who find their children - and themselves - suffering health problems apparently caused by the dumping of chemicals by two companies. The Riley Tannery (a subsidiary of Beatrice Foods) and W.R. Grace are accused of negligently, even knowingly, contaminating the groundwater in east Woburn by dumping toxins. Young children are the first and most obvious group to become sick, dying of leukemia i...more ISBN 0679772677 - A true story, A Civil Action is the story of several families in Woburn, Massachusetts, who find their children - and themselves - suffering health problems apparently caused by the dumping of chemicals by two companies. The Riley Tannery (a subsidiary of Beatrice Foods) and W.R. Grace are accused of negligently, even knowingly, contaminating the groundwater in east Woburn by dumping toxins. Young children are the first and most obvious group to become sick, dying of leukemia in numbers that defy statistics. Their case is handed off from firm to firm until it finds a home in the heart of personal injury lawyer Jan Schilchtmann.

Told repeatedly that the case is bound to become a money-sucking wreck, Jan pours everything he's got into winning it, driving himself to bankruptcy and his law firm to the brink and beyond. As one of early the "ambulance chasers", Jan's used to settling most cases before they wind up in court, but he somehow manages to avoid every good opportunity to get out with his shirt still on. Facing off against high-priced lawyers who have very deep pockets behind them, he and his firm stand little chance of winning even a portion of what their clients want - and what they want is more apology than cash.

Author Harr followed Schlichtmann and his team for a good portion of the story, and I felt a bit sorry for the author. It seems glaringly obvious where the fault lies (which, quite honestly, could be because of the way Harr wrote it), and the outcome seems inevitable: Grace and Beatrice will end up forking over large amounts of cash to the families and have to admit wrongdoing. When it doesn't go that way, Harr's probably too far invested in the story to put it aside. I say this because the books seems to be building to the obvious conclusion... and then sort of peters out, ending with a whimper. A fascinating, and appalling, story that really does not make a good "story" - but is so well researched and told that it rises above the strangely incomplete ending.

Because it IS a true story, the reader should assume that there are two sides to most stories but several people come out looking like they deserve their own little corner of hell. Judge Skinner, for what seems like flagrant disinterest in the law OR common sense; Anne Anderson and the Zona family, for making it about money when they swore it wasn't and the sheer nerve of suing a guy who has taken on a case for them that no one else wanted to touch and lost everything in the process. There are others, and the case seems to be still alive in some ways, with reviewers posting strange diatribes about people who weren't even mentioned in the book (Ken Grant, for one).

Worth reading, but the suggestion that you should read it like a novel, which I've seen in other reviews, might leave you vaguely disappointed - this is real life, and the fairytale ending that a novel would have doesn't exist.

This copy includes a 1996 Afterword, which does help make up a little bit for the ending which, as I said, seems to just peter out.

- AnnaLovesBooks (less)

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Sep 25, 2011 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

The book this most reminded me of was Class Action but where that focuses on the plaintiffs and their experiences as the lawsuit and trial dragged on, this focuses almost entirely on the lawyers. Jan Schlichtmann accepts the case of families in Woburn, MA, whose children died of leukemia after being exposed to water contaminated by industrial pollution. As the costs of investigating the case and gathering evidence increase, Schlichtmann and his team keep increasing their imagined jury award to c...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Anna Engel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first read A Civil Action just about 5 years ago exactly. Now that I work in the environmental consulting field, everything makes so much more sense, and, thus, is more interesting. I better understand the plaintiffs' fears and also the enormity of the task facing their lawyers in researching and putting together a case of this magnitude. The amount of money, paper documentation, manpower, and expertise that was needed is mind-boggling, especially considering my current part in that process.

Th...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Peterladwein rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An inside look at the case that made Jan Schlictmann famous: unscrupulous corporations poisoning the ground water supply, causing deaths and illness in the local community, and working to cover it up. Really sheds light on the adverse effects of litigation on plaintiffs' attorneys (as opposed to Class Action, which sheds light on the adverse effects of litigation on plainitffs). You really have to be able to disconnect and balance, or else a case can eat you alive. And no matter how right you ar...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Felix Dance rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I met the Austrian cycle tourist in the UAE desert he begged me for some reading material and I apologetically told him that I had none to spare. Well once we'd parted I immediately thought of this book as perfect for him, given to me highly recommended by the Austrian couple on my Konkani Coast ride. On the other hand, I'm selfishly glad I didn't hand it over - it was a riveting read. A courtroom drama about an environmental spill possibly causing the deaths of several New England resident...more

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Feb 08, 2010 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 01, 2009 Joe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read this book because I recently read "The Informant", and the blurb at the top of the front cover said something like "The best nonfiction legal thriller since 'A Civil Action'!" or something like that. I really enjoyed The Informant, so I figured I should give this a shot.

This book covers the Woburn Case. In the 1970s, a cluster of people -- largely children -- in a small town in Massachusetts contracted leukemia. The people in the town had long complained about the quality of the tap water...more I read this book because I recently read "The Informant", and the blurb at the top of the front cover said something like "The best nonfiction legal thriller since 'A Civil Action'!" or something like that. I really enjoyed The Informant, so I figured I should give this a shot.

This book covers the Woburn Case. In the 1970s, a cluster of people -- largely children -- in a small town in Massachusetts contracted leukemia. The people in the town had long complained about the quality of the tap water, and eventually one of the mothers of a child with leukemia decided to go to a lawyer. After some analysis, he decided to sue a few large companies in the town that he claimed had polluted the town's drinking water with trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent.

The author followed the plaintiffs, and the book portrays the companies as being in the wrong. In reading other material about the case, though, it's not really clear how justified that position is. There is strong evidence that the companies polluted -- I don't really have a lot of sympathy for them -- but it's hard to show that they were the ones that caused a majority of harm in this case. There were other business in the area that were likely (maybe more likely than the defendants) to have polluted the same chemical, maybe in greater amounts, in a way and area that was more likely to have entered the water supply.

In the end, I had two main takeaways from the trial itself. The first is a huge amount of sympathy for the plaintiffs: they were the ones that got leukemia and had other terrible problems, and they ended up with not much at all. The case had some settlements, but most of that went to trial costs and lawyer fees. After the rest was split up, each family really didn't get much. Secondly, every lawyer in this entire book came off terribly. The defendants' lawyers seemed horrible: besides hiding evidence and playing legal games for advantages (rather than just arguing the case on its own merits), they were defending terrible polluters -- not just trying to come to a reasonable outcome, but to avoid any responsibility for having contributed to poisoning a huge number of people. The plaintiffs' lawyers weren't much better, and maybe were worse. They rarely seemed to have the plaintiffs' best interest in mind, instead working on the case as it was most beneficial to them. The plaintiffs' lawyers ignored the case for years while they had other things to work on, and then gambled on the outcome for their own benefit, and finally agreed to a conclusion that avoided the thing that it seemed most of the victims wanted: an admission of guilt, and a real attempt to discover the facts of what happened.

The book is pretty compelling, but it's got some big problems. The largest is that it never really feels impartial. The author followed the plaintiffs' lawyers, purposefully trying to avoid communicating with the defendants and their lawyers, and that shows. Also, the tone of the book seems to be very dramatic, almost to the point of seeming fictional at times.

Overall, this book is a great read for anyone interested in true-life legal battles. There are a lot of problems with the way it's written, so the reader would do well to keep a skeptical mind, but it still provides an interesting insight into the workings of a trial.(less)

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Jul 21, 2011 Adam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: I-wanna-be-a-hot-shot-attorney types

Shelves: current-events, law, non-fiction, history

You never quite know what you're going to get when you ignite a firework fuse.

After a few milliseconds, sparks begin to fly and the long thin primer seemingly evaporates before your eyes. As you launch the compact package into a field you inadvertently hold your breath, waiting for the finale.

Light headed, it suddenly dawns on you that maybe there won't be an explosion. Perhaps you read the package wrong. You bought a sparkler, not a popper. Or, maybe it's just a dud.

You take in a breath of air...more

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Jun 06, 2010 Joan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoir

This was one of the best examples of creative non-fiction i have ever read. And it was beyond disappointing. Jonathan Harr recreate the effort of attorney Jan Schlichtmann to sue Beatrice Foods and W.R. Grace company for befouling the water of Woburn Mass, causing clusters of leukemias and children dying.

Sonewhere I read that this book shows how one man can make a diffeence. Obviously I anticipated that would be the case. I couldn't believe that a judge could be as corrupt as the judge who hear...more

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May 11, 2013 Venkateswaran rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A true story that would probably fit easily into the John Grisham genre. A gripping tale of a small time law firm taking on the big corporations on a case of environmental pollution leading to leukemia deaths. The book brings out the difficulty that a lawyer would face in trying to prove causality in a complex medical case. It differs from fiction in showing the fact that that success is extremely rare. The small law firm faces innumerable difficulties mostly with respect to financial aspects as...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Dyana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the true story of a nine year legal battle involving flamboyant, obsessed and ambitious lawyer, Jan Schlictmann, and two large corporations accused of exposing a cluster of mostly children to water contaminated by industrial pollution. The town is Woburn, Massachusetts. The time is the 1970's. Children are dying from leukemia. Fast forward to the late 80's and early 90's when Schlictman and his crew try to find a link between very sick and dying people and the dumping of toxic waste whic...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Dan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have friends who live in Woburn; I think i'll drink bottled water when I go visit.

This is the story of Jan Schlictmann and the litigation that he and his firm brought against two corporate behemoths (W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods) regarding the seepage of chemicals (TCE notably) in Woburn, MA throughout the 60s and 70s. The book focuses mainly on the trial - on the conversations, on the emotion, on the preparation. It is not, however, a legal piece. This is a story more about the people and s...more

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Sep 21, 2010 Kelli Sutton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a writer who is planning to become an attorney this book has really changed my views on writing. The context of writing facts and legal issues is the main thing that I took away from this novel. This is based on a real case that happened and changed the litigation world with its verdict. The most interesting part about this story is although it has a lot of elements, facts, and evidence, there is a story that goes on. The author uses the attorney who deals with the major issues as the main ch...more

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Nov 26, 2009 Sean rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Civil Action Book Review

A Civil Action is a nonfiction book written by Jonathan Harr. It follows the story of Jan Schlichtmann, a lawyer who ends up devoting nine years of his life to a legal battle against two behemoth corporations, W.R. Grace and Beatrice. Both companies were accused of polluting the water supply of a small town named Woburn, north of Boston. After several residents die of leukemia and other diseases, a handful of families stand up and sue the two corporate behemoths. A mas...more A Civil Action Book Review

A Civil Action is a nonfiction book written by Jonathan Harr. It follows the story of Jan Schlichtmann, a lawyer who ends up devoting nine years of his life to a legal battle against two behemoth corporations, W.R. Grace and Beatrice. Both companies were accused of polluting the water supply of a small town named Woburn, north of Boston. After several residents die of leukemia and other diseases, a handful of families stand up and sue the two corporate behemoths. A massive legal battle spanning multiple years ensues, capturing nationwide media attention and pitting the relatively inexperienced Schlictmann against the some of the finest lawyers in the country, who are defending Grace and Beatrice. It’s akin to a modern day retelling the story of David and Goliath, with both characters being replaced with lawyers and slingshots and swords substituted for cross-examinations and objections.

Harr’s book greatest strength is its attention to detail; it faithfully details every event, minor or otherwise, that relates to the legal battle at hand. The author does what he can with the nonfiction subject matter and frequently mixes in descriptive flair and figurative language in an effort to disguise the otherwise journalistic style of writing that he seems most comfortable with. Though he doesn’t put tell the story in the most eloquent or colorful way, Harr is certainly very thorough and manages to keep it engaging.

Yet I get the feeling that those without a rudimentary knowledge of courtroom proceedings will be utterly lost as the trial unfolds. Luckily, I wasn’t, but I can image someone wondering what a cross-examination and other things are. The cover of A Civil Action claims the book is “a real-life legal thriller.” To those who see the word thriller and think of Jack Bauer saving the world and preventing some type of WMD from going off, having to read through years and years of trial proceedings is much less interesting (though more morally correct—no more torture, Jack!).

Still, these complaints don’t seem like much when compared to my biggest annoyance: the book’s somewhat one-sided narrative. Though, in the beginning, Harr introduces all the major characters, in effect humanizing them, it soon devolves into a sort of good vs. evil type of story. Given that this is a true story, I would have liked to see more into the motivations and arguments of Beatrice and Grace. This book was written from Schlictmann’s perspective, and it clearly shows. By the end of the story, Schlictmann sees his opposing lawyers and the judge as monsters, and the book’s third person narrative reflects that. While they are unlikable and most definitely guilty, I finished the book feeling slightly disappointed that I didn’t get more narrative from their perspective.

Though it may seem like I have a stinking, steaming pile of criticism for this book, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was engaged enough to finish A Civil Action in three days. Anyone who enjoyed our brief foray into the world of environmental justice in Biology should enjoy this book. Just be sure to do a little research on the American justice system, and, once you feel you’re ready, jump into a tale of a man who gives up almost everything in the pursuit of what he feels is right.

Sean’s Rating:

3.5 Ninjas/5
(less)

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Dec 04, 2008 Antof9 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2007-read, made-me-cry

My lame review from BookCrossing: So I had every intention of writing a brilliant and insightful book review on this book. However, it was book #70 of 2007, and I'm now on book #58 of 2008, and frankly it's not going to happen.

I will say this -- it was fascinating, and I think I appreciated it more after my book club read the famous In Cold Blood. I remember that it was riveting, and I didn't want to put it down. The jury selection, in particular, was fascinating, and kept me on the edge of my s...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Dan Schiff rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is some red-meat nonfiction, totally gripping most of the way through. Definitely reminiscent of In Cold Blood, except with many more moving parts. I read Harr's The Lost Painting previously, and I could see why he might have taken on such a low-key project after covering the exhausting affair behind A Civil Action.

Harr's ability to synthesize a seemingly unending case into a readable book of less than 500 pages is a wonder to behold. His access to the inner workings of the case is also inc...more

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Dec 19, 2008 Adam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-books

This book is a tremendous read. What impressed me the most wasn't the author's development of Schlichtmann's character (both his magnetism and profound agony come right off the page, occasionally at the same time) but his devotion to documenting the case as it happened over the course of many years. It must have been quite a labor considering the scope and duration of the case.

It's an eye opening account to the flaws in our legal system, especially the autonomy afforded to our courts - they see...more

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Jul 26, 2009 Wyliena Guan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Good insight on what it's like to be a Boston lawyer and a lawyer in general. It means Princeton sort of life: hard work all the time (w/ adrenaline), big rewards, good reps, good food, nice living, and some losses. Have to be strategic about picking cases to fight for. Otherwise, same old, typical, boring, no rep thing. Like Erin Brocavich but from a lawyer's point of view, and of one who totally loves to spend. Better idea of what it's like to be in a court fighting other lawyers and working w...more

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Apr 19, 2010 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked this book as an independent reading book in middle school, and unfortunately I never got myself around to finishing it. I finally did, and I actually really enjoyed reading it. I tend to get absorbed into books which were based on true events, which this book was.

Based off of an actual courtroom trial, we see two sides that try to defend themselves against being accued of polluting the water in the town which ends up ending the lives of many (children in particular). We are taken throug...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Katierogers rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book taught me a lot about the legal profession and the difficult life of a trial lawyer. The main character, Schlichtmann, did everything he could for his clients, a group of people in a neighborhood probably on the wrong side of the tracks, whose kids contracted leukemia at a rate fantastically above the norm (12 kids died of it, usually 4/100,000 people get it), due to industrial toxic waste disposal that seeped into their city water. There was nothing he could do about the fact that the...more

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Jun 20, 2009 Gary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: law

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 29, 2012 Matt Luedke rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I saw the movie version of this as a kid, I think I unknowingly was becoming primed to be an environmentally-focused person when I got older. Finally getting around to reading the book a few years ago, the story again resonated with me. The book is obviously more mature and nuanced than the movie was, getting into far more legal and slightly more scientific detail. There are more community stories, and they are presented more objectively than the dramatized film version. The film's "villain...more

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May 20, 2009 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: new-england, nonfiction, play-film

Living here in Massachusetts I remember this case vividly. Woburn was formerly a "leather" town and this case involved a tannery whose inattention, greed and lack of supervision to its manufacturing process poisoned the town's water supply and resulted in countless cases of illness, miscarriages and death. A local slick and ambitious attorney, looking for the big payday, takes up this cause and the resultant "Civil Action" becomes national news.
This is a riveting read that was ultimately made...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Chris Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

First of all, as a caveat to this review, I should point out that I was reading this as a required reading as part of my law school's Civil Procedure course. I think in some ways this makes me think of reading the book as more of a chore and therefore may have detracted from my enjoyment of it somewhat, however for the most part, my knowledge of American Civil Procedure probably meant I enjoyed it more than I may have done a year ago.

This book is about a small town near Boston. Some of the child...more First of all, as a caveat to this review, I should point out that I was reading this as a required reading as part of my law school's Civil Procedure course. I think in some ways this makes me think of reading the book as more of a chore and therefore may have detracted from my enjoyment of it somewhat, however for the most part, my knowledge of American Civil Procedure probably meant I enjoyed it more than I may have done a year ago.

This book is about a small town near Boston. Some of the children in this town sucumb to leukemia and other similar illnesses. Furthermore, the treatment of these illnesses is not as effective as would normally be expected. One of the mothers of a sick child is certain that there are too many cases of leukemia for it to be natural. She is certain that something is causing it. The residents of this town also have a problem with undrinkable water and start to complain and request that the wells are shut down. You can see where this is going now can't you?

A lawyer takes up the case and for most of the book we follow him in his attempts to prove the link between two big companies in the area and the sick children. The book really does a good job of showing what a lawyer actually does on a day-to-day basis and explains most of the legal rules that are relevant in the case. You also get dragged along in the story, and I have to admit that in places I really could not put it down.

So why only 3 out of 5? There were a few problems for me that hindered my enjoyment of the book. I don't feel that the author did a very good job of explaining the technical nature of the water problem and the actions of the companies. Having read the whole book I still don't know what I would have decided were I a jury member. For me this is a big problem with a book of this kind. I think it would have helped if there had been more in the way of pictures and diagrams to help explain things. This would have been especially effective if we were presented to them at the same time as they go to the jury in the trial part of this book.

Another issue for me was some biased writing that appeared to creep in. The author wrote this book by following the lawyer around for an extended period of time. I feel the author gives a really honest appraisal of the team of lawyers, BUT it does appear that the author has formed some views as to certain other characters, such as the judge, that he does not deal with in a non-biased way. The reader is left cursing at the judge on a regular basis, but no real attempt is made to see the other side. I think the author was influenced by the lawyer's frustration towards the judge.

Anyway, to summarise, all-in-all I would recommend this book. If you are particularly interested/knowledgable about American law then you can probably think of this as a 4 star book.(less)

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Jul 28, 2010 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Civil Action is about a court case involving the pollution of wetlands and town water supply by the Grace and Beatrice companies in Woburn, MA with TCE and perc and its connection to a cancer cluster in that town. I enjoyed reading this book because it was extremely thorough in discussing legal proceedings and how the court worked. Having been a 4 year old at the time many of the children in this book became sick, and having lived roughly 40 miles away in NH, it was easy for me to imagine I...more

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Apr 28, 2009 Steven rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well-written non-fiction/memoir of a plaintiff firm's unrelenting pursuit of justice---or at least a really big payoff. The true story of a bunch of partners who take out second mortgages on their houses and hock their prized possessions in order to keep their case afloat is incredible. The men are daring, or foolhardy, but they are so convinced of their position that they cannot be objective about the risks.

The book is better than the movie. Hope I didn't spoil it for you!

Being a defense atto...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Justin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, legal

I picked this up because I had 20 minutes to kill before dinner. Twenty minutes of reading and I was hooked. I had seen the movie twenty-some-odd years ago, so I was expecting the book to track the movie. The book did indeed include all of the courtroom drama that the movie was about, but the book also included a great legal backstory on the lawyer behind the lawsuit, said lawyer's rise to prominence, and then said lawyer's fall from grace following the lawsuit. I really enjoyed the book. The au...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Bridget rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: environmentalists, students

Recommended to Bridget by: Mrs. Jacobus

Shelves: school, non-fiction

Jonathan Harr has written the most riveting non-fiction book I have ever read. Admittedly, I am not what one would call an accomplished non-fiction reader. But I can tell that A Civil Action is unique due to its rather unusual beginnings; the author was present for most of the proceedings. Which I find amazing.

As my teacher predicted, I was prepared at some points to throw my copy in frustration. It is mind-boggling how screwed up the judicial system became during this trial. Not only were the d...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Nathaniel Spinney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A depressing story of injustice and lies and liars. I want to be a lawyer, and I want to be a good lawyer, and I want the best for my clients if/when I may have clients, but I justice to be served. This book had me thrilled until the very end when time after time justice and a sense of right was ignored. I try to look at the judgement in an unbiased manner and I feel like I can, but I still feel a bubble of fury. Just a gross display. I wish the outcome were better, I wish the system caught the...more

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“Rich and famous and doing good," mused Schlichtmann. "Rich isn't so difficult. Famous isn't so difficult. Rich and famous together aren't so difficult. Rich, famous, and doing good--now, that's very difficult.” — 6 people liked it

“Truth is found at the bottom of a bottomless pit." Jerome Facher - A Civil Action.” — 1 person liked it

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