"The legal thriller of the decade." --Cleveland Plain Dealer
Now a Major Motion Picture!
In this true story of an epic cour... read full description
Now a Major Motion Picture!
In this true story of an epic cour... read full description
reviews
Sep 25, 2011
Emily
rated it: 
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
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Aug 16, 2011
Anna
rated it: 
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
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Aug 04, 2011
Peterladwein
rated it:
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
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Jul 16, 2011
Felix
rated it:
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
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Feb 08, 2010
Kim
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Nov 01, 2009
Joe
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jul 21, 2011
Adam
rated it: 
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.
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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.
More...
Jun 06, 2010
Joan
rated it:
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 t More...
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 t More...
Oct 01, 2011
Dyana
rated it:
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
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Jul 31, 2011
Dan
rated it:
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 th More...
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 th More...
Sep 21, 2010
Kelli
rated it:
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 mai
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Nov 26, 2009
Sean
rated it:
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 b More...
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 b More...
Dec 04, 2008
Antof9
rated it:
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 More...
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 More...
Dec 19, 2008
Adam
rated it:
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 co More...
It's an eye opening account to the flaws in our legal system, especially the autonomy afforded to our co More...
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Jul 26, 2009
Wyliena
rated it:
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 work
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Apr 19, 2010
Amanda
rated it:
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 More...
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 More...
Jul 06, 2011
Katierogers
rated it:
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 t
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Jun 20, 2009
Gary
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
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May 20, 2009
Suzanne
rated it:
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 More...
This is a riveting More...
Feb 16, 2011
Chris
rated it:
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 More...
This book is about a small town near Boston. Some More...
Jul 28, 2010
Laura
rated it:
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
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Apr 28, 2009
Steven
rated it:
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!
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The book is better than the movie. Hope I didn't spoil it for you!
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Jan 03, 2011
Peggy
rated it:
I'd seen the movie years ago and when I was interviewing some of the attorneys while working on "Out of Nowhere" last year, they'd ask if I'd read A Civil Action. Thank goodness I didn't read it before I set out to write about a personal injury case. Also given that I used to work for a firm that did Superfund work on contaminated sites I found it very interesting. However its very realism made it seem too long in the second half - court cases drag on forever. What really happened to t
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Nov 22, 2009
Matthew
rated it:
I enjoyed this book. Halfway through, I was debating whether it was going to be a 4 or a 5. If it were 100 pages shorter, it'd be a 4.5. As it is, it's a 3.75.
A Civil Action provides a detailed account of a lawsuit involving townspeople from Woburn, MA, who believe their drinking water was contaminated by companies owned by two billion-dollar corporations. If you are interested in the law, and in the legal process (I am), you will enjoy this book. Unfortunately, the case dragge More...
A Civil Action provides a detailed account of a lawsuit involving townspeople from Woburn, MA, who believe their drinking water was contaminated by companies owned by two billion-dollar corporations. If you are interested in the law, and in the legal process (I am), you will enjoy this book. Unfortunately, the case dragge More...
Jun 16, 2009
Ian
rated it:
I read this immediately after reading In Cold Blood and while their subject matter is different they're both non-fiction accounts of the investigation of crimes. Jonathan Harr is great but he isn't quite Truman Capote. Having said that, A Civil Action was great. It was paced well, and struck the right balance between the characters, and the scientific and legal details of the investigation.
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Dec 17, 2010
Matthew
rated it:
Our teacher assigned this book when she gave up on the casebook and decided to use the novel to teach us Civil Procedure. Everything I now know about Civil Procedure I owe to Glannon's Examples and Explanations and the grace of God. This book was an amusing relief from the rest of my heavy reading. The fact that I call a book about suing corporations for giving kids leukemia by dumping paint thinner into the water supply an amusing distractions should tell you volumns about the rest of the readi
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Dec 14, 2010
Kristen
rated it:
An unusually high number of children in Woburn, Massachusetts get leukemia. Investigation into the cause leads the families to believe that the water has been contaminated by two factories, parts of enormous businesses, and a lawsuit is filed.
The book is well-written and the first two-thirds is gripping, but begins to bog down during the trial and settlement negotiations of the trial. I don't think the author is to blame for the dragging pace, I think he accurately portrays what the More...
The book is well-written and the first two-thirds is gripping, but begins to bog down during the trial and settlement negotiations of the trial. I don't think the author is to blame for the dragging pace, I think he accurately portrays what the More...
Nov 20, 2009
Manny
rated it:
The choice book that i am reading is titled, "A Civil Action" which is by the author, Jonathan Harr. This book is about a mystery case of the sickness that is going around infecting people in Woburn. The sickness case was revealed as Leukemia, which is Cancer, and some people are very concerned about this case. Some people think that the cause of the sickness is caused by the water from the wells in Woburn. There were resources that the water could turn out to be unsafe and uncleaned,
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Jun 09, 2009
Lori
rated it:
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was quite different from any of the books I typically read. There was so much information in this book, not only about the case itself but about the legal system. Somehow, it didn't weigh it down, quite the opposite! It read like a suspensefull legal thriller, like John Grisham! Only it is non-fiction and about a well known case. Even if you have seen the movie, read the book. It is such a much bigger picture about the case and all those involved. I
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Nov 03, 2009
Kate
rated it:
Obviously A Civil Action can't be bad, with so many non-fiction prizes under its belt. (We refuse to add a John Travolta film to this reasoning.) But from what I had heard I was disappointed. Yes, it's well-written. Yes, it's a compelling story. But the three parts (I'll call them History, Discovery, and Litigation) are not well matched in interest and storytelling. I was very engrossed by the first part but kept waiting to be truly engaged by the whole thing. Harr let me down in the desc
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