Cart
|
|
my account
|
wish list
|
help
|
800-878-7323
Hello, |
Login
MENU
Browse
New Arrivals
Bestsellers
Featured Preorders
Award Winners
Audio Books
See All Subjects
Used
Staff Picks
Staff Picks
Picks of the Month
Bookseller Displays
50 Books for 50 Years
25 Best 21st Century Sci-Fi & Fantasy
25 PNW Books to Read Before You Die
25 Books From the 21st Century
25 Memoirs to Read Before You Die
25 Global Books to Read Before You Die
25 Women to Read Before You Die
25 Books to Read Before You Die
Gifts
Gift Cards & eGift Cards
Powell's Souvenirs
Journals and Notebooks
socks
Games
Sell Books
Blog
Events
Find A Store
Don't Miss
15% off new books on Powells.com!*
Spring Sale
Big Mood Sale
Teen Dream Sale
Powell's Author Events
Oregon Battle of the Books
Audio Books
Get the Powell's newsletter
Visit Our Stores
Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
(0 comment)
Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
Read More
»
Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
(0 comment)
Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
(0 comment)
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
Civil Action
by
Harr, Jonathan
Comment on this title
Synopses & Reviews
Reading Group Guide
Award Excerpt
Read an Excerpt
ISBN13:
9780679772675
ISBN10:
0679772677
Condition:
Standard
All Product Details
View Larger Image
View Larger Images
$7.95
List Price:
$20.00
Used Trade Paperback
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Qty
Store
2
Cedar Hills
Awards
Winner of the 1995 National Book Critics Circle Awards
5
2
What Our Readers Are Saying
Share your thoughts on this title!
Average customer rating 5 (2 comments)
`
jakepemberton93
, April 07, 2015
SPOILERS!! “A Civil Action” is a compelling true story that takes place in Woburn, Massachusetts in 1966 to 1986. This book addresses the direct effects that pollution has on a town and how hard it is to keep big name companies accountable in regards of pollution. “A Civil Action” story is told through a narrative that will engage most audiences. It is very easy to read and comprehend. The book begins with the town of Woburn complaining about the well water pumped from Wells G and H. The water was foggy, had a horrible stench, and tasted gross. The book changes gears and focuses on a couple of the local families in Woburn that find out that their sons have cancer. Anne Anderson has a gut feeling that it might be the water, but no one would believe her. On September 10, 1979 her suspicions were confirmed in a news article in the Woburn Daily Times (38). Charles C. Ryan reported that “past July of a half-buried lagoon, nearly an acre in size and five feet deep, was contaminated with arsenic, lead, chromium, and traces of other heavy metals” (39). The lagoon also contained rotting animal hides, hair, and slaughterhouse wastes (39). To conclude the article it was pointed out that “Arsenic in small doses is suspected as a cancer-causing agent” (39). Later Reverend Young and Anne Anderson discovered that in the past 15 years there were a total of 12 leukemia cases in children. Six of them were in the Pine Street neighborhood and the others were within a mile radius of each other (40). All drank water from the Wells G and H. Then the story takes a turn and introduces Jan Schlichtmann who turns out to be the lawyer that takes the Woburn case. Many of Schlichtmann’s colleagues told him not to take this case because it is a “black hole”. The three main companies Schlichtmann faced were Beatrice Foods, W.R. Grace, and Unifirst. The rest of the book is about the long, laborious, and expensive trial to convict these companies of water contamination and causing the cancer cases. This is by the way is very entertaining. In the end Schlichtmann settles the cases and goes bankrupt. “A Civil Action” is overall a very entertaining book, but also points out some major issues. One issue being how pollution directly affects people and the other being how hard it is to keep companies accountable in regards to pollution. The first issue shows that pollution does not just effect the environment, but also can harm people. The polluted water caused children to die of cancer. The pollution of the lagoon shows the process of water runoff. It is similar to environmental factors with pesticides. After the chemicals are sprayed, the rain takes the remaining chemicals to other ecosystems including bodies of water. The polluted lagoon runoff went into the groundwater that contaminated the drinking water. This shows companies how harmful one pollution act can be to a town and in this case young children. The second issue points out that it is really hard to keep companies accountable for their actions in regards of pollution. It is ridiculous how much time and money Schlichtmann had to sacrifice to get a settlement on this case. As a result of reading this story, I believe that there needs to be better laws to keep companies accountable for their pollution crimes. There should be an easier way to convict companies of pollution crimes. It is unjust that Schlichtmann went bankrupt after fighting for justice on this case. If nothing changes in the law, lawyers will stay away from these cases and companies will proceed to get away with pollution crimes that hurt the environment and put people’s lives at risk. “A Civil Action” does an amazing job of telling the story of Woburn, Massachusetts. It also raises awareness of the harmful effects pollution can have on people and that there needs to be change in the law system to keep companies accountable for pollution crimes.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
`
riveracarlos714
, July 04, 2009
This book from the moment i started on reading cought my attention. It's true what the reviewer's say its a page to page turner with compelling discriptions and interesting facts. I am deeply compelled by this story and I have to admit this is one of the most amazeing books that I have read.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Product Details
ISBN:
9780679772675
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
08/27/1996
Publisher:
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
Pages:
512
Height:
.90IN
Width:
5.10IN
Thickness:
1.00
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
1995
UPC Code:
2800679772677
Editor:
Jonathan Harr
Editor:
Marty Asher
Subject:
Connecticut
Subject:
Anderson, Anne - Trials, litigation, etc
Subject:
Liability for hazardous substances pollution
Subject:
Law
Subject:
Groundwater
Subject:
Politics-United States Politics
Subject:
Liability for water pollution damages -- Massachusetts -- Woburn.
Subject:
W.R. Grace & Co - Trials, litigation, etc
Subject:
Crime-Enforcement and Investigation
Subject:
Pollution
$7.95
List Price:
$20.00
Used Trade Paperback
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Qty
Store
2
Cedar Hills
More copies of this ISBN
Used, Trade Paperback, Starting from $8.95
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##