John Edwards

[IndianaGreen]

Today was the beginning of the Fall semester. My tort law professor spoke at length about an excellent book written by John Edwards before he entered politics. The book's name is Four Trials. According to my prof, he said that the book is written in a popular style and that Edwards discusses at length 4 cases in which he litigated against the big bad guys. Here is a review posted on Amazon:

Before he was elected United States Senator from North Carolina in 1998, John Edwards worked as a lawyer for twenty years. Raised in a small town by parents who worked in the local mills, Edwards worked in those mills himself -- and then went on to become one of America's most successful and respected attorneys. During that time, he built a national reputation representing people whose lives had been shattered by corporate recklessness and grievous medical negligence. Often those battles took aim at entrenched powers backed by the kind of financial interests that made the chance of victory seem slim -- at least in the eyes of many. Yet in landmark cases, Edwards helped people from all walks of life stand up for themselves against tremendous odds.

Four Trials provides an electrifying account of four of his cases as it tells the story of the courageous and unmistakably decent people Edwards was privileged to represent in times of tragedy, great loss, and often great joy. And in a deeply moving account, Four Trials also speaks of the tragedies and joys that Senator Edwards has known in his own life -- and how today life and justice are more precious to him than ever.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743244974/103-1159121-9142216?v=glance

[chimpymustgo]

1. It is a WONDERFUL book. It came out after he had announced for

the Presidency. You will not throw around the term "trial lawyer" after reading this book.

John Edwards is a hero.

[SharonAnn]

2. Absolutely, a wonderful book. I bought a bunch at a discount and

sold them at a campaign fund-raising event for more than the list price! Of course, I told the people a little about the book and they were fighting to buy it!

Seriously, a great book, even if he weren't running for VP.

[IndianaGreen]

3. For what is worth...

I just ordered the paperback version from Amazon!

[AP]

4. I don't blame you for trusting your torts professor more than

a bunch of anonymous posters at DU, but this is what I've been saying about Edwards from the start!

[AngryLizard]

5. I just finished it this last weekend

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Just wonderfully written. And, yeah, I teared up towards the end when he talks about his son's death.

[AP]

6. By any measure, it really is an excellent book.

It really foregrounds the heroism of his clients. And it's very optimistic about the power of courts to give injured people justice, while still explaining why the courts can't solve every problem (and I'm specifically talking about the NC legislature changing the law to protect out of state trucking companies). He makes his clients and his son the heroes while portraying himself as a vehicle for delivering justing for other people, or for magnifying, or translating the heroism of other ordinary people in a way that ensures that they get the justice they deserve.