A Civil Action (Vintage Books)

Amazon.com

In America, when somebody does you wrong, you take 'em to court. W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods had been dumping a cancer-causing industrial solvent into the water table of Woburn, Massachusetts, for years; in 1981, the families of eight leukemia victims sued. However, A Civil Action demonstrates powerfully that--even with the families' hotshot lawyers and the evidence on their side--justice is elusive, particularly when it involves malfeasance by megacorporations. Much of the legal infighting can cause the eyes to glaze. But the story is saved by great characters: the flawed, flamboyant Jan Schlichtmann and his group of bulldogs for the prosecution; Jerome Facher, the enigmatic lawyer for Beatrice, who proves to be more than a match; John J. Riley, the duplicitous, porcine tannery owner; and a host of others. It's impossible not to feel the drama of this methodical book, impossible not to grieve for the parents who lost children, and impossible not to share Schlichtmann's desperation as he runs out of money. A Civil Action reads like one long advertisement for a few well-placed Molotov cocktails. (But that wouldn't make for a very long book, now would it?)

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Every element of great drama--tragic deaths, titanic greed, a flawed hero--already existed in Jonathan Harr's A Civil Action. John Shea's reading provides the finishing touch: a great voice. Shea, an Obie Award-winning stage actor, is probably best known for his roles in a handful of films in the '80s, including Missing and Windy City. His smooth, disciplined reading guides us through some of the book's heavy traffic--lots of medical information, many characters with complex backgrounds, multiple carcinogenic chemicals--without for a second allowing us to get lost in those details. We never forget we're heading toward one of modern journalism's great clashes of good and evil, and even if we know in advance which side wins, the narrative path to that conclusion is always riveting. (Running time: 4 hours, 4 cassettes) --Lou Schuler

Book Description

"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 dollars and ends up nearly losing everything, including his sanity. A searing, compelling tale of a legal system gone awry--one in which greed and power fight an unending struggle against justice-- A Civil Action is also the story of how one determined man can ultimately make a difference. With an unstoppable narrative power, it is an unforgettable reading experience.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read.......2007-10-16

We ride the roller coaster that attorney Jan Schlictmann is on in pursuit of justice for the families of Woburn Massachsetts who sue a megacorporation because they developed leukimia from unknowingly living in an area contaminated by toxic pollution.

I particularly liked this book because it is the best account of what it is like to be civil trial attorney handling large cases. The book has deservedly one numerous accolades. Not only is the book a page turner, but is gives those thinking of entering law school a look into the often very messy business of being a lawyer. Can a case really last years and years and years? Is the truth really that hard to discover for your client? Do lawyers really have to do go through all of this? A must read for anyone thinking about law school. Even if you have no connection to the law, you will find this book is one of the best you will ever read.

A compelling story; mediocre literature.......2007-09-28

First, I don't think this book is for everyone. I think the difference between this book and those written by someone like John Grisham illustrates the reason. Although Grisham's books are also mediocre literature, the nuances of his books aren't lost on the average reader. The things that give Grisham's books there suspense are easy for nearly everyone to understand; a book like The Firm is a case in point. Conversely, the suspense and frustrations which are inherent in "A Civil Action" are the products of rules of civil procedure which the average reader simply won't understand. For those not voiced in such legal themes at least on an elementary level the source of the suspense must be taken at the author's word.

To be sure, the true story captured in this book is compelling; contamination of a city's water supply and the likeliness that the contamination caused a whole litany of health problems for that city's residents is a story that will do more than peak your interest. However, the guts of this book focuses mostly on the head lawyer for the victims. Jan Schlichtmann isn't exactly the type of character you find yourself rooting for (he's arrogant, greedy, and loves the spotlight). Further, this book focuses mostly on how Schlichtmann managed to screw up. The most emotion-invoking feature of the book is the ever present conflict between Schlichtmann and Judge Skinner. Again, this conflict is imbedded with underlying legal themes which makes the story not completely approachable.

I was torn between giving this book three or four stars. For the law students out there it will probable be an enjoyable read. However, I think this book deserves three stars in the end. As popular literature it is okay; nothing to write home about. Further, in keeping with the modern style, the author presents his readers with nothing virtuous to take home with them... no idea, or principle, or thought that will inspire the readers in the course of their lives. Perhaps I shouldn't expect as much, and particularly not from a piece of popular fiction such as this. Nevertheless, there are too many other good books out there. Take this one on a plane with you; if you don't finish it by the time your trip ends don't worry about it.

A Civil Action.......2007-05-30

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.

A Civil Action.......2007-03-17

Was required by a law class to read this...but actually found it very enjoyable and easy to read. It flows like a fictional novel.

A Legal Thriller of the sadest kind, a true story.......2006-12-02

A Civil Action is a legal thriller born of profound human tragedy. Without a doubt, A Civil Action is compelling and sets up a good case scenario where ordinary folks are caught up between tragedy and justice. The behind-the-scene look at the law, its players, and victims revealed some sad truths about the practice of law in the face of obvious corporate wrongdoing.

Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21)

Average customer rating:

MY BOY LOVES READING
The Real Life Books
CIVIL WAR ON SUNDAY
best of the series
Great Reading

Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 067989067X
Release Date: 2000-05-23

Amazon.com

Traveling back in time from the rumbling thunderstorms of present-day Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, to the booming of Civil War cannonballs near Richmond, Virginia, Jack and Annie set out on their 21st Magic Tree House adventure. The mysterious Morgan le Fay, magical librarian of Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur, has left the brother and sister a message in their magic tree house, asking for their help saving Camelot. "Please find these four special kinds of writing for my library: Something to follow, Something to send, Something to learn, Something to lend." Jack and Annie enthusiastically transport themselves to a field near the fighting, and soon are enlisted as volunteer nurses assisting none other than Clara Barton, legendary "Angel of the Battlefield," as she drives her horse-drawn ambulance right onto the battlefields to help save wounded soldiers--including one with a very special connection to Jack and Annie.

Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series launches into a new realm, as Jack and Annie are challenged to save Camelot. Young readers will effortlessly learn the basics of Civil War history, while losing themselves in another gripping tale that has turned many a nonreader into a bookworm. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

In the newest Magic Tree House adventure, Jack and Annie are whisked back to the Civil War where they meet Clara Barton and save the life of their very own great-great-great-grand-father.

Customer Reviews:

MY BOY LOVES READING.......2007-01-07

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

The Real Life Books.......2006-02-26

I liked Civil War on Sunday because they helped America's first nurse named Clara Barton. I liked when they rescued the drummer boy from the war. The author did a very good job writing the book. That is why I have a lot of Magic Tree House Books.

CIVIL WAR ON SUNDAY.......2006-01-20

THIIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK MY FAVORITE PART IS WHERE JAKE AND ANNIE SAVE THE DRUMMER BOY.

best of the series.......2005-12-31

If you are looking for a book that explain the Civil War and the pros and cons from each side, please go else where. The book has a Northern slant since Jack and Annie as behind Union lines. Book has a different feel to it and gets away from some the fantasy stories lines for a refreshing change of pace. Enjoy!

Great Reading.......2005-08-12

Civil War On Sunday is a Great book and educational. My grandson and I love reading all of these books.

Insurgent Collective Action and Civil War in El Salvador (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)

Average customer rating:

Insurgent Collective Action and Civil War in El Salvador (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)
Elisabeth Jean Wood
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Activism | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0521010500

Book Description

Elisabeth Wood's account of insurgent collective action in El Salvador is based on oral histories gathered from peasants who supported the insurgency and those who did not, as well as on interviews with military commanders from both sides. She explains how widespread support among rural people for the leftist insurgency during the civil war in El Salvador challenges conventional interpretations of collective action. Those who supplied tortillas, information, and other aid to guerillas took mortal risks and yet stood to gain no more than those who did not.

Average customer rating:

Pink and Say
A better way to teach the consequences of war and hate!
Pink and Say
Pink and Say is a Winner
great for young and old

Pink and Say
Patricia Polacco
Manufacturer: Philomel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Staff Favorites | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0399226710

Customer Reviews:

Pink and Say.......2007-06-14

This is a wonderfully written book. I have always enjoyed Patricia Polacco books and the sneak peek into her life that she gives us. As a second grade teacher I will use this book next year to give my students a better understanding of what happened in our country not so long ago. This book should give them a better understanding of how the color of your skin affected how others treated you.

A better way to teach the consequences of war and hate!.......2007-05-26

I have read this book to 4th-8th graders for years now, and find it stirs deep emotions of compassion in the young and old alike.
A must to teach the unintended consequences of war and hate.
Unforgettable!
In Harmony,
Diane L. Donohue

Pink and Say.......2007-03-30

Triston Corriveau 3-13-07
Writing Book Review

The book Pink and Say is a bout tow boys that go to war .It takes place in the south during the civil war. Say got shot in the leg pink carried him to his moms house. She took care of him. They had to hide because the other soldier where coming to find them. Pinks mom got shot by the other soldiers that where looking for Pink and Say. A man from the war comes to tell them they have to go back. They go back in their uniforms and they are soldiers again.
I thought Pink and Say was a good book. It made me feel like what they felt like. It made me think of my uncle because he going to college for the Air Force. And I want to be in the Air Force.

Pink and Say is a Winner.......2007-03-08

This book is a combination winner - the text and the illustrations are excellent. The "hand" metaphor resonates clearly - and Polacco has immortalized Pinkus Ailey with her moving story.

great for young and old.......2007-01-10

My daughter brought this book home from her Elementary school library about 7 years ago. I read it to her and fell in love with the whole story. It was so good when I found it on Amazon I bought it, so that when I have grandchildren I will be able to read it to them too! My oldest daughter is using it in college for her classes in special ed. She used it for a report that she needed to write on a childrens book. If you have children, grandchildren or are a teacher, you and your "kids" will love it!

Average customer rating:

COULD BE A MOVIE!!!
Great adventure for any child who loves history!
Rifles for Watie
Rifles For Watie
Love It!

Rifles for Watie
Harold Keith
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Classics | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 006447030X

Book Description

Jeff Bussey walked briskly up the rutted wagon road toward Fort Leavenworth on his way to join the Union volunteers. It was 1861 in Linn County, Kansas, and Jeff was elated at the prospect of fighting for the North at last.

In the Indian country south of Kansas there was dread in the air; and the name, Stand Watie, was on every tongue. A hero to the rebel, a devil to the Union man, Stand Watie led the Cherokee Indian Na-tion fearlessly and successfully on savage raids behind the Union lines. Jeff came to know the Watie men only too well.

He was probably the only soldier in the West to see the Civil War from both sides and live to tell about it. Amid the roar of cannon and the swish of flying grape, Jeff learned what it meant to fight in battle. He learned how it felt never to have enough to eat, to forage for his food or starve. He saw the green fields of Kansas and Okla-homa laid waste by Watie's raiding parties, homes gutted, precious corn deliberately uprooted. He marched endlessly across parched, hot land, through mud and slash-ing rain, always hungry, always dirty and dog-tired.

And, Jeff, plain-spoken and honest, made friends and enemies. The friends were strong men like Noah Babbitt, the itinerant printer who once walked from Topeka to Galveston to see the magnolias in bloom; boys like Jimmy Lear, too young to carry a gun but old enough to give up his life at Cane Hill; ugly, big-eared Heifer, who made the best sourdough biscuits in the Choctaw country; and beautiful Lucy Washbourne, rebel to the marrow and proud of it. The enemies were men of an-other breed - hard-bitten Captain Clardy for one, a cruel officer with hatred for Jeff in his eyes and a dark secret on his soul.

This is a rich and sweeping novel-rich in its panorama of history; in its details so clear that the reader never doubts for a moment that he is there; in its dozens of different people, each one fully realized and wholly recognizable. It is a story of a lesser -- known part of the Civil War, the Western campaign, a part different in its issues and its problems, and fought with a different savagery. Inexorably it moves to a dramat-ic climax, evoking a brilliant picture of a war and the men of both sides who fought in it.

Customer Reviews:

COULD BE A MOVIE!!!.......2007-02-17

I FIRST READ R-F-W IN 1992, I HAVE SINCE READ THE NOVEL 10 TIMES. AS A CIVIL WAR BUFF I REALLY ENJOYED THE WESTERN FRONTIER BATTLES. IN HISTORY CLASS ONE USUALLY NEVER GETS MUCH INSIGHT ON THOSE AREAS OF THE CIVIL WAR. I LOVE THE PASE OF THIS NOVEL, IT SEEMS AS IF IT NEVER SLOWS DOWN. I REMEMBER AS A KID FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE CHARECTERS AND WANTING TO BE THEM. WHEN I DEPLOYED TO IRAQ IN 03 THIS BOOK SERVED A LINK BACK TO MY HOME IN ALABAMA. I HAVE READ THIS BOOK TO MY SON AND HAVE GIVEN IT AWAY AS GIFT

STACEY

Great adventure for any child who loves history!.......2007-01-20

We purchased this for our son who loves historical fiction and it was a wonderful story based on a true story. It was fast paced and very detailed. I would highly recommend this for your personal library as well as for your school library.

Rifles for Watie.......2007-01-19

If you like action and adventure books Rifles for Watie is your type of book. It starts out somewhere around the 1890's when a 17 year old kid named Jeff wants to join the army so that he could stop bushwhackers [people who want slavery] to stop terrorizing his family. 13 months in camp many funny things happen and serious things to. Theres also his boss the general that is very pushy and has an iron fist. Did I mention that he has not even fired a shot so far at camp? Which will win north or the south? Will Jeff survive the war? If you want to know you're going to have to read the book and find out your self. Oh one more thing I also forgot to say that the book is fantastic!!!!!!!

Tristan

Rifles For Watie.......2006-12-22

Rifles for Watie
Rifles is written by Harold Keith. Rifles is an good made up story of the life of a solider during the Civil War. It reads fast and will decently fill you up with some CivilWar facts, but not too many. Jeff, our main character,r is a boy of 17 and joins up with the North after bushwhackers attack his home. Kansas, 1861 is the setting for this book and it covers all of the Civil War. Jeff has some trouble with his commanding officer. Good for kids 10 and up. If you want a good adventure story, this is the way to go.

Love It!.......2006-04-13

This is my absolute FAVORITE book of all time! I made all of my friends read it, and they agree that this book is one of the best we've ever read. The plot, drama, romance, adventure, the characters and the general diolouge suit this story's theme so well. Jefferson Davis Bussey is the kind of guy every girl wants to have, and Harold Keith makes him entirely beliveable by giving him emotions, loves and faults. I completely reccomend this book to anyone who loves closing a book with the intention of reading it over and over again.

When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America

Average customer rating:

Good research, presentist thesis
Affirmative action for White people, at least alot of white people
LBJ was the one who really freed the slaves
Rooseveltian politics and patricianism, Southern (and Midwestern) white racism, collude; OH, IGNORE THE TROLLS
Tell the Truth!

When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America
Ira Katznelson
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

Discrimination & Racism | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0393052133

Book Description

A groundbreaking work that exposes the twisted origins of affirmative action.

When Affirmative Action Was White demonstrates that all the key programs passed during the New Deal and Fair Deal era of the 1930s and 1940s were created in a deeply discriminatory manner. This was no accident. With the United States still in an era of legal segregation, the powerful southern wing of the Democratic Party provided the framework for Social Security, the GI Bill, and landmark labor laws that helped create the foundations of the modern middle class. Through mechanisms that specifically excluded maids and farmworkers and through laws that kept administration in local hands, the gap between blacks and whites actually widened despite postwar prosperity. The publication of this deeply disturbing work promises to create a national debate on the meaning of affirmative action and the responsibility of government.

Customer Reviews:

Good research, presentist thesis.......2007-07-08

An excellent synthesis of research on the bigoted application of New Deal era programs, marred by a presentist, polemical determination to characterize this as "affirmative action" for whites. This was not affirmative action for whites, this was unfair exclusion of blacks from programs that were supposed to be open to all. At the end, we are still left with the philosphically dubious assertion that discrimination against whites is needed to make up for past discrimination against blacks. I can see the appeal of this argument, but I think perpetuating government racism, even for compensatory purposes, is a mistake that creates more social problems. In this respect I think the title is unfortunate, but no doubt it got the author much more attention and increased book sales. And there is much worthwhile information in the book, especially for conservatives still in denial about the extent of the racism from which blacks suffered in the twentieth century.

Affirmative action for White people, at least alot of white people .......2007-05-05

This book, written in a formal manner, in the style of a political policy paper, touches on that most sensitive of American subjects, race, specifically the responsibility of American society to provide compensation to African Americans for the centuries of slavery and severe publicly and privately enforced economic and psychological misery.

The main focus of the book is on the increases in the disparities in terms of wealth, health and other indicators between black and white Americans that began during the New Deal period. It was this disparity that President Johnson noted in his speech to the Howard University graduating class in June 1965. LBJ noted that since 1947 white poverty had decreased by 27 percent while non-white poverty had decreased by only three percent. He declared that etween 1952 to 1963 the average percentage of the income of white men that black men earned, fell from 57 to 52 percent. The infant mortality of non-whites in the U.S. was 70 percent greater than whites in 1940. By 1962, it was 90 percent greater. LBJ stated that white and black unemployment rates were about equal in 1940 but by 1965 black unemployment was twice as high.

LBJ's speech is the foil for the exposition of the learned professor in this book........

For Katnzelson, as others have pointed out before him of course, the shaping of such New Deal policies of Social Security, public works jobs, housing mortgage subsidies, the Wagner act empowering workers to organize, minimum wage laws, and so on were dependent on the votes of Southern Democrats. They worked to insure that agriculture and domestic work were excluded from the minimum wage law of 1938 and the Wagner Act and the Social Security Acts of 1935. Agriculture and domestic workers, of course, were very disproportionately in the South represented in their work force by African Americans. The majority of African Americans lived in the South, the poorest people in the poorest region in the country. They worked to ensure that benefits and subsidies of these Federal programs would be distributed by local officials--thus in the South officials worked with a great deal of success to exclude blacks from the programs that whites had access to. Southern politicians wanted to keep Blacks in semi-slave conditions and so succeeded to a very large extent in excluding blacks from income accumulating opportunities that were available to Whites, such as the government guarantee of organizing for higher wages, benefits and conditions guaranteed by the Wagner Act and the programs of subsidies to the poor. When Blacks did receive subsidies from these programs in the South, they were considerably less than the same benefits accorded to Whites.

Blacks had considerably less access to the training programs offered to white service men during World War II. They were often placed in menial jobs. The Republican Secretary of War Henry Stimson believed that blacks should be kept from the battlefield as much as possible because of their alleged inherent incompetence at those tasks. Some black servicemen did have access to literacy training, combat experience and vocational training. Unionized black workers in the North benefited and blacks in the South were pulled along in the new prosperity but at very small distances compared to the benefits won by white veterans. In an endnote, he quotes Eisehnower that rural working class Britian lacked the strong race consciousness of Americans--thus white GIs stationed in England during the War were horrified by the sight of white British girls dating Black GIs and often responded violently. According to Ike, they were also upset that the British press seemed not at all perturbed by this dating.

Funding for college education, housing mortgages on easy terms, superior vocational training and so on were provided in massive amounts by the GI bill. The latter has been declared by Freddie Mac advertisements and Democratic politicians, quite plausibly as significantly contributing to the creation of the post-War middle class in this country. Once again, the programs of the GI bill were run by local VA officials and others in the South, the home of the majority of black veterans. The house mortgage and educational loans were distributed by private lenders in the north and south who at best loaned the money to black veterans infrequently but of course did so regularly for whites. Blacks eligible for higher education were either not allowed access to education or directed towards Southern Black universities and vocational schools that received much less funding than comparable white schools and were otherwise bad jokes as educational institutions. Northern white colleges, of course, engaged in extensive unofficial racial discrimination in admissions and student housing.

The subsidies and education which the families of white veterans and their descendants have benefited from show up in contemporary statistics, Katznelson shows. Many whites who took advantage of the GI bill were able to subsequently accumulate fairly comfortable assets in terms of stock ownership, retirement funds, savings and so on. Home ownership, providing by easy GI bill mortgage loans, was a major key. Such benefits, of course, have passed down through the generations. According to Katznelson, by the end of the 20th century, the median household net worth was $81,000 for whites but $8,000 for blacks.

Katznelson turns to the interesting question as to how a real affirmative action program should be implemented, even one that can be technically color neutral, getting away from the feeble arguments of Jesse Jackson & co. The affirmative action programs that have been implemented, Katznelson argues, have reduced significantly the inequalities between Black and White middle class incomes, if not net worth. But the large majority of African Americans have had their fortunes decline....

Of course, we need a popular movement to force our neoliberal politicians like Edwards, Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and the rest to even begin to seriously address the issue.

LBJ was the one who really freed the slaves.......2006-07-30

Just finished an outstanding book by Ira Katznelson on the untold history of racial inequality in America. Those who oppose affirmative action should get it and see who has really benefitted from The New Deal, the Fair Deal, Social Security and the GI Bill after WWII. I cannot see how anyone can read this book and not agree with me that Lincoln did not free the slaves. The slaves were not freed until 1964 and LBJ should be credited with that action.

Of course, this information cannot be taught in Florida schools. The education bill has a provision that History must be taught as inerrant gospel. No revisionist thought allowed in Florida schools. They plan to keep the children ignorant of what Southern politicians did from 1864 to 1964.

Rooseveltian politics and patricianism, Southern (and Midwestern) white racism, collude; OH, IGNORE THE TROLLS.......2006-06-16

For those who are either accidentally ignorant of -- or, more likely, willfully in denial about -- the dark side of the New Deal, many of these things have been documented before. James Loewen touches on a few of them in his well-written "Sundown Towns."

Signing off on Southern Democrats' demands in this and many other things, especially involving the Fair Labor Standards Act before the war, was part of the price FDR was willing to pay to keep his job for four terms. (Several goverment-created towns set up during the Roosevelt years, including Hanford, Wash., one of the cruxes of developing our nuclear weapons power, were deliberately founded by the government as sundown towns.)

Using control of the GI Bill, and of federal housing funds, was an easier, smoother, quieter way of keeping many of these sundown towns all-white (other than the occasional live-in maid) than the cross-burnings, white race riots, etc.

Speaking of those sundown towns, how many were there?

"I believe at least 3,000 and perhaps as many as 15,000 independent towns went sundown in the United States, mostly between 1890 and about 1930," Lowen says. Again, very few of these were in the South. The vast majority were in the West and Midwest.

Unfortunately, many people from these towns -- and even entire sundown counties, in some cases -- are in denial about this part of the racism that was common in America's past and still exists today. That's both how and why their denial may extend to their own racism.

Tell the Truth!.......2006-05-11

Without trying to engage in a polemic, it does need to be pointed out in reference to Mr. Matlock's review that the cause of truth would be better served if one avoids popular and media accounts and made the effort instead to access real historical data. The fact is that during the debate on the Declaration of Independence there was indeed a conflict over one of Jefferson's accusations against King George III that took His Majesty's government to task for its support of the slave trade. The issue of slavery itself was NOT seriously debated. Indeed in 1776, all thirteen states had slavery, while the New England and to a lesser extent the Middle States (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) based their economies in part upon the slave trade. It was on this basis that this particular point in the Declaration by Jefferson was omited. The Declaration, like the Constitution, was, therefore, in effect a pro-slavery document, which is not nearly as shocking as some would have it as the entire world at that time(with the small exception of a very few Western intellectuals and religious
extremists) was pro-slavery. Slavery, which predated written history (and was found in all preindustrial cultures until the West forcibly ended it), only became "wrong" when Western Civiliation so decreed, and in 1776 that had as yet to happen. All of which is to remind us that those who seek to promote a political agenda inevitably do so by distorting history, a practice amply exemplified by this very weak and ultimately silly book.

A Portable Guide to Federal Conspiracy Law, Second Edition: Tactics and Strategies for Criminal and Civil Cases

Average customer rating:

Well, Unless You Have Another Book in Mind...

A Portable Guide to Federal Conspiracy Law, Second Edition: Tactics and Strategies for Criminal and Civil Cases
Joseph F. McSorley
Manufacturer: American Bar Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Federal Jurisdiction | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Reference | Law Practice | Law | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1590311884

Book Description

This newly-updated version is a practical, well-organized look at federal conspiracy law. With reliable, up-to-date information and will help you prepare for pretrial and in-trial considerations that can shape and influence trial tactics and strategies.

Customer Reviews:

Well, Unless You Have Another Book in Mind..........2003-08-26

... You'll probably have to buy this one, regardless of your feelings about the shortcomings of this one. As a defense attorney practicing in federal court, I deal with conspriacy all the time. How nice it is then, to have a little portable book that is compact and durable enough to bring to counsel table at a motions hearing! I mean really, that's just a useful thing to have. Author is a former AUSA, not that that is a BAD thing, necessarily. My bottom line is that you really do need a good treatment of the relationship of the law of conspriacy to the law of evidence. Maybe I'm just taking a short cut here, but I think it's pretty handy.
The rest of the sections are all right. You could probably sum up the law of conspiracy in two words, but I'm fairly sure that Amazon won't print one of them...

Average customer rating:

Excellent. This book makes you feel like Caesar's buddy.
Nice ending to a great series
Superbly Written Historical Fiction
Sensational!
Mesmerizing To The End...

Emperor: The Gods of War (Emperor)
Conn Iggulden
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0385337671
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Book Description

The year is 53 B.C. Fresh from victory in Gaul, Julius Caesar leads battle-hardened legions across the Rubicon river–threatening Rome herself. Even the master strategist Pompey is caught unprepared by the strike, and forced to abandon his city. The armies of Rome will face each other at last in civil war, led by the two greatest generals ever to walk the seven hills. Thus begins Conn Iggulden’s towering saga of Julius Caesar as he approaches his final destiny—a destiny that will be decided not by legions but by his friend Brutus and an Egyptian queen named Cleopatra, who will bear his only son....

For Caesar, the campaign against Pompey will test his military genius and his appetite for glory to their limits, as the greatest fighting machine the world has ever seen divides against itself in a bloody conflict that will set brother against brother until victory or death. But for Caesar, another kingdom beckons—a world of ancient mysteries and languid sensuality, where a beautiful, bewitching woman waits to snare his heart.

The Gods of War follows Julius Caesar through politics and passion, ruthless ambition and private grief, and into the corruption of power itself. Those he has loved will play a part in his triumphs—as will the jealousy and hatred of his enemies.

From the spectacles of the arena to the whispered lies of conspirators, Conn Iggulden brings to life a world of monumental drama. And at its heart is one extraordinary friendship—marked by fierce loyalty and bitter betrayal, with dark events shrouded in noble ideals.

Download Description

The year is 53 B.C. Fresh from victory in Gaul, Julius Caesar leads battle-hardened legions across the Rubicon river–threatening Rome herself. Even the master strategist Pompey is caught unprepared by the strike, and forced to abandon his city. The armies of Rome will face each other at last in civil war, led by the two greatest generals ever to walk the seven hills. Thus begins Conn Iggulden’s towering saga of Julius Caesar as he approaches his final destiny–a destiny that will be decided not by legions but by his friend Brutus and an Egyptian queen named Cleopatra, who will bear his only son....

For Caesar, the campaign against Pompey will test his military genius and his appetite for glory to their limits, as the greatest fighting machine the world has ever seen divides against itself in a bloody conflict that will set brother against brother until victory or death. But for Caesar, another kingdom beckons–a world of ancient mysteries and languid sensuality, where a beautiful, bewitching woman waits to snare his heart.

The Gods of War follows Julius Caesar through politics and passion, ruthless ambition and private grief, and into the corruption of power itself. Those he has loved will play a part in his triumphs–as will the jealousy and hatred of his enemies.

From the spectacles of the arena to the whispered lies of conspirators, Conn Iggulden brings to life a world of monumental drama. And at its heart is one extraordinary friendship–marked by fierce loyalty and bitter betrayal, with dark events shrouded in noble ideals.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent. This book makes you feel like Caesar's buddy........2007-09-12

I'm a history buff and thought I knew the ins and outs of Caesar. Yeah, I did, but this book...well, it just makes you feel like you were standing in Rome and having first name basis buddy-ship with Caesar.

A very remarkable dude he is. Think aobut it. How many other dudes are so controlled and all rounded? Great in war, lucky with chics, and an excellent politician. No wonder he's so successful.

And what better way than to end life in a memorable way? Getting assassinated by folks who get jealous of you, including your best friends..."Et tu Brute" = "Even you Brutus". Man, that is just Immortal...god-like.

Nice ending to a great series.......2007-04-20

I've really enjoyed the entire series, going so far as to buy a 10 euro copy of the last installation in an airport in Copenhagen. Iggulden seems to have followed actual historical events fairly closely and providing some educated insight into the personalities of these fascinating people. The only minor complaint is that the story actually seems a little rushed. It probably could have been separated into two separate novels: the final battle with Pompey and the adventures in Egypt. At the end of the historical note, Iggulden hints that he might write another novel that continues where this novel leaves off. I can only hope that he follows through.

Superbly Written Historical Fiction.......2007-03-27

I've just finished up all four in the series and am left wanting more. Julius Ceasar was one of the most remarkable men in history and Iggulden has done an amazing job of bringing him to life in these pages. With so much at our fingertips today, it is hard to imagine a human being with that kind of vision, let alone the will and determination it would have taken to accomplish what still seems impossible.

James Hart Isley
Author of The Bear Hunter

Sensational!.......2007-03-10

I ordered the first two in the Emperor series (one of historical fiction chronicalling the life of Julius Caeser) and swallowed a dose of 'shock & awe' as I devoured these page turners. I wouldn't recommend them if you like to get to bed early, as I found myself continually battling the sandman to remain awake to see how the latest adventures of the protaganists turned out. While reading the first two I knew that I HAD to go back on Amazon to purchase the remaining books. I discovered that GODS OF WAR was not yet in paperback. Like it mattered. I am the proud owner of 3 paperbacks and 1 hardcover. It was well worth it. I highly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who enjoys a good yarn, swashbuckling adventure, superior character development, fascinating historical fiction and plainly-just a damn good read. My only hope now is the author, Mr. Iggulden, decides to continue the saga with Octavian/Augustus, Mark Antony and that little Greek/Egyptian Minx. After that there's plenty of drama in the Empire. So to Conn, Sir, I beseech you to put 'pen to paper' and continue the journey. I will do my part and spread the word here in the colonies. I already owe you a pint!

Mesmerizing To The End..........2007-01-08

I have now read all 4 novels of the Emperor series, each one just as fascinating as the previous one. I hated to see the end, knowing that Iggulden was going to write next on Ghengis Khan, which he has done and which will be published later this year.

I hope he returns to the scene of Caesar's murder and continues the series, so much of great Roman history happened in the years following.

Of this book I can only say the story is told wonderfully, with such a fresh and unique angle on all the characters that it was easy to follow them from book to book; even meeting new characters as I went.

Thank you, Conn, for a truly satisfying journey through the Via Romana and please revisit it soon.

A New Weave of Power, People, and Politics: The Action Guide for Advocacy and Citizen Participation

Average customer rating:

A New Weave of Power, People, and Politics: The Action Guide for Advocacy and Citizen Participation
Lisa VeneKlasen , and Valerie Miller
Manufacturer: Practical Action
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Economic Policy & Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Civil Rights & Liberties | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Human Rights | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1853396443

Book Description

· A practical handbook for activists, grassroots, and advocacy groups
· Covers constituency building and the theory behind the practice
· “a significant contribution to the growing international literature on citizen participation and advocacy A New Weave has been needed for a long time.”—John Gaventa, Institute of Development Studies.

This book breaks down the boxes separating human rights, rule of law, development, and governance, and creates an integrated approach to rights-based political empowerment. It combines concrete and practical action 'steps' with a sound theoretical foundation to help users understand the process of advocacy planning and implementation.

Building on the authors' fifty years of combined experiences in advocacy, gender, human rights, education, and social change, this “action guide” gathers insights from across the world—including community development, legal rights education, and campaign advocacy. It includes a special training and capacity-building appendix that provides workshop and planning ideas for different users and needs.

Section 1983 Litigation in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) (Nutshell Series)

Average customer rating:

Great Study Aid
View from a pro se
Collins KNOWS this stuff

Section 1983 Litigation in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) (Nutshell Series)
Michael G. Collins
Manufacturer: Thomson West
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Litigation | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books

Nutshell | Series | Law | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0314163255

Product Description

A reliable source on Section 1983 litigation. Authoritative commentary includes coverage of Monroe and the modern Section 1983 Action; Parratt and the scope of due process; excessive force, private violence, and Section 1983; and enforcing the laws under Section 1983. Also discusses municipal liability, state sovereign immunity, and personal immunities.

Customer Reviews:

Great Study Aid.......2007-05-12

This book is a fantastic study aid, whether you are getting ready for final exams or are an attorney wanting to brush up. It really makes the subject clear and concise, which is a miracle considering the horrible tangle that has been made of the law. Collins does a nice job explaining the cases, and their realtionships to one another, and to 1983 doctrine. It doesn't cover 1981, 82, or 85, which is unfortunate because they are usually taught together with 1983. BUT, since 83 is more common and more complicated, this is still a great book. Highly reccommended for students!

View from a pro se .......2007-02-25

This book show that the subject is somewhat complicated. It is good to read just to get an idea of what your attorney is up to. If you can find an attorney. Unless there is a chance of substantial settlement, an attorney is not going to be interested in your case.

The book is not that hard to understand. Not a lot of latin.

Collins KNOWS this stuff.......2000-04-24

Each year Section 1983 litigation makes up by far the bulk of the civil work of federal courts. Section 1983 has produced some of the most confused and confusing doctrine in the law, largely because it operates at the frontiers of some very serious conflicts between competing and perhaps irreconcilable constitutional mandates. Collins, a professor at Tulane Law Schools, KNOWS this material better than most of the judges who will decide 1983 cases every day. He practiced in the area for a number of years, and teaches a course specifically on 1983 at Tulane (as well as civil procedure and federal courts courses). He's also one of the clearest writers you'll find in West's Nutshell Series. Make no mistake, this material is tough, and it's extremely helpful having someone as bright as Collins guiding you through it.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books