A civil suit: a legal thriller of the decadeJustice is created to investigate the truth and bring justice to the people. However, truth and legal procedure do not always go well together. In the book A Civil Action, author Jonathan Harr depicts the dark side of our justice system. Here, Harr presents the true story of a group of families who file a civil suit against two large corporations, but in the process their truth is manipulated and rendered meaningless by the tactics of legal proceedings. Published in 1996, it is one of Harr's best works. It is very engaging, and most importantly, Harr's detailed description helps the reader of all backgrounds understand the legal proceedings of the case. The book begins with Jan Schlicthmann, an attorney for the Woburn families, awaiting the verdict in the case. He is the main narrator of the story and his character is well described, from the lawyer who is at first very cynical to accept the case to the one who gives up everything for the truth and justice for the families of Woburn, who lost their children to Leukemia. Schlicthmann and his clients believe the illness was caused by drinking water from Wells G and H, which was contaminated by chemicals disposed of by Beatrice Foods and the W.R. Grace Tannery. The story unfolds in a very interesting way from Schlicthmann's point of view. When the matter was brought to his attention, Schlicthmann refused to take up the cause, claiming that it was a political battle and not a legal battle (Harr, 1996; p. 69). As he learns more about the case, he ignores his colleague's suggestions and accepts the case. At first they did not have financial resources, but with the help of his clients he finds resources, but middle of paper the prospect creates a lot of frustration against the judge and the judicial system. Thus, Harr could have explored the legal system more to provide relief to readers. In the book, Harr seems reluctant to express his views on the matter, or perhaps it is his writing style to let readers make their own thoughts. Although Harr presents the story from a certain angle, he gives readers perspective. an excellent overview of our justice system. Throughout the book, the author presents a very detailed and in-depth description of the characters and events. The book is very engaging and explores various themes such as corporate social responsibility, civil lawsuits and the injustice of the justice system. That said, this book could be very useful to people from diverse backgrounds. Works Cited: Harr, J. (1996). A civil action. Old books.