From Publishers Weekly
In his campaigns for the U.S. Senate (successful) and the Democratic presidential nomination (struggling), Edwards has defiantly celebrated his earlier career as a trial lawyer. Following that instinct, Edwards has chosen to cast his campaign memoir as an account of four of his courtroom experiences. Four Trials is brimming with Clintonian empathy for regular folks, and Edwards is at his best in his endearing portraits of the victims he represented in medical malpractice and personal injury lawsuits. He also displays a keen understanding of the psychology of a jury, which he calls "a microcosm of democracy." Edwards weaves in recollections of his youth as the son of a mill worker, his rise to prominence as a lawyer, his dedicated family life and the death of his son in a car accident. But he mostly sticks to the details of the cases; he omits almost entirely his years in the Senate and his plans for the presidency. Edwards can tell a good yarn, and at times this book works as a courtroom drama. But it suffers from shoddy, platitudinous prose. The book is chiefly of interest for the way it manifests Edwards's strategy to present himself as an advocate for the downtrodden to his new jury, the American electorate.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Presidential hopeful Senator John Edwards has cast himself as a crusading legal eagle in this unabashedly self-serving recollection of four of his most memorable trials. Rather than outline his own political agenda or strategy, Edwards delves into his past, positioning himself as a people's advocate. Setting aside initial reservations about being manipulated by yet another egocentric politician cynically attempting to sell himself to the American public, readers may find the details of these cases--two medical malpractice suits, a wrongful death suit, and a corporate negligence suit--compelling in and of themselves. Interwoven with fragments of Edwards' personal life, these courtroom dramas seek to humanize a marginal presidential candidate. Recommended if interest in Edwards' campaign merits purchase--but beware of an early exit from the race. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
Senator John McCain In Four Trials, John Edwards has written movingly of people who were terribly wronged, and whom he helped seek some measure of justice with great skill, determination, and genuine compassion. He shows a perceptive appreciation in these accounts for the strength of his clients' character. And, in the loving portrait of his son, Wade, and the deeply touching account of his loss, John reveals the strength of his own character and gives the reader a look beyond a political biography into the heart of a good man.


Book Description
It was in the courtroom that I learned how, when you build a case, every detail matters and every bit counts. And I learned that you can never for a moment forget the big picture or the broad ambitions of justice....I came to genuinely understand how smart and decent all kinds of regular people are -- even at the worst moments in their lives. And I learned how our great system can often discount the hardships and genuine suffering of such people -- and how it can sometimes seem to forget their struggle almost completely. 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.


About the Author
Senator John Edwards practiced law for twenty years, representing families and children hurt by the negligence of others. In 1998, he was elected U.S. Senator for North Carolina, where he lives with his family.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

It was in the courtroom that I learned how, when you build a case, every detail matters and every bit counts. And I learned that you can never for a moment forget the big picture or the broad ambitions of justice... I came to genuinely understand how smart and decent all kinds of regular people are -- even at the worst moments in their lives. And I learned how our great system can often discount the hardships and genuine suffering of such people -- and how it can sometimes seem to forget their struggle almost completely. 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.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly