In 1988, Rob Bilott began a legal battle against DuPont that would consume the next twenty years of his life, uncovering the worst case of environmental contamination in modern history and a corporate cover-up that put the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk. This is his story.
Bilott skillfully tells the story of his epic battle with DuPont and its lawyers ... Bilott is an engaging narrator who breaks our hearts with tales of clients suffering excruciating ailments and amazes us with endless 14-hour days scouring technical reports in search of that one clue that might help him make his case. The naïve corporate defense attorney we meet at the book’s start is gone by the end, and he seems no longer surprised when he realizes that regulators, including the Environmental Protection Agency, are in DuPont’s pocket.
The story is smartly told and briskly paced, with keen attention to pertinent details; expect lots of interest as toxic-water issues and lawsuits multiply across the country.
Although the narrative eventually becomes dominated by arcane legal procedures and complicated chemistry, it opens powerfully ... Bilott is obviously an advocate, so his treatment of DuPont’s scientists, lawyers, and top executives should be read with caution. Still, his level of detail leaves little doubt that year after year, the corporation misled government agencies, courts, and consumers into a false sense of security about the poisonous nature of their manufacturing processes ... Bilott’s admirable crusade is widely known thanks to coverage by journalists; this book adds plenty of detail and further context.
