To Kill a Mockingbird

Amazon.com

Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.

Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. She, her brother, and Dill Harris, a boy who spends the summers with his aunt in Maycomb, while away the hours reenacting scenes from Dracula and plotting ways to get a peek at the town bogeyman, Boo Radley. At first the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell, the daughter of a drunk and violent white farmer, barely penetrate the children's consciousness. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them." By turns funny, wise, and heartbreaking, To Kill a Mockingbird is one classic that continues to speak to new generations, and deserves to be reread often. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.... When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out."Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. She, her brother, and Dill Harris, a boy who spends the summers with his aunt in Maycomb, while away the hours reenacting scenes from Dracula and plotting ways to get a peek at the town bogeyman, Boo Radley. At first the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell, the daughter of a drunk and violent white farmer, barely penetrate the children's consciousness. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them." By turns funny, wise, and heartbreaking, To Kill a Mockingbird is one classic that continues to speak to new generations, and deserves to be reread often. --Alix Wilber

Customer Reviews:

To Kill A Mockingbird.......2007-10-08

I read this book in my English class before I saw the movie, and I must say I was amazed enough to actually continually read this novel as opposed to going to the cliff notes. It is rather engaging, and Gregory Peck, although giving one of the greatest performances of all time, did not give Atticus Finch the justice he well deserved.

Highly recommended.

Significant and Memorable.......2007-09-30

This ever-popular, Pulitzer prize-winning novel is written from the first-person perspective of "Scout," a young girl growing up in a small, segregated Alabama town during the Great Depression. I did not read any descriptions of the book before I began it, so it was fascinating as I began to realize what it was about. Its gentle, childlike, Tom Sawyer, heart-of-America cadence drew me in, but provided a counterpoint to the hypocrisy, racism, and bigotry that was revealed in the town little by little.

The writing itself, of course, is excellent, telling the story subtly but powerfully - or perhaps the power is in its very subtlety. In my opinion, this is not the most compelling book I've ever read on this issue, but it is significant and memorable.

bought to kill a mockingbird.......2007-09-27

i bought the book to kill a mockingbird. it was in excellent condition. the price was also very low.

Loved Loved Loved!.......2007-09-23

Anyone who gives this book a chance will absolutely love it! It starts out with childhood memories of Scout Finch that seem to be completely unrelated, but Harper Lee cleverly weaves them together to make a great novel. The novel's point of view is unique and is probably what makes this book a classic. The story is seen through the innocent eyes of a six year old, but is being retold by an older, more mature woman. This allows the novel to have more mature language and ideas, but everything is seen through an innocent child's eyes. It's the best of both worlds, and I promise you, you'll be in tears by the end. It's a heart wrenching novel, and though it may sound repetitive, you'll love this book if you read it!

Perfect-pitch storytelling.......2007-09-12

The recollections of a young girl in a small southern town during the depression. Harper Lee adopts a near pitch-perfect voice of 'Scout' Finch as a narrator thinking back over the events and able to summon the 8-year old Scout to help tell them.
Thought often subtle, Lee keeps her eye on the subject of bigotry - bigotry of race, sex, class, education, family - and, through Scout's eyes, shines a spotlight on its cruelty and shows how the seeds are being planted for tidal changes that are on the way.
It's hard to imagine a better storyteller.

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town

Average customer rating:

Unbelievable In This Day and Age
Real Life Horror
No good ending here
Lack of remorse in Oklahoma
Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star...

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Legal System | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385517238
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. --Daphne Durham

20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham

Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?
A: I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.

Q: Why this case?
A: Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.

Q: How did you go about your research?
A: I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.

Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you?
A: Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.

Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man?
A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.

Q: You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner's rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?
A: None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.

Q: So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system?
A: Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.

Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man?
A: A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.

Book Description

John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.

In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.

Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.

In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.

With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.

If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.

Customer Reviews:

Unbelievable In This Day and Age.......2007-09-30

I read this book thinking it had to be another Grisham work of fiction because if the story were true, America is in trouble.
This story is riveting, fast-paced and shows how truly horrible our justice system can be for those who can't afford a "Johnny Cochran".
I couldn't put this book down. The more you read the more you can't believe it really happened. Thank goodness for the pictures of the people in this story, it really brought home the fact that it's a true story.
Excellent job by Mr. Grisham.

Real Life Horror.......2007-09-29

"The Innocent Man" is a chronicle of Ron Williamson (former minor league baseball star), his life and ordeal as he was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death row as a result. He was forced to suffer this horror for 11 years until finally the system began to work for him, but only through the diligence and persistence of attorneys assigned to him years later, Mark Barrett and Barry Scheck, his loving mother and persistent sisters, in particular, his sister Annette. The cruelties and disrespect by the officers and District Attorney Bill Peterson that were inflected on him were horrifying. The shabby police work and "junk science," as well as the district attorney's expert witnesses (a majority of them picked from men and women serving time for horrendous crimes themselves) and brought to the stand to testify against Ron, was not only incomprehensible in itself but the fact that the Judge allowed their testimony to stand and control a man's life sentence is abominable. Ron's hometown of Ada, Oklahoma completely turned on him and he was proven guilty without a shred of hard evidence as was his friend, a respected 7th grade Science teacher, Dennis Fritz, merely by association. The book goes on to tell Ron's sad story as only it can be told by such an esteemed author/attorney as John Grisham. I would highly recommend everyone read this true story; it is a real eye opener as to how our justice system can go astray with the wrong people serving in our trusted government positions.

No good ending here.......2007-09-27

I seldom read Grisham but found his first non-fiction work hard to put down. The story of Ron Williamson has no happy ending. Not for Ron nor the young woman who was so brutually murdered.

Grisham does an excellent job of drawing us into the story. If you have never experienced justice (or lack of) in a small town you need to read this book. Had Ron lived in New York City or even Dallas he may have gone unnoticed wandering the streets and babbling like a mad man. But not in Ada, OK.

Lack of remorse in Oklahoma.......2007-09-26

This story had a tremendous impact on me. I support the death penalty but was abhorred to see how flippantly it was applied in Ada Oklahoma. Read this book first and then log onto District Attorney Peterson's web site to read his defense of his actions that were the subject of the book. The first thing he displays on his website is the American flag. Then he has a lengthy and tedious defense of all the minor points in Grisham's novel. He provides statistics on the probability of innocent people being convicted of felonies as if this excuses him for almost sending an innocent person to his death. Peterson tries to blow off Grisham as an anti-death penalty advocate. I truly fear for the soul of Mr. Peterson and the good people of Ada Oklahoma - a bit of remorse and repentance for what they almost did to an innocent man would help them when they meet their Maker. Hiding behind the American flag might help now but certainly not later!

Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star..........2007-09-18

... but it's not. It only looks like fiction in bad taste. Instead, this truly happened as described.

I'm not summarizing the story as the editorial reviews and most reviewers before me are quite descriptive.
May I just say that I think that every judicial system has its share of faults and flaws, but what's revealed in this book is simply astonishing and unbelievable from beginning to end. I can only hope that it rattles a few consciences whilst increasing awareness to prevent disastrous consequences for those involved.

As it always happens when I read J. Grisham's books, I've appreciated and enjoyed the clear and well structured narrative, even more so on this occasion. Being a real-life story, I'm sure it must have been quite a task to extrapolate all the relevant facts from all the interviews and paperwork generated by this case during the years, in order to present them clearly to the readers.

Unless you already know the epilogue, try not to peek at the photographs published right in the middle of the book. Some are quite revealing for the yet-to-be-read rest of the story. They don't actually "spoil everything" -in fact, whatever unfolded after turning those pages kept me on the alert and as incredulous as ever- but I still think it would have been preferable to print them at the very end of the book.

A part from that, "The Innocent Man" is highly recommendable.

Average customer rating:

A different ending than what I thought..
not bad
Now what I expected...
A Fast-Paced Thriller
Good Read

Judge & Jury
James Patterson , and Andrew Gross
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0316013935
Release Date: 2006-07-31

Book Description

Senior FBI agent Nick Pellisante is closing in on the notorious mob boss The Electrician, when the scheduled sting goes spectacularly awry. Two FBI agents are dead, the boss is wounded, and Pellisante vows the Electricians next move will be from a jail cell. Andie Echeverra, a part-time actress and a single, full-time mom, is assigned her next role as Juror #11 in the landmark trial against Mafia Don Dominic Cavello. Everybody is on edge. No one has ever crossed the man whose orders have made entire families disappear. Though Cavellos influence extends across blue uniforms and black robes, the case should be open-and-shut. But the legal system fails with devastating results, and Nick and Andie are the only ones left to seek justice. To stop the Electrician, they must take matters into their own hands. They are the judge and jury now. James Patterson spins an all-out heart-pounding legal thriller that pits two people against the most vicious and powerful mobster since John Gotti.

Customer Reviews:

A different ending than what I thought.........2007-09-15

I never could of imagined the the ending to turn out like that.And no im not giving away the ending,But i dont feel the ending had closure to it.It didnt give the reader a sence of closure.I will give this book a 4 star,it wasnt to bad of a book.It was good clear up untill the end.....Book owl

not bad.......2007-08-12

I am new fan of Patterson, this was a great book! I don't like books that are very scary, like one of the Cross books I read, but this is not like that. Very good story and I enjoyed it very much.

Now what I expected..........2007-07-06

I was very disappointed with Judge & Jury. I like James Patterson books but his writing seems to be getting worse with each book. It mainly seems to be the books that have a "Co-Author" that I find are not written well. And I know that James Patterson can write so much better than this.

So I recently visited the website of Andrew Gross (www.andrewgrossbooks.com), James Patterson's "Co-Author" on Judge & Jury to find out a little more about him. I found a couple interesting bits of information that I thought James Patterson fans might like to know before purchasing another one of his books that have been "Co-Authored". Upon meeting James Patterson, Andrew Gross said that James Patterson had several projects he wanted to write and NOT ENOUGH TIME TO DO THEM. And then Andrew Gross goes on to say that James Patterson comes up with the outline for the book and then passes it on to Andrew Gross. It sounds to me like the only part of James Patterson that is in Judge & Jury (as well as his other "Co-Authored" books, I assume) is that he came up with the story and the outline but the book was written entirely by the "Co-Author". This is definately going to make me think twice about buying another James Patterson book that has "Co-Authors" name on the cover with his. Mr. Patterson, this is a very sad way to let your fans down and lose some along the way. I hope that you go back to writing books on your own.

A Fast-Paced Thriller.......2007-07-04

Judge and Jury is a thriller that starts off and never lets off. This is the story of Nick Pellisante, an FBI agent who has been tracking mob boss Dominic Cavello. At Cavello's niece's wedding, Pellisante arrests Cavello, but loses 2 of his agents.

From here on out, we have a Legal thriller that has you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The one complaint I have about this book was that the final section felt rushed. Maybe it was just me, but this really annoyed me. This was my first Patterson novel. I have read 5 of his novels since then.

Good Read.......2007-06-25

Not Pattersons best, but defintiely worth your time. It takes about 100 pages for the story to really get going, but once it does, its a good thrill ride that is typical Patterson. I would recommend this to any Patterson fan, or fan of suspense novels. Good beach read. Read it in 2 days on the beach.

We, the Jury: Deciding the Scott Peterson Case

Average customer rating:

Not what I thought
Experiencing the Peterson trial through those who lived it
We The Jury
brilliant
Interesting but not news

We, the Jury: Deciding the Scott Peterson Case
Greg Beratlis , Tom Marino , Mike Belmessieri , Dennis Lear , Richelle Nice , John Guinasso , Julie Zanartu , Frank Swertlow , and Lyndon Stambler
Manufacturer: Phoenix Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1597775363

Book Description

In "We, the Jury," the jurors in the Scott Peterson case tell, for the first time, what life was like at the center of this sensational murder trial.

Customer Reviews:

Not what I thought .......2007-09-26

I'm reluctant to write this review, since I just read a bunch of negative reviews which were then bashed in the comments, so I'm going to start with this: I do believe Scott Peterson is GUILTY. I believe the jury got the verdict right. I have read numerous other books about Laci and Scott ... including on which was published BEFORE her body was found.

But I did not like this book. Perhaps it's because I really did think they were going to go more indepth in their deliberations, perhaps because they really didn't mention much of the evidence except in passing. I know I was bored to death when they were describing clothing and looks. Part of me has to wonder after reading this if they didn't vote guilty because Geragos didn't come through on his promise to prove Scott "stone cold innocent". Now I'm sure this isn't the case, but by reading the book I sensed that they were waiting for this proof. I would have liked more information on how they deliberated the evidence.

It is not a horrible book for what it is. But it is NOT a book about deliberating the Peterson case. It's a book about 7 out of 12 people and how the trial affected them and their lives (mostly in negative ways).

Now I hope no one feels the need to bash my review just because I didn't enjoy this book. For someone interested in the case I would recommend Catherine Crier's book. For someone interested in Laci's life and the emotions, I recommend For Laci.

It's just my opinion!

Experiencing the Peterson trial through those who lived it.......2007-09-09

Since I'm still reading the book, I can't give a full and accurate review. The four stars reflects my opinon of the book up to this point. So far so good! If you followed this trial, I would recommed this book to read.

We The Jury.......2007-07-18

It was an interesting book and filled in some of the blank spaces in my view of the trial.

brilliant.......2007-06-10

this was an excellent book,i have read about 5 from this tradegy already, it is very interesting to get a different angle on the story.

Interesting but not news.......2007-06-02

I found this book an interesting read. However, most of the information in the book was information we already knew due to the previous books published on the case and the intense media coverage. There were a few surprises but for the most part the book covers what anyone following the case would have already known.

Average customer rating:

Family
overdone, unrealistic, overdramatic
DON'T MISS IT
Karen Kingsbury is AWESOME!
"Firstborn"

Family (Firstborn Series #4)
Karen Kingsbury
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0842387463

Book Description

In the wake of finding his firstborn son, John Baxter looks for a way to tell his other children the truth about a secret he's kept from them all their lives. At the same time, a sensational Hollywood trial brings Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart together again, this time in a very public way. Just when love might have the chance to win, doubts and presumed scandals place them farther apart than ever. In the midst of this crisis, the truth is clear for all of them--never in their lives has family been more important.

Customer Reviews:

Family.......2007-06-12

I have read all of the Redemption and Firstborn series. Every book seems to get better. I can't wait to start reading the Sunrise series. Karen Kingsbury is an incredible author. Thank you.

overdone, unrealistic, overdramatic.......2007-05-28

I just got through the marathon of book #4 in this series and thought I'd get online to see if anyone else felt the same way I did about this author and this series in particular... The overall story is OK, but the author feels she has to describe and exaggerate every single emotion the characters are feeling. If I hear ONE MORE TIME about how much Ashley loves Landon and is so glad every second of the day that he left New York for her... c'mon, they've been married several years now, where's real life??! Those kind of tender moments happen occasionally in real life but not every day! The overdone, gushy Baxter family is another great example of this. And the overdramatic style of writing is killing me!!! ("She couldn't believe she would be returning to that place. That place of such heartache. That place where dreams had come true. --paragraph break, drum roll please-- Malibu Beach." -- I made that up but the author does that ALL the time!) I'm not saying these books aren't somewhat entertaining (I have read the whole series and other books by this author for lack of anything better to do), but the overall style really turns me off...

DON'T MISS IT.......2007-04-10

Don't miss this book! This whole series is SO GOOD! I usually can't put the book down. There is another series by Karen Kingsbury that is the sequel to this one that is equally as amazing. She has a great way of capturing your interest to the point you think the characters are real and an actual part of your life.
AMAZING author, and amazig book!

Karen Kingsbury is AWESOME!.......2007-02-12

I am in the middle of this book and like all of her book it is awesome!! Karen Kingsbury is my favorite author of all times! I can't wait to finish this book to move on to another one.

"Firstborn".......2007-01-17

Love all of Karen Kingsbury books. Each has a subject, that all or most of us go through. She shows Gods Love, Forgiveness & Grace in each.

Average customer rating:

Corporate greed
An amazing account of how corporations poisoned millions.

Outrageous Misconduct
Paul Brodeur
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0394533208
Release Date: 1985-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Corporate greed.......1998-10-10

A completely compelling account of exactly how far a business will go to make a profit. Brodeur is a brilliant writer.

An amazing account of how corporations poisoned millions........1998-03-08

An amazing account of how the asbestos companies poisoned millions and conspired to prevent the release of the dangers of asbestos. The book displays the possibilities of corporate greed and contains a blueprint for preventing future toxic nightmares.

Average customer rating:

Good overview so far
Detailed introduction
CONCISE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
Good intro textbook
A great introduction to clinical trials

Fundamentals of Clinical Trials
Lawrence M. Friedman , Curt D. Furberg , and David L. DeMets
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0387985867

Book Description

The randomized control clinical trial has become the gold standard scientific method for the evaluation of pharmaceuticals, biologics, devices, procedures and diagnostic tests. This trial design has been successfully used in both therapeutic and disease prevention trials. It is superior to alternative designs by eliminating several sources of bias which exist in those designs. This role has evolved over the past three decades in a number of disease areas including cardiology, opthalmology, cancer and AIDS. While the specifics of using the randomized control design for a specific intervention and disease may differ, the basic fundamentals still apply in developing the study protocol and operational procedures. These fundamentals still apply in developing the study protocol and operational procedures. These fundamentals include identifying the specific questions to be tested and appropriate outcome measures, determining an adequate sample size, specifying the randomization procedure, detailing the intervention with visit schedules for subject evaluation, establishing an interim data and safety monitoring plan, detailing the final analysis plan and determining the organizational structure. This text is structured to address the fundamentals as the protocol for a clinical trial is being developed. A chapter is devoted to each of the critical areas of a protocol to aid the clinical trial researcher. The fundamentals described in this text are based on sound scientific methodology, statistical principles and years of accumulated experience by the three authors. Collectively, the authors have been active researchers in a broad area of clinical trials including cardiology, cancer, opthalmology, diabetes, osteoporosis, AIDS, women's health and screening tests. In these studies, the authors have served as members of the steering committee responsible for developing the protocol and as members of data and safety monitoring committees. The fundamentals were proposed in the first edition published in 1981 and have not changed substantially in the later editions. However, the number of examples illustrating the fundamentals has greatly expanded base on the collective experience of the authors. This text is intended for the clinical researcher who is interested in designing a clinical trial and developing a protocol. It is also of value to researchers and practitioners who must critically evaluate the literature of published clinical trials and assess the merits of each trial and the implications for the care and treatment of patients. The test uses numerous examples of published clinical trials from a variety of medical disciples to meaningfully illustrate the fundamentals. Technical design issues such as sample size are considered but the technical details have been suppressed as much as possible through the use of graphs and tables. While the technical material has been kept to a minimum, the statistician may still find the principles and fundamentals presented in this text useful both in a consulting and teaching capacity. The text assumes that the readers have only a modest formal statistical background. A basic introductory statistics course is helpful in maximizing the benefit of the text. However, a researcher or practitioner with no statistical background would still find most, if not all the chapters understandable and useful.

Customer Reviews:

Good overview so far.......2007-02-09

This book has, so far, provided a nice overview of the steps associated with clinical trial design and management. The math is pretty basic, but they do think of a lot of softer issues that are important (e.g. adequate parking is essential to participant retention). The references are quite helpful. I have not finished the book, but expect the second half to retain the quality overview that I have seen in the first half.

Detailed introduction.......2005-08-02

Comprehensive book. Requires good understanding of basic statistics and mathematics for some chapters. However without this, it is still a great book for a solid foundation on Clinical Trial design and conduct.

CONCISE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH.......2003-01-30

The fact that this book was designed for researchers, who are involved in experimental (clinical) trials, makes the basic knowledge of statistics essential.
Using an interactive multidisciplinary approach to investigation, this handbook embraced all aspects clinical and paraclinical survey. It is very easy-to-follow, and divulges its methodology in concise manner. "Fundamentals of Clinical Trials" is one book that will help alleviate the rigorous chores of epidemiologists. However, an advanced or versatile researcher may complain that some of the information in it are too summarized.

Good intro textbook.......2003-01-04

I used this book for a class that I took last semester on clinical trial.

The authors do a good job of giving a good overview of the topics of interest, in particular: sample size calculation, use of DSMBs, trial design, choice of endpoints, randomization and issues in data analysis.

The chapters on sample size estimation and use of safety monitoring boards are quite heavy on the statistics. If you've never had an intro class in statistics, then these chapters may be way over your head.

There are a few topics that the authors didn't cover so well that I thought should have been more prominent: Choice of primary endpoints in FDA trials, general requirements of the FDA and regulatory information in general, the calculations of meta-analyses.

Overall I am quite happy with this book and will keep it on my shelf as a good reference.

A great introduction to clinical trials.......2001-08-17

This book is a very good place to start for those who want to learn about the design and analysis of clinical trials. However there is a heavy emphasis on statistics - a basic knowledge of stats is essential.

Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself After Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn't Commit

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You will not be able to sleep until you finish this book
Moving true-life account of perfidious injustice
Justice-Texas style
If you believe in Justice in our court system, read this....
Justice?

Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself After Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn't Commit
Kerry Max Cook
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 006057464X
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

Kerry Cook is an innocent man who wrongly served two decades in Texas's notorious death house for the brutal 1977 rape and murder of 21–year–old Linda Jo Edwards. His struggle for freedom is said to be one of the worst cases of police and prosecutorial misconduct in American history.

In the summer of 1977, Cook was staying in Tyler, TX. He met an attractive young woman named Linda Edwards and was invited back to her apartment for a drink and left his fingerprints on the sliding glass door. Four days later, Ms. Edwards was found brutally murdered. When the police dusted for prints, they found Cook's and immediately arrested him. Edward Jackson ly testified that Cook confessed to the murder during a jailhouse conversation. Jackson was set free, only to kill again several years later. Cook, on the other hand, was convicted and sentenced to death.

He was thrown into a world for which no one could be prepared, and he survived beatings, sexual abuse, and depression; all the while, he fought against a justice system that was determined to keep him quiet and loath to admit a mistake. Through the work of a crusading group of lawyers who forced a series of retrials, his case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ordered the case be reconsidered.It wasn't until the spring of 1999 that Cook was finally able to put the nightmare behind him: long–suppressed DNA evidence had linked James Mayfield, Linda Edwards's ex–lover, to the crime.

Customer Reviews:

You will not be able to sleep until you finish this book.......2007-06-04

I have read the book twice. This is a first hand account of one of the worst cases of injustice in American History. Kerry Max Cook has brilliantly written his own book about life before and after death row and the scars that he still carries with him from the experience. I highly recommend this book to all. I have already bought copies for all my friends.

Moving true-life account of perfidious injustice.......2007-05-30

There have been a spate of books lately about how poorly the American criminal justice system performs. This is surely among the best, though it is not without fault.

Kerry Max Cook was convicted in 1978 of a brutal rape and murder. He was sentenced to death. Over the course of 21 years with the help of a series of committed criminal defense attorneys and capital punishment opponents, he was able to obtain three re-trials. One resulted in a hung jury, another in guilty verdict and the fourth pending trial led to an agreement that saw him released from prison and death row, still as a convicted murderer.

After 20 years on death row, several appellate court decisions and DNA testing, it is abundantly clear that Kerry Max Cook didn't committ murder, rape or any other crime against Linda Jo Edwards in 1977. It is also clear that a long line of Smith County, Texas prosecutors, police officers and others committed crimes against Cook, the least of which is perjury. Nothing of course happened to those who perpetrated frauds upon the court, violated their canon of professional responsibility or flat out perjured themselves. The man the DNA evidence and early eyewitness account pointed to as the murderer has never been charged. In fact, the Smith County, Texas District Attorney's office still maintains, despite the proverbial mountain of evidence against it, that Cook is guilty.

Cook is literate, but not overly articulate. His tale of unbelievable hardship drags in places, but the message resonates clearly: there are proecutors and cops who lie simply to get a conviction. There are criminals who will conjure up stories with the help of prosecutors and cops to get a good deal for themselves while an innocent person is condemned.

I live in the Chicago area where dozens of convicted murderers have been set free because DNA evidence, unavailable or untested at the time of their trial, has established that they could not have been the perpetrator of the crime. The man who headed the State's Attorney office that secured many of these false convictions, Richard M. Daley, has been repeatedly elected Mayor of Chicago. The media never questions him about how all these innocent men were convicted. The same holds true in Smith County, Texas: the several District Attorneys who used perjured evidence or even perjured themselves go unpunished as does the suspect most likely to have committed the murder.

With the recent case of the three Duke University lacrosse players accused of a non-existent rape by Mike Nifong, dubbed a "rogue prosecutor" by the North Carolina Attorney General, we've seen once again how easy it is for prosecutors with the help of dishonest law enforcement officers to frame totally innocent victims. (The NC Attorney General called the three accused innocent.)These three young men were fortunate in that their families had enough resources to get them good legal help and that mostly conservative bloggers investigated and started poking holes in Nifong's stories. It was months before even parts of the mainstream media began to doubt Nifong and the accuser. Kerry Max Cook and the many other convicted innocents weren't as fortunate.

Kerry Max Cook has written a compelling account of his life. That he can have any hope at all is indeed inspiring. His story is a caution that the guardians, above all, must be guarded. The innocent are, as we learn almost monthly as more convicted murderers are found to be innocent through DNA testing, condemned to lengthy prison terms or even death based upon mistaken or knowingly false testimony.

Jerry

Justice-Texas style.......2007-05-08

In March 2007, I attended a talk by Kerry Cook with a 80+year old nun who asked me to go with her. I did not have a clue the subject, I just went to drive for her. What an eye opening experience hearing Cook talk about his experiences in the small room crowded with college students, some of whom are part of various programs to help those imprisoned who are innocent. I later bought the book and I was angry the entire time I read it and ashamed I am a Texan, but relieved that Texas lawyers were the ones who finally helped Cook get free. Cook's story will change your life; if you are in favor of the death penalty, it will change your mind. If you are on the fence, you will get off it. You know in your heart and by current events that there are many more innocents wrongly on death row, put there by "evil" prosecutors, sheriffs, lawyers, etc., not to mention just sloppy police work. It's a crap shoot how you are treated. Kerry Cook is white, can you imagine how Blacks and Hispanics are treated in the criminal justice system?? I am still reeling and Kerry Max Cook has the rest of his life to have nightmares....

If you believe in Justice in our court system, read this...........2007-03-17

because you won't be a believer for long.

Kerry Max Cook tells us exactly how it is to be on death row in this country. He paints the picture of being wrongly convicted that chills one to the very core of their being.

If your pro death penalty... you won't be so sure of that belief after reading this.

One has to give this man KUDOS for enduring a 20+ year nightmare. As well as the attorney's that stuck by his side and believed in him and worked pro bono. It takes a hell of a belief system to get through what this man survived.

I recommend this book to everyone, pro or anti death penalty. It is very educational on our justice system, prosecutor misconduct, judges who are blind to "real justice" & Investigators who will stop at nothing to gain a conviction.

TRUST THE EVIDENCE, NEVER TRUST THE AUTHORITIES.

Justice?.......2007-03-15

Having just finished reading Chasing Justice I probably should be waiting a few days - or even months - to calm down a bit, but I'm finding that impossible. The anger I feel, not only for what the author somehow managed to endure for over 20 years, but how little has been done by the people of Texas to rid themselves of the continuing menace that infects their legal system makes me wonder what kind of a people we are, to continually put our heads in the sand, ignoring the continuing abuses perpetrated by the police, prosecutors, judges and politicians that are supposed to be serving us.

In one of Cook's final chapters he tells us what most of the main participants are doing today. Aside from a few that have died or retired, all police, prosecutors and judges are still doling out Texas-style justice. The person who all of the legitimate evidence points to as the real murderer is still free. Of course all of the residents of Death Row who were there with Cook have been executed. I realize that this thirst for blood is not just peculiar to Texas - much the rest of our nation isn't that much better - but one would think that if we're going to be handing out the ultimate punishment so frequently, even though it doesn't accomplish anything other than satisfying a savage hunger for revenge, it might be wise to make sure that we get it right and make sure that the innocent don't get flushed down with the guilty. One also has to wonder how the family of the murdered girl managed to go along with the charade all of this time, knowing full well that the wrong man was being persecuted.

It's also interesting that who should make an appearance in this Kafka-like saga other than George W. Bush himself. As Texas Governor between 1995 and 2000 one of the first things he did was to sign off on legislation to make it easier to execute those on Death Row by limiting the appeal process available to them, resulting in him signing off on over 150 executions in 5 years. How many of those men were innocent? Is this where he developed his officials-can-do-no-wrong attitude that he has ruled with since he came into power in 2001? In the case of Texas vs. Kerry Max Cook errors and incompetence led to lies and cover-ups which led to more lies as witnesses were coached into changing stories, forensic evidence misinterpreted and pages from witness accounts "lost." All this so officials in charge of the case wouldn't have to admit that they erred in the first place -something that they've refused to admit to this day. In the case of the Bush Administration vs. the U.S. - or perhaps it should be the World - errors and incompetence made after 9/11, accompanied by a huge dose of arrogance resulted in lies and cover-ups which have led us to where we are today. If those parallels aren't enough and we need more all we have to do is throw in a huge portion of a public that is willing to accept practically anything that is told to them because we must "trust our leaders."

Kerry Max Cook is an example of what a human being is capable of. He's managed to take those 20 years that were stolen from him and make them meaningful to all of us. He shouldn't be ignored.

Litigation by the Numbers, Fourth Edition

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litagation by the numbers
excellant book for corporate counsel and admin
Quick and Easy Reference
This book should be part of every Litigation Library

Litigation by the Numbers, Fourth Edition
Julie A. Goren
Manufacturer: Lawdable Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Ring-bound

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ASIN: 0974936103

Book Description

The essential civil litigation handbook devoted to the "HOW TO's " of California procedure. The California Code of Civil Procedure, California Rules of Court, and Judicial Council forms are combined so that the reader learns for any given task: which form to use, how to complete it, and how and when to file and serve it. This step-by-step litigation handbook is used by attorneys, paralegals, and legal secretaries both as a quick reference and as a training tool, and has been adopted as a text by several California college paralegal and legal secretarial programs. Additionally, law librarians of numerous California county law libraries keep it on reserve to help self-represented litigants. Updated at least annually to reflect new rules and forms, the book contains over 390 pages explaining the various phases of a California civil case. Chapters include: Appearance by Plaintiff (preparing the Complaint and all required forms, filing and serving by all allowable methods); Filing and Service (filing and serving documents throughout the case); Default by Defendant (entering a default and obtaining default judgment); Appearance by Defendant (preparing, filing, and serving answers and cross-complaints); Motions (preparing regular motions, discovery motions, ex parte applications, demurrers, and motions to strike); Discovery (setting up depositions of parties and non-parties, preparing, serving, and responding to requests for admission, interrogatories, and requests for production); Settlement and Dismissal (notifying the court of settlement and dismissing the case); Pre-Trial (preparing case management documentation and subpoenaing witnesses); and Judgment and Enforcement (placing liens on real estate, noticing judgment debtor exams, obtaining costs of suit).

Customer Reviews:

litagation by the numbers.......2004-04-09

This books has helped our students enormously! It serves as a guide for them in the learning proces as well as goes with them to the workplace along with the updates and gives them a real edge as a new employee in a law office setting. Some say their boss (the attorney) uses the guide too!

excellant book for corporate counsel and admin.......2004-04-09

With this book we have saved hundreds, probably thousands of dollars in legal fees. It guides you (even if you have no legal background) through the process, form and necessary schedules needed for civil legal procedures and litigation.

Highly recommended!!

Quick and Easy Reference.......2004-03-30

I have been teaching paralegal study courses since 1992, and have used a variety of other texts and resource material during those years. Litigation By The Numbers is a much better teaching tool than other publications previously available. In
fact, it is the best text currently on the market. The book is well organized allowing students, legal secretaries and paralegals to quickly reference forms and state procedures.
The chapters are thoughtfully organized and easy to understand. Each chapter is compact, allowing the reader to quickly find state forms and answers to procedural questions such as filing and service deadlines. Students and legal professionals will find the book to be a handy and quick resource for tasks most common to a law office.

This book should be part of every Litigation Library.......2004-03-23

I highly recommend Litigation By The Numbers to anyone who is involved in civil litigation in California. It has step-by-step instructions on how to take a case from filing all the way to enforcement of a judgment. There are numerous easy to understand illustrations. The book brings together the applicable Code of Civil Procedure, Rules of Court, and Judicial Council forms. It takes a very complex process and makes it simple and easy to follow. The book is well worth the price.

Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials: Concepts and Methodologies (Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics)

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Most complete reference on the topic

Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials: Concepts and Methodologies (Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics)
Shein-Chung Chow , and Jen-Pei Liu
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471249858

Book Description

Praise for the First Edition of Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials
"An excellent book, providing a discussion of the clinical trial process from designing the study through analyzing the data, and to regulatory requirement . . . could easily be used as a classroom text to understand the process in the new drug development area."
-Statistical Methods in Medicine
A complete and balanced presentation now revised, updated, and expanded
As the field of research possibilities expands, the need for a working understanding of how to carry out clinical trials only increases. New developments in the theory and practice of clinical research include a growing body of literature on the subject, new technologies and methodologies, and new guidelines from the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).
Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials, Second Edition provides both a comprehensive, unified presentation of principles and methodologies for various clinical trials, and a well-balanced summary of current regulatory requirements. This unique resource bridges the gap between clinical and statistical disciplines, covering both fields in a lucid and accessible manner. Thoroughly updated from its first edition, the Second Edition of Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials features new topics such as:
* Clinical trials and regulations, especially those of the ICH
* Clinical significance, reproducibility, and generalizability
* Goals of clinical trials and target population
* New study designs and trial types
* Sample size determination on equivalence and noninferiority trials, as well as comparing variabilities
Also, three entirely new chapters cover:
* Designs for cancer clinical trials
* Preparation and implementation of a clinical protocol
* Data management of a clinical trial
Written with the practitioner in mind, the presentation assumes only a minimal mathematical and statistical background for its reader. Instead, the writing emphasizes real-life examples and illustrations from clinical case studies, as well as numerous references-280 of them new to the Second Edition-to the literature. Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials, Second Edition will benefit academic, pharmaceutical, medical, and regulatory scientists/researchers, statisticians, and graduate-level students in these areas by serving as a useful, thorough reference source for clinical research.

Customer Reviews:

Most complete reference on the topic.......2006-09-07

I own several books on clinical trials and this one is my favorite. It is biblical in its treatment of the topic and always seems to contain what my other books don't.

There are a few strengths that are particularly worth pointing out:
1) Makes many references to regulatory guidelines.
2) Excellent coverage of the various trial designs.
3) Good sample size chapter.
4) Several chapters on how to practically implement a trial.

Other options include:
-Piantodosi (Clinical Trials: methodologic perspective): my second favorite, not as comprehensive as Chow and Liu
-Freidman and DeMets (Fundamentals of Clinical Trials): a bit too superficial but very well written
-Pocock (Clinical trials: practical approach): a bit dated and superficial

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