Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable read
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The approach is somewhat unique. We get some of Edwards' most significant cases interweaved with his biographical information. We see Edwards' passion and ambition, and the court cases illustrate the good that a trial lawyer can do. The cases were discussed in a very compelling manner - almost like reading a courtroom drama, except that these are true cases. Living in the Raleigh/Durham area myself it was interesting reading about some of the references to the North Carolina culture and how it affected the trials. The tribute to his son Wade was very moving without being exploitative.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read for Health care providers
Review: I support Sen Edwards for the Presidential nomination and looked forward to reading his book. As an Operating Room nurse I thought this book was an exceptional opportunity to see life from the side of the victims and their lawyers in the event of malpractice cases. I particularly appreciated the references to some of the non-monetary results of these cases,ie. improved pt care, empowerment of nurses, informed consent, etc. And of course another look at the life of this exceptional candidate and his family- It is a gripping read, with a wide range of feeling!
Rating:
Summary: Great Read - Not What You Expect
Review: I was really touched by the stories in this book and I highly recommend it. This is not a political biography, in fact, its not political at all. It's a series of compelling dramas about the people that John Edwards defended, the tragedies they endured, and the details of how he won them justice. If you're used to the page turning quality of Grisham novels, you'll enjoy these true life courtrooms dramas. My only complaint is that its not "Six Trials."
Rating: 
Summary: He has my vote
Review: I wasn't sure about buying this book, even though I support Edwards as a candidate, because I was afraid it would be just one big campaign ad. But the courtroom dramas detailed here are heartbreaking and you find yourself rooting for Edwards and his clients. The final case, especially, is a sickening example of corporate greed and indifference. There is the inevitable self-promotion here, but it is mostly subtle and woven skillfully into the story. It is obvious that, though now a multi-millionaire, Edwards has lived through his share of hard times and understands middle-class America. I would like to see someone like that in the White House again.
Rating:
Summary: Everyone should read this book
Review: I'm not going to hide my biases. I bought this book because I'm sure I'll be voting for this guy twice in the next year and I wanted to know more about him. However, biases notwithstanding, this is a really wonderful book. It's not just a tribute to John Edwards but it's a tribute to the people he has represented, and to all the people who have made a difference in his life.
It also gives new meaning for me of the phrase, "the child is the father of the man," in that the person John Edwards has become today seems to be so much a result of whom he watched his son Wade become. One thing that is amazing is that the justice system that Edwards describes is so beautiful, yet it is so rarely represented this way in popular culture. Incidentally, each one of the trials he describes are single chapters as dramatic, and full of emotions and twists, and highs and lows as any 200-page work of fiction by John Grisham. In any event, despite the constant negative representations of the American legal system that we see in the popular media, I'm sure that the truth is closer to what Edwards describes (even if it does not always work as effectively and gloriously as it did for Edwards's clients). It's sad that we have to be reminded of the good things that happen in courts of law as if it's a surprise that things ever work out as they did in these four trials. Nevertheless, I feel grateful that there are people like John Edwards, and after reading this book I feel deeply indebted to Edwards, to people like his fine clients who had the courage to persist, and also in part to the child that fathered the man that Edwards has become.
Rating:
Summary: Best political book I've ever read.
Review: I've read my fair share of political books, and this one is far and away the best of the bunch. Not only does it draw you in immediately, it's not the usual "when I'm elected, I'll do X, Y, and Z" kind of book. "Four Trials" provides an insight into who Edwards is, what drives him to fight the tough fights, and why he'll make a great president.
Rating:
Summary: Four Trials
Review: If you are looking for a candidate's standard election year political manifesto you won't find it here. What you will find is a can't put down page-turner. Sen. Edwards makes no political pronouncements or promises in this book. He has simply written deeply moving accounts of four notable cases he litigated before he became a national political figure. This book rivals anything John Grisham has to offer and what makes these stories so compelling is that they are about real events and real people. Interwoven throughout the book, Edwards gives us glimpses of his own personal story; his blue-collar upbringing, his rise from a young unpolished attorney to a highly successful trial lawyer, and sadly, the tragic death of his own teenage son. The reader will also discover much about the ins-and-outs of our legal system. If you think of personal injury lawsuits as frivolous pursuits by ambulance chasing lawyers this book may just change your mind. Each of the four cases is about deceit and truth, tragedy and triumph, and each is heartbreaking as well as heartwarming. It is encouraging to find that in the end, at least in these cases, righteousness and justice prevails.
Rating:
Summary: Edwards defends America from incompetence and indifference
Review: In this book, Senator John Edwards presents four court cases in which he represented clients who had been done grievous wrongs through the incompetence or indifference of others. The stories are riveting - Edwards paints pictures of the victims, showing how they were just plain folks with fulfilling lives, cut short or dramatically changed for the worse through no fault of their own. In dramatic court testimony, we see that the doctors, hospitals and corporations being sued are either incompetent or just can't be bothered about the reports that their products or procedures are dangerous. Edwards tells each jury that they are not just righting a wrong for his client, but protecting future potential victims by sending a message to Corporate America: This behavior will not be tolerated and will cost you plenty. However, there is a major cost to society of huge product liability and malpractice awards - prices rise for everyone to pay for insurance and awards, companies are wary of introducing new products, doctors refuse to practice. For example, if the cost of a single jury award is greater than the total income a doctor will earn in a lifetime, then only doctors who never make mistakes can afford to practice. A fundamental weakness of Edwards' book is that he never deals with this issue. From Edwards' point of view, lawsuits protect America; any limitation on the right to sue protects corporate greed. Most issues are not good vs. evil with obvious right and wrong answers. Anyone who aspires to be President of the United States must show an understanding of the complexity of the critical issues facing America. When it comes to the right to sue, Edwards sees only one side.
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money
Review: Instead of buying this book, why not just donate money to John Edward's campaign. Remember, this guy is a slick personal injury lawyer who received 25-40% of the jury awards. He himself, on the campaign trail likes to tell you about his middle class upbringing, well how do you think he amassed the huge fortune or paid for his 8 bedroom, 6,672 square foot Washington D.C. home or pays the husband and wife nanny duo who take care of his children and fly them back and forth between the said Washington mansion and the campaign trail? In the meantime, he totally ignores the people of North Carolina and their needs, using them only as a stepping stone for his bid for the presidency. Being from North Carolina, I remember his cheesy personal injury commercials not that many years ago. The fact that he has gone from those cheesy commercials to a candidate for president in such a short time shows what a compelling and persuasive speaker he is. Personally, I don't buy it. How convenient that this book was released just when his presidential campaign begins - AND-he has people paying money for this book so he can tell you what an upstanding, helpful, moral guy he is. Pretty shrewd. This guy will never get MY vote. SENATOR Edwards is a senator to the people of North Carolina in name only and further slaps us in the face by accepting his salary for this position while doing nothing for us. Take the white hat off of this guy. He is just like all the other politicians - seeking personal power for himself. Don't just read the book and award him sainthood. Ask some questions. He is not middle class. He has made an enormous amount of money off of the people he has represented yet pays his own personal property taxes late. More than eight times in the last 10 years, he and his wife have been so late paying taxes on their homes and cars that they were assessed tax penalties.
Rating:
Summary: Voice for the Voiceless
Review: John Edwards has a truly sincere care for those that are in need. The four trials he discusses are rivoting and inspiring. I have followed his Presidential campaign closely and we need someone like him in the White House to champion the causes that are most important to a majority of Americans. Check him out, he has the most extensive plans to improve health care, paying for college education, job creation, and even tort reform. The last one should tell you whether he will succomb to those awful special interests. If he wants to reform his own profession that made him a rich man, it should speak volumes about his integrity and character. Reading "Four Trials" will serve as a great window into the man that is John Edwards.
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