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Exposure (Bilott book)
.jpg) First edition | |
| Author | Robert Bilott |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Atria Publishing Group |
Publication date | October 8, 2019 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 400 |
| ISBN | 9781501172816 |
 Chinese Edition |
 Paperback Edition |
Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer's Twenty-Year Battle against DuPont is the 2019 memoir by Robert Bilott, an American environmental attorney at Taft Stettinius & Hollister. The book follows Bilott's personal and professional journey through the litigation that revealed a global crisis of persistent organic pollution due to PFOA and PFAS, referred to as "forever chemicals." For its contribution to broadening public awareness of environmental hazard, Exposure received the 2020 Green Prize for Sustainable Literature from the Santa Monica Public Library.[1]
The book was published in the United States in 2019 by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster.[2] It was released in hardcover on October 8, 2019, and in paperback on July 15, 2020.
The audiobook version (also available through Atria Books) is narrated by Jeremy Bobb. The first chapter narrated by actor Mark Ruffalo, who plays Bilott in the movie Dark Waters (2019), based on these events as reported in a 2016 New York Times feature article.
The book was published for the United Kingdom by Simon & Schuster UK, and has been translated into Chinese for its release on the Chinese market on November 28, 2022.[3] On April 6, 2023, the book was translated into Japanese and released on the Japanese market.[4]
Reviews
[edit]According to writer Nathaniel Rich, writer at large for The New York Times Magazine, the book is "An intimate account of one of the most appalling environmental crimes in modern history. Exposure is a classic story of American good and American evil—of the triumph of ingenuity, diligence, and self-sacrifice over psychopathic corporate nihilism. Rob Bilott is a hero of our time." Rich had written a 2016 feature article about Bilott and his campaign, which was published in the New York Times magazine.
Gary Rivlin in the New York Times Book Review described Exposure a "David and Goliath tale with a twist…. Bilott skillfully tells the story of his epic battle with DuPont."[5]
Kirkus Reviews said, "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."[6]
The Law Library Journal says, "Exposure is an intriguing and easy-to-follow narrative that will have you up in arms about what might be in your drinking water. If you liked Erin Brockovich or A Civil Action, this book is a must-read.”[7]
Related films
[edit]Bilott's campaign was featured in the documentary The Devil We Know (2018). Rich's 2016 article about Bilott and these events in the New York Times was adapted for the 2019 motion picture Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo as Robert Bilott.
 Japanese edition |
References
[edit]- ^ "The Green Prize for Sustainable Literature". Santa Monica Public Library. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
- ^ Bilott, Robert (October 8, 2019). Exposure. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5011-7282-3.
- ^ "《黑水真相》(（美）罗伯特·比洛特 (Robert Bilott))【简介_书评_在线阅读】 - 当当图书". product.dangdang.com. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
- ^ Wolfe, Amy L. (2020). "Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer's Twenty-Year Battle Against Dupont". Ground Water. 58 (6): 864. Bibcode:2020GrWat..58..864W. doi:10.1111/gwat.13028. ASIN 4763420569.
- ^ Rivlin, Gary (2019-10-14). "For 'Erin Brockovich' Fans, a David vs. Goliath Tale With a Twist". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer's Twenty-Year Battle Against DuPont by Robert Bilott with Tom Shroder". Kirkus Reviews. August 29, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
- ^ "Heinonline.org". heinonline.org. Retrieved 2021-01-12.(subscription required)
Further reading
[edit]- Wolfe, Amy L (2020). "Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer's Twenty-Year Battle against DuPont". Groundwater. 58 (6): 864–865. Bibcode:2020GrWat..58..864W. doi:10.1111/gwat.13028. S2CID 225518706.
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Exposure Paperback – 2 September 2020
by Robert Bilott (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (840)
ERIN BROCKOVICH meets SILENT SPRING in this astounding true story of a lawyer who spent two decades building a case against one of the world’s largest chemical companies, uncovering a shocking history of environmental pollution and heartless cover-up.
The story that inspired the motion picture from Participant Media/Focus Features, starring Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Bill Pullman and Tim Robbins, directed by Todd Haynes.
In 1998, Robert Bilott was a 33-year-old Cincinnati lawyer on the verge of making partner when his career and life took an unforeseen turn. He was taken by surprise when he received a call from a man named Earl Tennant, a farmer from West Virginia with a slight connection to Robert’s family. Earl was convinced the creek on his property, where his cattle grazed, was being poisoned by run-off from a neighbouring factory landfill. His cattle were dying in hideous ways, and he hadn’t even been able to get a water sample tested by local agencies, politicians or vets. As soon as they heard the name DuPont – the area’s largest employer – he felt they were reluctant to investigate further.
Once Robert saw the thick, foamy water that bubbled into the creek, the gruesome effects it seemed to have on livestock, and the disturbing frequency of cancer and lung problems in the surrounding area, he was persuaded to fight against the type of corporation his firm routinely represented. With all the cards stacked against him, Rob happened upon a stray reference in a random memo to a chemical called PFOA – a substance he’d never heard of that is used in the manufacture of Teflon. From that one reference, he ultimately gained access to 110,000 pages of DuPont documents, some of them fifty years old, that reveal decades of medical studies proving the harmful – more often than not fatal – effects of PFOA in animals and humans. And yet PFOA sludge had still been dumped into rivers and landfill, endangering many lives. The case of one farmer soon spawns a class-action suit and the shocking realisation that virtually every person on the planet has been exposed to PFOA and carries the chemical in his or her blood.
This is the unforgettable story of the lawyer who worked tirelessly for twenty years to get justice for all those who had suffered because of this chemical.
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Print length
400 pages
Product description
About the Author
Robert Bilott is a partner at the law firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP in Cincinnati, Ohio where he has practiced environmental law and litigation for more than twenty-eight years. He has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America for several years running and has received numerous honors for his work in environmental law and litigation. Rob is a former chair of the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Environmental Law Committee and a graduate of New College in Sarasota, Florida (BA) and the Ohio State University College of Law (JD, cum laude). In 2017, Rob received the international Right Livelihood Award, commonly known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” for his years of work on PFOA. Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle against DuPont is his first book.
Product details
Publisher : Simon & Schuster UK (2 September 2020)
Language : English
Paperback : 400 pages
ISBN-10 : 1471189643
ISBN-13 : 978-1471189647
Dimensions : 13 x 2.4 x 19.8 cm
Best Sellers Rank: 181,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)48 in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industry
52 in Litigation Procedures
128 in Manufacturing Industry
Customer Reviews:
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (840)
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Exposure
Exposure
byRobert Bilott
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840 total ratings, 101 with reviews
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From Australia
Jconnelly
5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling and unputdownable
Reviewed in Australia on 5 March 2020
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I didn't intend to stay up to 2am reading this book. I definitely didn't intend on it dominating my thinking for days afterwards, but it did.
The book is an amazing journey through the maze of corporate greed & corruption that highlights a callous and willful disregard for the quality and existence of human and animal life in favour of corporate profits. The author delivers an amazing and poignant tale of human suffering and the cost of litigating against an obstructionist and deceptive corporation while still managing to convey the intricate details of the scientific and legal basis for the cases in an eminently readable style.
If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent customer service by amazon
Reviewed in Australia on 7 February 2021
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Many thanks for delivering this book to me. As usual Amazon's customer service is excellent.
The book was given to a family friend to read. I've read it previously, but lent my copy which was never returned to me.
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From other countries
Maggie Ann
5.0 out of 5 stars True. Detailed.
Reviewed in the United States on 19 November 2024
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Excellent book for those of us who want to KNOW. Movie Dark Waters (also about this ongoing situation) is worth watching.
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Sihan Ma
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book!
Reviewed in Canada on 14 February 2021
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I watched a movie adapted from this book and was so stunned and agonized by the true story! Where is the conscience of those people from DuPont? Knowing PFAO was very poisonous, they still decided to pollute the nature with their untreated industrial wastes and add PFAO into its products! They just cared about profits and didn’t even feel the least guilty!
The author, also the persistent lawyer, is a hero who deserves everyone’s respect and honour! He saved more innocent people from being harmed and saved our nature from being polluted by countless poisonous chemicals. This case triggered the improvement of the laws and regulations! Modern companies should shoulder more social responsibilities and develop in a more sustainable way! Money is not everything!
One person found this helpful
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Alexander Cohr Pachai
5.0 out of 5 stars It is an important document
Reviewed in Germany on 11 May 2024
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Well written documentary
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clinton
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Emotional..
Reviewed in India on 10 October 2021
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Made me cry in the first chapter itself.. amazing..!
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Federica
5.0 out of 5 stars Libro da leggere assolutamente
Reviewed in Italy on 4 September 2024
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Consiglio a tutti la lettura di questo Libro che racconta il grande impegno di un avvocato dinanzi ad una causa di grande portata Ecologista e a difesa della salute umana. Il film di riferimento disponibile anche sulle piattaforme video è Dark Waters.
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Richard John Guthrie
5.0 out of 5 stars A 'Must Read' for those who care about all our health, the environment and corporate responsibility
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2020
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Reading Robert Bilott’s ‘Exposure’ on Du Pont’s chemical pollution in Parkersburg, West Virginia, the book gives a great deal of legal and personal background to the story which I first had revealed to me recently in the film Dark Waters - fine film, worthy of nominations this year of which it received none (go figure).
In jumping the fence inside his corporate defence firm to take the plaintiff’s side of a lone farmer, Earl Tennant, against Du Pont, Robert Bilott uncovers an ugly story of corporate harm done to the community of Parkersburg and surrounding populations. The casual and arrogant ease with which this powerful corporation covered up major illness links (probable cause to major life threatening and altering conditions eventually found by a long independent exhaustive scientific study of nearly 70,000 people) which led to deaths from a ruined natural water supply in the area (Earl among those who died) in the pursuit of annual profit, for Teflon and other products, is as stunning as it was breathtaking. A jury finally found for a class action civil case against the company - who put up a fierce public relations & legal defence - the plaintiffs awarded a 670 million dollar settlement against Du Pont.
Rob Bilott established that in working in tandem with weak and complicit authorities (EPA) to hide the facts of a chemical dumping program, Du Pont knowingly carried on its activities for years, abusing the basic trust its economic stranglehold over the small community provided them (they were the town's main employer).
Fine study, a great and necessary read.
6 people found this helpful
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Sal
4.0 out of 5 stars Wow
Reviewed in Italy on 19 January 2021
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Interessante, ma avrei preferito la versione italiana
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frances healey
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 July 2024
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Very good book has made me think about what I am putting in to my body very good read
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From other countries
Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly as ordered
Reviewed in Canada on 6 December 2021
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Was still shrink wrapped so the "like new" used description was apt. Delivered promptly. A harrowing story I look forward to reading.
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Praveen singh
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice 👍
Reviewed in India on 16 March 2022
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Nice 👍
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E. Brady
5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely important read
Reviewed in the United States on 15 May 2020
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This book is a MUST read! This is not just based on a real life story, it IS a real life event. An event that continues to play out all over our nation. It is important to understand what people are up against when they try to do the right thing. This is an excellent depiction of bureaucracy and red tape, and the power that big corporations have regarding our health and the definition of what safe is. Sadly, there are an astronomical amount of chemicals in our water supply that are not tested for and local municipalities report the water as "safe". Some of these health damaging chemicals can not even be removed by reverse osmosis.
When you go to the doctor with health symptoms do you think the doctor considers the quality of your tap water? None of the doctors I have ever met would. You are given a diagnosis and medication to mask your symptoms, symptoms that sometimes could actually be caused by the contaminants in the water you are drinking. It is imperative that more people have an understanding of the massive amount of contamination that is occurring with one of our most valuable resources. Read this book and follow it up with "Troubled Water" by Seth Siegel, there is power in knowledge.
10 people found this helpful
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Paul. S
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 April 2025
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Having seen the movie I wanted to read the book. Very interesting story about how big business can cover things up unless someone spends time (and money) to investigate.
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Thomas Grimes
5.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive story about C-8 Exposure and criminal contamination by DuPont
Reviewed in the United States on 4 October 2020
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The book is quite extensive history in an easy to read book. The story starts with the taking Earl Tennet's case to sue DuPont. Tennet lost his herd of cattle due to the contamination of water sources on his land. He died of heath problems caused by exposure of C-8 dumped into the nearby land fill that spilled over into the creek that ran through his property. His well was poisoned by the very toxic chemical. The entire region near the DuPont Teflon manufacturing plant was exposed to uncontrolled release of C8.
The author could have done a far better job early in the book to explain exactly what is the toxin in question and separate the chemistry of Teflon polymers, FEP and TFPE from the processing aid, C8 (PFOA, actually the ammonium salt of PFOA). Lyon's book does a good job to explain it is not Teflon polymer that is the problem rather the processing aid used to make Teflon polymers is the toxin. However, take note that these Teflon polymers can be degraded to produce the toxic C8 chemical and that is also well explained. The point is the reader can get confused about what chemical substance is the problem. Sadly, to date DuPont has never found a substitute to eliminate C8 in the manufacture of Teflon polymers.
12 people found this helpful
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Randy B.
5.0 out of 5 stars A true story about a DuPont
Reviewed in Canada on 4 February 2021
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A very interesting read about how DuPont contaminated public water supply and landfill sites and got away with it for years.
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Peter Grandahl
5.0 out of 5 stars Real environmental terrorism.
Reviewed in the United States on 23 March 2025
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Everyone should read this book! It shows the extreme corruption of many of our industries. DuPont and 3M have been dumping the most toxic substances ever devised into the environment for decades. There are many things they could have done to NOT dump this stuff but that would cost a few pennies but not nearly as much as it's costing them in legal fees now!
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Cindy Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in Canada on 23 December 2020
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Brilliant man! Thank goodness for stick to it people like Robert Bilott and their families. We need more people like him!
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Dr Paul M Monk
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a fascinating book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 July 2020
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I bought this after watching "Dark Waters", the film of Rob Bilott and the events described in the book. The book, obviously, goes into far more detail than any film ever could, although it is worth noting that the film was surprisingly accurate. Considering this is written by a lawyer, there is, unsurprisingly, a lot of legal jargon and there is a lot of information based around chemistry, but don't let that put you off. The subject matter is fascinating in itself, but the book is well written and gripping - it reads almost like a dense story than real life.
Considering that this is true and is such a relevant issue right now, just buy the book. You may have to read it in small chunks as it is quite dense, but it is well worth the money and a fascinating read.
7 people found this helpful
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J. Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars An Modern Environmental David and Goliath Story.
Reviewed in the United States on 21 May 2020
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The book is well written and follows a timeline put into place by actual events. There are a few factual errors that will leave the reader with the wrong impression of the toxicological science of PFAS, but it does not detract from the story: A single man rising up against a corporate giant.
While the author and hero of the story paints corporate America with dark brush strokes, there are many bright jewels of corporate responsibility (not by E.I. DuPont) that are not told. Similarly, The author paints a bleak picture of the State and Federal regulatory agencies (e.g., EPA) without fully addressing the narrow legal framework under which they must operate. While EPA appears to be a reluctant partner in the story's positive outcome, it is the very stringent guidelines within which it operates that dictate much of its inability to take action (e.g., derivation of a drinking water standard). This does not take away from the subterfuge of E.I. DuPont meddling in State and EPA actions/inactions, the lies and misinformation fed to regulators and the Tenets, the reliance of E.I. DuPont on a campaign of misinformation, or the startling incompetence of Regulators to recognize the shear magnitude and impact of PFAS release into US waters, foods, and air.
A good read. If interested there are a large number of more technical reports describing the toxicology of PFAS and where we are today in trying to regulate these compounds.
14 people found this helpful
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From other countries
Tom C.
5.0 out of 5 stars In depth reporting on this critical issue and detail on how corporate greed tops all.
Reviewed in the United States on 18 February 2025
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This book is a must read for anyone who lacks knowledge on how corporate greed and money power can cover the truth related to pollution and known health hazards.
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p3jocelyn2011
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing single mindedness from a stubborn good man
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 February 2023
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Clear & succinctly written one man’s struggle against the giant Pharmaceutical DuPont who cared not a jot for the effect on humanity, environment or animals & conspired with government, EPA & other bodies supposed to protect us in order to hide the noxious chemicals they released .
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C. Harvey
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Detail after Watching Dark Waters
Reviewed in the United States on 19 December 2019
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I watched the movie on Saturday and on Sunday I sat down to read Exposure. I devoured the book in only two sittings, once again captivated by the story I had seen only the day before on the big screen. The book is split into three sections, the first two which were detailed in the film. Although the movie did a fine job of capturing the tale, the book provided additional insight into the very captivating and complex legal battle with DuPont .
Being somewhat aware of PFAS prior to reading the book, I was impressed to see a complicated scientific topic broken down (without dumbing it down). Bilott did a great job of capturing his learning curve as well, making it clear how much time he put into learning the material to represent the cases as eloquently and accurately as possible. But fear not, if science is not your interest the book covers the legal proceedings in wonderful detail.
I highly recommend this book and have purchased several copies for Christmas gifts!
12 people found this helpful
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Anon
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 August 2024
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Bought after watching dark water haha
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Greg P.
5.0 out of 5 stars A glimpse at corporate greed over oublic safety
Reviewed in the United States on 25 October 2024
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I guess what I dislike, is that this book needed to be written.
It is an outstanding view on the PFAS/PFOA (forever chemicals) crisis facing the Country.
Rob Bilott writes the story of DuPont's complicity in poisoning the water, air, and land around a chemical plant using PFOA.
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Brigid P. Gallagher
5.0 out of 5 stars You Cannot Eat Money
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2023
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Having watched the movie Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo as Rob Bilott, I was keen to learn more about PFOA and the legal battles Rob fought and won against DuPont.
I was not disappointed.
"Exposure" takes the reader on a rollercoaster journey through two decades of legal investigations, epidemiological evaluations, harrowing stories and a dogged pursuit of the truth, from an exceptional lawyer and a huge team of medical and legal experts.
It is a real life example, that brings to mind the Cree prophecy "When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten and the last stream poisoned, you will realize that you cannot eat money."
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Emily
5.0 out of 5 stars A true story of the pursuit of justice.
Reviewed in the United States on 8 August 2024
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Amazing true story of a face off between a greedy billionaire corporation and an honorable attorney.
Billott fights for a farmer, his family and the folks facing all types of cancers from the dumping of toxic chemicals in their backyard in West Virginia.
Read how the polluter tries to hide the facts, stalls and uses delay tactics to avoid taking responsibility.
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Miss Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely fabulous!
Reviewed in the United States on 26 June 2024
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Wow! I could not put it down! So good. Everyone must read it! What a Hero Robert Bilott is for his unending sacrifice to protect people from this unthinkable crime!! Best book I have read in years!!
2 people found this helpful
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California
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Read
Reviewed in the United States on 6 June 2024
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Awesome read for anyone interested in how industry pollutes our environment and doesn't care about their employees or any of the publics' health. Profit before safety and health!
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Sandy Rosenthal
5.0 out of 5 stars BOOK REVIEW: With each page I grew angrier
Reviewed in the United States on 12 October 2021
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Each time I thought I could not get more angry about Dupont's games, tricks and coverups, I read 10 more pages and got even angrier.
Dupont tried every trick imaginable. First they try to befriend our hero, Robert Bilott. Then when they see Bilott won't go away, Dupont tries a character assassination. Then Dupont delays. Then Dupont attacks. Then they omit. The whole playbook plays itself out. Meanwhile, every person in the U.S. is being poisoned.
The book has a tediousness, but it was Bilott's attention to tedious detail that exposed Dupont. In my mind, the climax of the book is on page 128, when Bilott fully comprehends, as we do the readers, "My eyes had been opened to a harsh reality that I had never fully credited: the ruthless exercise of economic power at the expense of the powerless."
But I would not stop reading there. Read the whole book! Then watch the movie!
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Exposure
Robert Bilott
4.50
2,114 ratings265 reviews
ERIN BROCKOVICH meets SILENT SPRING in this astounding true story of a lawyer who spent two decades building a case against one of the world’s largest chemical companies, uncovering a shocking history of environmental pollution and heartless cover-up.
The story that inspired the forthcoming major motion picture from Participant Media/Focus Features, starring Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway , Bill Pullman and Tim Robbins, directed by Todd Haynes.
In 1998, Robert Bilott was a 33-year-old Cincinnati lawyer on the verge of making partner when his career and life took an unforeseen turn. He was taken by surprise when he received a call from a man named Earl Tennant, a farmer from West Virginia with a slight connection to Robert’s family. Earl was convinced the creek on his property, where his cattle grazed, was being poisoned by run-off from a neighbouring factory landfill. His cattle were dying in hideous ways, and he hadn’t even been able to get a water sample tested by local agencies, politicians or vets. As soon as they heard the name DuPont – the area’s largest employer – he felt they were reluctant to investigate further.
Once Robert saw the thick, foamy water that bubbled into the creek, the gruesome effects it seemed to have on livestock, and the disturbing frequency of cancer and lung problems in the surrounding area, he was persuaded to fight against the type of corporation his firm routinely represented. With all the cards stacked against him, Rob happened upon a stray reference in a random memo to a chemical called PFOA – a substance he’d never heard of that is used in the manufacture of Teflon. From that one reference, he ultimately gained access to 110,000 pages of DuPont documents, some of them fifty years old, that reveal decades of medical studiesproving the harmful – more often than not fatal – effects of PFOA in animals and humans. And yet PFOA sludge had still been dumped into rivers and landfill, endangering many lives. The case of one farmer soon spawns a class-action suit and the shocking realisation that virtually every person on the planet has been exposed to PFOA and carries the chemical in his or her blood.
This is the unforgettable story of the lawyer who worked tirelessly for twenty years to get justice for all those who had suffered because of this chemical.
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Environment
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400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
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December 6, 2019
The author is a partner in the firm where I work. Rob’s work over the last 20 years is well-captured here. It’s easy to read, not bogged down with technical science and legal language. This is a compelling story that everyone needs to read.
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November 29, 2019
This book is both brilliant and difficult to read. What I mean is that it is brilliant in that Rob Bilott does an absolutely fabulous job of explaining a terribly complex case (both legally and scientifically) in a way that normal people can easily understand. It is difficult to read in that the utterly scandalous ways in which DuPont acted is hard to comprehend, especially for those of us who have loved ones who worked for DuPont. My dad spent his entire career at DuPont, and I am appalled to know that the company that supported our family for so long callously disregarded the impact its actions have had on generations of people as well as the environment. Moreover, this story was fascinating in seeing how one man, a man who is not a religious man but clearly a man with a strong moral compass, stood up against virtually everyone one in his life because he wanted to fight for good over evil. It almost cost him everything. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. For a book that contains lots of detail about legal manuevers and science, it is riveting.
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Jessi Nill
82 reviews
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November 5, 2019
While I first heard about this story when the New York Times Magazine article came out, I was completely floored by the tenacious work of Rob and the deplorable behavior from DuPont. This is book is so well written and thorough. While detailed it's not overly technical that you aren't able to understand.
It was so incredibly interesting to see all the things that happened to build the case and to get to this point. I'm so proud of Rob and the law firm that stood behind him even if he felt pressure. It's incredible to think how long it took to get to this point and the ways that DuPont put profit over people.
Keep up the fight -- I have a feeling you have a lot more supporters than you'll ever know. #notallheroswearcapes
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RJ - Slayer of Trolls
988 reviews
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October 14, 2021
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
Yeah, it's another one of those "lawyer finds out that an evil corporation has poisoned the local water supply" books. We all sat in theaters 20 years ago, munching on popcorn, watching Erin Brockovich explain "hexavalent chromium" to us, and thinking how glad we were that we didn't live in the trailer park farm of Hinckley, CA, pop. 2,000, or the other nearby white trash receptacle towns whose water supply was knowingly poisoned for decades by PG&E, leaving the residents to suffer all kinds of ill effects including cancer and birth defects.
But what if a company created a chemical that was unregulated by the EPA because its creators never even disclosed its existence? What if that company knew that the chemical was toxic and harmful but they didn't disclose it to their own workforce, allowing even pregnant women to work closely with the chemical without any adequate protective gear? What if the company decided to just dump the stuff in the local groundwater, or blow it out its own smokestacks, ignoring even the astonishingly insufficient safety guidelines the company had drafted internally? What if that chemical got into the water supply locally, then nationally, then globally?
What if that chemical never breaks down? What if it was "biopersistent," meaning it builds up in your body?
What if that chemical was found in water supplies around the world?
What if it infected the blood of every living creature on Earth? Even your blood, and the blood of your loved ones, and even the blood of unborn children?
What if this was all true, and not science fiction?
You owe it to yourself to read this book. For an executive summary, you can watch the excellent film Dark Waters starring Mark (Hulk) Ruffalo, but the whole story is even more amazing, especially the incredible legal maneuvering and flabbergasting public relations whitewashing undertaken by DuPont - and to a lesser degree, 3M - in an effort to avoid legal and financial culpability for essentially poisoning the entire world.
The audiobook narrator is slow and measured in his delivery, which is frustrating in the early going but critically important later as various details begin to emerge. Author Bilott - the attorney who discovered the malfeasance and who has literally devoted his life to bringing justice to the victims - has a knack for explaining complex legal and technical jargon in simple, understandable language, but you will still find yourself re-reading (or listening) to certain passages because they are just too amazing to be true.
This story deserves more attention. The implications are staggering.
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Vasudev Gowda
14 reviews
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October 31, 2019
This book is better than "Bad blood" in the white-collared true crime genre.
Very informative, tactically presented, intelligently and deeply analyzed, good humor, exceptionally well written with a lot of glimpses into Robert's personal life as well.
Innocence meets endurance in this book and which turned out to be a very powerful combination. Do yourself a favour and read this book.
Highly recommended.
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Nick Dye
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December 30, 2019
Exposure is a great story, but Bilott is clearly a lawyer and not a writer. The book is bogged down in legalese and makes it difficult for a non-lawyer to understand, thought Bilott does try to explain certain things to people like me. The storytelling can miss a few beats that are available to the writer and get a bit repetitive. However, it is an impressive story of determination in the face of a corporate behemoth and you have to salute Mr. Bilott in all that he’s done even if it’s hard for him to find a writerly voice.
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Barbara
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February 14, 2020
This is an incredible story. I first became aware of Robert Bilott and his battle against DuPont and the PFOA and PFAS chemicals in our water, and almost everywhere else, when I read the cover story in the New York Times magazine about him that was published in 2015. He references the article later in the book and it obviously affected a lot of other people as well. Bilott has practically given his life to this and he was an incredibly unlikely person to do it. As my husband, also a lawyer said, some things just flip a switch in people. However, this one affected his personal life, his health and almost everything else around him. Happily, he ultimately won in Court and got clean drinking water for the many people whose water was directly polluted by the plant in West Virginia, as well as ongoing medical testing and monetary damages. Unhappily, the bills introduced in the US House and Senate that would require federal government regulation of PFAs in our drinking water by a specific date have still not been passed nor have those which would designate PFOA and PFAS "hazardous substances" under the federal Superfund statute by a specific date.
This is a very readable book. The scientific information is explained in an understandable way. I'm not a major reader of nonfiction but this one turned into a page turner. There is also a movie out based on the book, produced by Mark Ruffalo, which I haven't seen yet but will.
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Linda
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August 22, 2020
Well, if you want something else besides politics to be angry about, this is the book for you! This is the story of the TWENTY YEAR legal fight against DuPont (and others) over the waste dumped into the rivers after the production of Teflon.
The case was brought to the author/lawyer's notice by a farmer whose cows were dying. The farmer had his cows in a row and was well documented. Unfortunately, the farmer didn't live to see the end the case. In fact, the case continues to this day.
Written for a lay person to understand.
RECOMMEND.
2020
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...more
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Gabby
482 reviews
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April 28, 2024
I have never read such an amazing book…..and regretted it. I analyze PFCs in my lab in wastewater samples. I didn’t think it was so prevalent in drinking water…..everywhere. Due to corporate greed (shocker) plastic companies (in Ohio, Michigan, and California) have been manufacturing PFAS in Teflon and it’s been leaching into the ground water….for 50yrs….and tried to cover it up bc they KNEW it was a health hazard to humans. And just now (literally as of April 20th) the Biden-Harris administration have set the standard for PFAS in drinking water to 4ppt (parts per TRILLION) for my nonscientist friends, that’s super fucking small which is good but PFAS has been found to be in ppb (billion) in water samples :/ You can remain ignorant (I do not blame you) or you can use biodegradable products, get rid of your nonstick cookware (nonstick is teflon), and look into where your water comes from and if they test for PFAS. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
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Rachel Anderson Reynolds
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December 8, 2019
What an incredible story! Rob works at the Cincinnati office of the law firm where I work, so while I knew the gist of the story, there were so many great details in the book that I learned for the first time. I couldn’t put it down! I’m so impressed by Rob and the work he put in for decades to hold DuPont accountable and I’m so grateful that he wrote such an approachable book so even those of us without science and litigation backgrounds can understand.
I truly think this is one of the best books I’ve read all year!
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