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Class Action: The Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law Audiobook
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(3.06) - 239 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In the coldest reaches of northern Minnesota, a group of women endured a shocking degree of sexual harassment, until one found the courage to file the first sexual harassment class action suit in America, permanently changing the legal landscape.
When the local iron mine began hiring women in 1975, Lois Jenson, a single mother on welfare, didn’t think twice about accepting the grueling but well-paying job. What she hadn’t considered was that she was entering a male-dominated society that fiercely resented the inclusion of women, a prejudice born out in the brutal harassment of every female miner. Relentlessly threatened with pornographic graffiti, denigrating language, stalking, and physical assaults, the women largely kept quiet for fear of losing their jobs, until Lois, devastated by the abuse, found the courage to sue—and won.
This book was the basis for the acclaimed motion picture North Country starring Charlize Theron.
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"After seeing the movie "North Country" I was interested in reading this book which inspired the movie. The movie, which does not intend to be a re-telling of the actual events does a good job of depicting the nature of the harassment inflicted on the women who went to work in the Eveleth Company mines in northern Minnesota. The sexual harassment class action brought against the country was the first sexual harassment class action in the country and changed the course of litigation against sexual harassment from that time forward. However, the movie completely glosses over the incredible ordeal that the women went through through 3 court cases to win their suit. One of the claimants died and many of them suffered severe emotional and physical distress, including PTSD. While in the end the "good gals" won, the story does not give one confidence in our legal system when people long denied legal rights seek to win them. The physical and mental abuse suffered by the women on the job almost pales to the public humiliation and emotional "raping" they endured through the legal system. Lois Jensen the main character and the woman who first brought the case forward, suffered before, during and even after the case. In the end justice was done, but it shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that true systemic change only comes at a tremendous cost, something many would-be activists often ignore."
— Drick (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Bingham and Gansler have come up with mesmerizing, complex portraits of the participants in a beautifully paced narrative…Impeccable.”
— Washington Post -
“Tightly written, extensively researched, and well plotted…With the pacing of a novel, [the authors] engage the reader from the outset…Fascinating.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Riveting and engrossing…A gripping and unforgettable story.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Courageous…Bingham and Gansler’s dogged legal anthropology [shows] you don’t need bright-line heroism and villainy to bundle together disparate acts of everyday degradation, name them…and demand justice.”
— New York Observer -
“A suspenseful page-turner…The reader feels a need to know what happens next.”
— Newsday -
“Powerful…top-notch reporting…Class Action is a compelling court saga and an important historical document.”
— Minneapolis Star Tribune -
“Riveting, assiduously well reported…A useful reminder of the emotional and psychological cost of waging even the most successful—and justified—lawsuits.”
— New Yorker -
“Brilliantly reported, documented, and written…Protagonist Lois Jenson, a worker in a Minnesota mine, is the real Erin Brockovich. Her war is not only that of every woman but of every citizen.”
— Bob Woodward, author of All the President’s Men -
“Gabrielle de Cuir exerts commendable effort to present the story’s extensive background information in an engaging, well-paced manner. She largely succeeds, despite the wordy text…Listeners too will find the emotional impact of this book hard to ignore.”
— AudioFile -
“A complex account of justice sought—and won…Detailed but not dense: a sturdy addition to the literature of social justice and contemporary women’s issues.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Class Action Listener Reviews
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" Surprise! The case was much more horrific, and dragged on much longer, than in the movie. Also, Charlize Theron is better-looking than the real chick, but Charlize is better looking than I am, too. "
— Colette, 2/10/2014 -
" I'm reading this for my Personal Injury Law class. It is fascinating. "
— Sheila, 1/19/2014 -
" A great legal history of the first class action sexual harassment case. It manages to be inspiring, thorough, and fair to both the community affected by the case and the women who suffered to bring the case. The authors are unafraid to make the plaintiffs' suffering real, which is a good sign for a legal history- often the temptation seems to be strong to romanticize the valor of a fight for justice, when really it's just exhausting. Though not as exhausting, the book makes clear, as the harassment that led to the case in the first place. "
— Denise, 12/24/2013 -
" Great-paced, good stories, and excellent relevant (while not tedious) detail to understand the case. I wish all non-fiction could be written like this... "
— Alina, 12/8/2013 -
" Very interesting book about the first class action sexual harassment lawsuit. The story was the basis for the movie North Country, though the movie greatly oversimplified the legal battle, which went on for more than a decade. "
— Kate, 12/1/2013 -
" informative and edutaining. "
— Jef, 10/16/2013 -
" the best account of the difficulty of filing a suit against sexual harassment and the gross failures of sexual harassment law. "
— erin, 9/17/2013 -
" Good story; not so great writing - but an interesting read... "
— Catherine, 9/2/2013 -
" If you're interested in a heavy, but worthwhile read, check this one out. I was taken aback by much of it, and the sexual harassment struggles Lois Jenson endured in a man's world (mining in northern Minnesota) only a few decades ago were eye-opening. "
— Tessa, 10/31/2012 -
" The story and case were interesting, but maybe a bit dragged out. "
— Darlene, 10/1/2012 -
" This story is reminding me of everything that was wrong with practicing law. I gave it a fair rating for its historical value, not for its entertainment or quality. "
— Elizabeth, 9/27/2011 -
" Shocking that this was happening in the early 80's. I couldn't believe what this woman suffered through. "
— Betsy, 7/8/2011 -
" I enjoyed the book, but it took some liberties with the facts. I know the woman who represented the mining company (a good person and a feminist). It would have been nice if Bingham could have interviewed her for the book (the attorney could not discuss the case as that was part of the settlement). "
— Rod, 7/5/2011 -
" Powerful and movinig. beautiofully illustrates the challenges that women went through and the snails pace our justice system can take. "
— Jennifer, 6/12/2011 -
" A little long (and dull) on detail in the middle, but a compelling story. Read before seeing movie "North Country" (based on the book and the true story). Glad I did in that order. Movie was more dramatic, but book was more interesting (no surprise.) "
— Kristen, 4/28/2011 -
" Powerful and movinig. beautiofully illustrates the challenges that women went through and the snails pace our justice system can take. "
— Jennifer, 1/21/2011 -
" Great-paced, good stories, and excellent relevant (while not tedious) detail to understand the case. I wish all non-fiction could be written like this... "
— Alina, 6/9/2010 -
" This story is reminding me of everything that was wrong with practicing law. I gave it a fair rating for its historical value, not for its entertainment or quality. "
— Elizabeth, 4/5/2010 -
" Shocking that this was happening in the early 80's. I couldn't believe what this woman suffered through. "
— Betsy, 3/16/2009 -
" I'm reading this for my Personal Injury Law class. It is fascinating. "
— Sheila, 11/29/2008 -
" If you're interested in a heavy, but worthwhile read, check this one out. I was taken aback by much of it, and the sexual harassment struggles Lois Jenson endured in a man's world (mining in northern Minnesota) only a few decades ago were eye-opening. "
— Tessa, 11/15/2008 -
" A little long (and dull) on detail in the middle, but a compelling story. Read before seeing movie "North Country" (based on the book and the true story). Glad I did in that order. Movie was more dramatic, but book was more interesting (no surprise.) <br/> "
— Kristen, 8/30/2008
About the Authors
Clara Bingham is an award-winning journalist and the author of Witness to the Revolution, Women on the Hill, and the cowriter of Class Action. She is a former Washington, DC, correspondent for Newsweek, and her writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, the London Guardian, and the Daily Beast, among others.
Laura Leedy Gansler is a lawyer specializing in alternative dispute resolution and securities law. A Harvard graduate who received a JD from the University of Virginia, she is a former adjunct law professor at American University.
About Gabrielle de Cuir
Gabrielle de Cuir, award-winning narrator, has narrated over three hundred titles and specializes in fantasy, humor, and titles requiring extensive foreign language and accent skills. She was a cowinner of the Audie Award for best narration in 2011 and a three-time finalist for the Audie and has garnered six AudioFile Earphones Awards. Her “velvet touch” as an actor’s director has earned her a special place in the audiobook world as the foremost producer for bestselling authors and celebrities.