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Who Gets What: Fair Compensation after Tragedy and Financial Upheaval Kindle Edition

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

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Agent Orange, the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, the Virginia Tech massacre, the 2008 financial crisis, and the Deep Horizon gulf oil spill: each was a disaster in its own right. What they had in common was their aftermath -- each required compensation for lives lost, bodies maimed, livelihoods wrecked, economies and ecosystems upended. In each instance, an objective third party had to step up and dole out allocated funds: in each instance, Presidents, Attorneys General, and other public officials have asked Kenneth R. Feinberg to get the job done.

In
Who Gets What?, Feinberg reveals the deep thought that must go into each decision, not to mention the most important question that arises after a tragedy: why compensate at all? The result is a remarkably accessible discussion of the practical and philosophical problems of using money as a way to address wrongs and reflect individual worth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“An interesting prism through which to view what kind of lives and livelihoods our democracy sees fit to value… This peek into a world 99 percent of us will never experience is perhaps the most powerful lesson of Feinberg's book. It reveals how our society's values have been radically skewed to greatly reward those who take excessive risks in creating impenetrable 'vehicles' that have almost no intrinsic societal value.”

Eric Posner,
New Republic on line
“A helpful reminder that many institutions that we take for granted flourish only because the public does not pay attention to them. When political ruptures expose this machinery, savvy figures such as Kenneth Feinberg are called upon to play a paradoxical role. They convince the public that these institutions are fair by temporarily suspending their operation and using ad hoc procedures that better comport with public notions of fairness, until public attention wanders elsewhere.

Kirkus Reviews
“An insider's account of how compensation decisions are made after major disasters…An opportunity to get to know a man whose work has affected thousands.” 

Newsweek Daily Beast“When bad things happen and damages are due, it has frequently fallen on Washington lawyer Kenneth Feinberg to decide how much cash goes to whom—thus his unlikely career as America's King Solomon.” Washington Post“A clearly written and emotionally contained new book”

Washington Post
“In Who Gets What,” lawyer and master of disaster Kenneth R. Feinberg dissects the complicated business of settling claims after calamity… A glance at recent headlines may indicate a long shelf life for Feinberg's book — who will compensate the victims of Jerry Sandusky? “Who Gets What” indeed."

Reed Richardson, Eric Alterman's blog on
The Nation

About the Author

Kenneth R. Feinberg, one of the nation's leading lawyers, has been front and center in some of the most complex public legal disputes of the past three decades: Agent Orange, asbestos, the closing of the Shoreham Nuclear Plant, and now, 9/11. A former prosecutor and member of two Presidential Commissions, he is also adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, and New York University. He lives in Washington D.C.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0080K3QJE
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ PublicAffairs (June 26, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 26, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1122 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 242 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

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9 customers mention "Readability"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and well-written. They say it's a quick read that explains the story clearly and succinctly. The author uses logical language to explain the details.

"...Boy was I wrong. Not only does he tell the story in a clear, succinct way but makes the entire story very interesting and readable...." Read more

"Superb read. Brilliant guy...." Read more

"...this after seeing Feinberg speak at my law school - it's an excellent book and a great glimpse into a unique legal career...." Read more

"...Well written." Read more

5 customers mention "Interest"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting and informative. They mention it's a good read with relevant storylines to the news of the day.

"...But mainly it’s just a darn good read, personal, and very informative. Ken Bingham" Read more

"...I found it very interesting and feel that he did a fine job in all cases. Obviously, it is impossible for him to please all involved...." Read more

"...Interesting and a good read overall. Still, I felt slightly cheated. B/B+" Read more

"I chose this rating because the book was well written, interesting story lines and very relevant to the news of the day...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2014
    Ken Feinberg waded deep into America’s spent battlefields and industrial wastelands to help America pick up the pieces. He should receive the Congressional Gold Medal for his selfless acts.

    At first, I was reluctant to purchase Feinberg’s two books; I was afraid that It would be full of lawyer speak that I wouldn't be able to understand. Boy was I wrong. Not only does he tell the story in a clear, succinct way but makes the entire story very interesting and readable.

    In a Graduate Business Ethics class, that I once attended, we discussed various scenarios within the context of Duty Ethics and Utilitarian Ethics. Ken’s two books would be a good choice for inclusion in these types of classes (Business Ethics, or a Philosophy Ethics Classes). But mainly it’s just a darn good read, personal, and very informative. Ken Bingham
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2014
    Superb read. Brilliant guy. Will provide fascinating insights into compensation sick individuals after the worst homeland disaster in recent American History. It was especially important information for me as I'm a former 9-11 responder.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024
    Numerous people in today's world have claims against military dictatorship nations for crimes and disasters. The most prominent example of a fund for terrorism is the 9/11 Fund. The administrator, Atty. Kenneth Feinberg, has done a good job studying the income earning potential of each 9/11 victim in the World Trade Center and other sites, and disbursing money typically $1M to $10M per person's surviving family members or legal heirs based on last wills. The issue was also covered in TV interview with Mr. Feinberg. Since this precedent is established for the US to fund victims and victims families a new Fentanyl Survivors Fund could be set up by Congress. This fund would be much better than the $20,000 per fentanyl drug use or opioid drug use fatality that drug companies have agreed to pay in lawsuits, on average. The US Government has extensive financial resources and these funds will become more numerous to make up for the bad policymaking of past sessions of Congress (poor policy on the Amazon Rainforest, poor policy on ocean fisheries conservation and plastics pollution, poor policy on sea levees for urban and suburban property owners, poor policy on Ukrainians promised weapons and materials but which has steadily failed to prevent deaths in Ukraine, Gaza citizen claims for alleged war crimes, in US elections citizens in towns and cities denied the use of a paper ballot, etc.). If the Funds are effective new families and households may be created in the wake of disaster, and make the new trillions of national debt more productive than in other scenarios, where government money is collected by the superwealthy and used for ever more extravagant luxuries.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2012
    Monetary Settlement

    This a smart read on the monetary settlement, for victims, of five major horrific events in American history. Kenneth Fienberg walks us through his thought process to come to logical, legal and moral frame work on financial settlement victims of these tragedies receive. I do have a disagreement with the amount of settlement difference between Agent Orange, 9-11 and Hokie resolutions.

    We don't get any clarity about how we should handle the next big disaster. It seems that we should have this dialogue before and not after there is a national tragedy that needs us to attend to our fallen Heros. Money is very important to get the families back on track, but it will not replace the loved one. Nothing is said about the programs that could be put in place to deal with the loss of loved ones. I see that as a flaw in what we are trying to accomplish. We give a check and go away and think that all is well. It is only the beginning as these brave families try to rebuild their lives. I was in NYC, shortly after 9-11, walking near the Trade Center and was literally brought to my knees with the memorial boards that were put up for loved ones lost in the towers. 9-11 was a monumental event that changed the world as we knew it and it is just and fitting that we stepped up for the fallen heros.

    Personal responsibilty is touched on this book, but only in passing. The question I have is why don't more individuals have life insurance? The idea is income protection for one's family and loved ones. As a nation we are ok with a five hundred a month car payment, but don't have any family wealth protection.

    We are fortunate to have someone like Kenneth Fienberg serving us during these national disasters.

    If you are a tax payer, I recommend you read this book.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2016
    I ordered this after seeing Feinberg speak at my law school - it's an excellent book and a great glimpse into a unique legal career. It's also a quick read, which I always enjoy.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2013
    A suberb analysis of a current issue that is increasingly imposed on democraic populations. What is the responsibslity of a government for the protection of its citizens and if it fails what constitutes fair reinbursement ? Fineberg does the best to lay bare the profound and difficult problem of establishing ground rules and their application. A range of prolem situations are presented of which he has unique experience as the Master in chage of disbursement. One of a kind in new literature in public policy. Reommend reading for any serious student of social problems that looms ahead. Maurice James
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2013
    An interesting look at this now much too common occurance of disbursing money to victims of a senseless tragedy. Well written.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Judy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Who gets what: fair compensation
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2021
    This is a very emotional book. I recommend anybody and everybody to read it. Very moving. Truly unique person to have helped those in tragedy and pain and suffering from the effects of terrors and much more

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