The Accidental Activist [Kindle Edition]

Alon Shalev (Author)

Book Description

"To push for a better world is not always everyone’s first goal. “The Accidental Activist” is a novel drawing on author Alon Shalev’s own experiences to tell the story of a court case with the world on its shoulders. Focused on the real events of a libel case against McDonalds in the 1990s in London, 'The Accidental Activist' uses reality to enrich the fiction and leads to a very entertaining read that pulls no punches or censors no events.”
— Midwest Book Review

“TheAccidental Activist is a remarkable read because it is based on a court case that has happened and will most likely happen again. The advent of the Internet as a tool for the individual to make a difference is a powerful and inspirational message.”
—New York Times Bestselling Author Robert Dugoni – The Jury Master, The Cyanide Canary and Damage Control.

“Alon Shalev creates a case that could have been ripped from today's headlines and in so doing, confronts head on the horror of corporate misconduct and the limitations of free speech, as well as our current concerns about the environment.”
—Richard Wolinsky, KPFA-FM, Berkeley, Cover-to-Cover.

"I highly recommend this story with a high 5 Book rating! Complete with laughable British humor, this story will hook you from first page to last, as you take a ride of romance, dodging the downfalls and trying to over come the legalities of a harsh time."
— Reviews by Molly

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

The Accidental Activist is an updated edition of Oilspill dotcom, published by Three Clover Press.

Thank you for considering this novel.
Alon Shalev

Product Details

• File Size: 264 KB
• Print Length: 272 pages
• Publisher: Three Clover Press (October 22, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0048EL2ZQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,964 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtroom Drama Was Gripping January 6, 2012

By Teddy

Format:Paperback

The Accidental Activist is loosely based on the Mc Libel case in London that took place in the 1990's. Like the real case, the character, Suzie and other protesters took on a big corporation distributing leaflets about their poor environmental practise and poor working conditions. The corporation sued for libel. Back then, people who were sued for libel were not given a public defender but this eventually changed because of this case.

This is a story of courtroom drama with a bit of romance thrown in. Matt was a computer geek who happened to meet Suzie by chance. It was instant love. When she got sued for Libel from a big oil corporation he found a way to help her with the assistance of his co-workers/ friends. Back then, websites were very new but they developed a website to get the word out. This was the first political website as far as it was known. Matt and his co-workers were basically fired from their jobs for setting it up.

I couldn't help but root for Matt and Suzie throughout the book and the courtroom drama was gripping. It even had a bit of sardonic humor in it. I would have liked to have seen a bit more character development but the story itself was great. Alon Shalev has explained that he likes to write "transformational fiction where ordinary people are drawn into fighting a social injustice and in doing so experience a life-shifting internal change." He succeeded using Matt as his transformational character.

If you're looking for a John Grisham like thriller that puts the main character in peril, this book is not for you. However, if you want a well written courtroom drama with British humor and style, I highly recommend this book.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not-so-accidental awesomeness February 25, 2011

By Elisabeth Pinio

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Once I read the first chapter (or however much you get to read before buying the e-version) I knew I had to read all of it. Classic underdog story mixed with romantic pursuit - a wonderfully suspenseful battle against The Machine. I also love British humor (any humor really), so I was delighted with the dialogue and narration.

My absolute favorite quote is: "Mr. Rees was never the type to enjoy life and would probably get annoyed if he did."

I wouldn't have minded if the book was saturated with the same sardonic humor throughout, but there was important business to tend to - Matt had to win over Suzie and help her in the struggle against a mighty global corporation.

At times I found Suzie a little overwrought, but I can't be objective because I'm what they refer to in Seinfeld as "a man's woman." I hate other women, and they hate me. Even in fiction.

I highly recommend the book for anyone interested in activism, romance, England, computers, oil companies, oil spills, libel, court cases and life in general. It's got something for everyone. I inhaled it in about two days and begrudgingly put it down to work, eat and sleep.

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtroom Drama, Changing the World, and the Early Days of the Internet December 23, 2012

By John Byrne Barry

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read the first three-chapter sample on Alon's author page and was hooked, but I didn't have a Kindle yet. A few months later, when I got one, this was my the first e-book I purchased. I very much enjoyed it, because it had the drama of the familiar courtroom prodedural, but the story was about some activists who were charged with libel in the anachronistic British legal system. Definitely a David v. Goliath story.

What raised the book from a soapbox speech was the romance in the foreground. The protagonist falls in love with the firebrand activist (Suzie), not because of the righteousness of her cause, but because, as he tells the judge, he fancies her. And changes his life to help her, using his computer skills to create a web page that creates worldwide attention for her cause and her case.

I'm not familiar with the real case that inspired this case, and I don't know how much a role the internet played, but it was almost nostalgic to see activists first using the web to get attention and support.

I would have liked a little more complexity and depth in the relationship that is at the center of the book. The courtroom drama takes up most of the book and though I enjoyed the story, and the pace and wit, I felt like the relationship was oversimplified. There was one fight described, but it seemed pretty lightweight.

A fun read. I recommend it.

More About the Author

Alon Shalev lives and writes in two worlds. He is the author of three social justice-themed novels and a series of Young Adult Epic Fantasy. He swears there is a connection.

In 2009, while on a family camping trip in Northern California, Shalev began writing an epic fantasy novel to read to his sons around the campfire. Over the next three years, both sons and the ancient redwood forests bore witness to the summoning of the Wycaan Masters.

His first epic fantasy novel, At The Walls Of Galbrieth, won the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Award - YA Category and was a Grand Prize Finalist. The sequel, The First Decree, was released in March 2013, and the third book in the series, Ashbar, is expected in October. All books are published by Tourmaline Books.

More details of these novels can be found at the author's website (www.alonshalev.com) and he blogs weekly at www.elfwriter.com.

Shalev's activism is rooted in his teenage years campaigning with the Anti-Apartheid movement, for the release of Jews from the Soviet Union, and helping the burgeoning green movement. This led him to explore using fiction as a platform for social justice

Shalev continues to write in both genres. In 2012 Unwanted Heroes (pub. Three Clover Press) was released. Unwanted Heroes brings together an old, battle-scarred Chinese American war vet and an idealistic and pretentious young Englishmen, who share a love for San Francisco, coffee and wine. They soon discover they share even more when repressed memories bring them together as they find in each other unlikely allies to set themselves free from the tragic past that binds them both.

Other novels include:
A Gardener's Tale: a story of healing of family, land and community, along with a look at the Pagan religion and its time-honored impact upon rural communities.

The Accidental Activist: a fictional account of the astonishing 'McLibel' trial that captivated Britain in the 1990's, a David .v. Goliath court case that highlights the treachery and ruthlessness of the multinational corporations and how the advent of the Internet can curb them, when a few individuals refuse to back down. It is a defense of Freedom of Speech and the acknowledgment of the Internet as a tool for social change.