Silent SpringThe Cornerstone of Modern Environmentalism First Published in 1962, Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of indiscriminate use of pesticides, spurring revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. "Silent Spring became a runaway bestseller, with international reverberations ... Even if she had not inspired a generation of activists, Carson would prevail as one of the greatest nature writers in American letters" (Peter Matthiessen, for Time's "100 Most Influential People of the Century"). This fortieth anniversary edition celebrates Rachel Carson's watershed book with new essays by the author and scientist Edward O. Wilson and the acclaimed biographer Linda Lear, who tells the story of Carson's courageous defense of her truths in the face of ruthless assault from the chemical industry in 1963, the year following the publication of Silent Spring and before her untimely death. |
Contents
A FABLE FOR TOMORROW | 1 |
THE OBLIGATION TO ENDURE | 5 |
ELIXIRS OF DEATH | 15 |
SURFACE WATERS AND UNDERGROUND SEAS | 39 |
REALMS OF THE SOIL | 53 |
EARTHS GREEN MANTLE | 63 |
NEEDLESS HAVOC | 85 |
AND NO BIRDS SING | 103 |
THE HUMAN PRICE | 187 |
THROUGH A NARROW WINDOW | 199 |
ONE IN EVERY FOUR | 219 |
NATURE FIGHTS BACK | 245 |
THE RUMBLINGS OF AN AVALANCHE | 262 |
THE OTHER ROAD | 277 |
List of Principal Sources | 301 |
Afterword | 357 |
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acres agents Agriculture aldrin animals areas arsenic become biological control biologists birds body cancer carcinogens cause cells cent Chem chemicals chlordane chlorinated hydrocarbons chromosome cides contained crops damage dead death destruction developed dieldrin Drug Administration Dutch elm disease effect eggs endrin Entomol entomologists environment environmental Eradication experiments exposure fact farmers field fire fire ant fish Fisheries Florida Food and Drug forests gypsy moth hazard heptachlor herbicides Hueper human important insect control insecticides Japanese beetle Jour killed laboratory lake land larvae lethal leukemia lindane liver living malathion malignant million mosquitoes nature nests normal organic phosphates oxidation Pages parasites parathion pest pesticides plants poison pollution population predators problem Proc production Public Health Rachel Carson radiation reported residues resistance river robins salmon scientists Silent Spring soil species spraying sterile streams tests tion tissues toxic treated trees U.S. Dept United vegetation Wildlife young