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Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson combined her love of science and writing in her award-winning and controversial book Silent Spring. Revealing the dangers of pesticide use, it brought readers a new awareness of humankind’s contamination of the environment and ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
4 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Levine
87 books51 followersEllen Levine's books have won many awards and honors, including the Jane Addams Peace Award. Although she enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction, most of Ellen's books for young readers have been nonfiction. "Writing nonfiction lets me in behind the scenes of the story. I enjoy learning new things and meeting new people, even if they lived 200 years ago."
Ellen Levine was born in New York City. She received her B.A. degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship with Chief Judge Joseph Lord, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults.
Ellen Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.
Ellen Levine was born in New York City. She received her B.A. degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship with Chief Judge Joseph Lord, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults.
Ellen Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 19, 2019
A great biography of Rachel Carson -- I learned so much about what she faced and overcame. She loved writing and nature equally, and her decision to switch to a biology undergraduate degree from English was ridiculed. I appreciate that Ellen Levine also told her story through a feminist lens, in which the most heartbreaking detail is that twice doctors did not tell her she had a malignant lump removed because she was a woman.
On a personal note, Ellen Levine was one of my advisors at VCFA, and she too, like Rachel, was gone too young.
On a personal note, Ellen Levine was one of my advisors at VCFA, and she too, like Rachel, was gone too young.
November 3, 2016
I knew who Rachel C was but not much of her personal life. What I learned, was she was a lot like me in her love of nature. She was the first in her family to attend and graduate college. She grew up in Pennsylvania. Her family was not wealthy in anything but land. Dad died young, and Rachel was the one who supported her family. Rachel's mom was the one who gave Rachel her love of plants and animals.
Young Rachel was planning on being a writer, but before graduation, turned to science. This was something of a scandal, at this point in time. God works in mysterious ways, and the contacts made in science, helped also in the writing. Her first writings were of the sea and were well received. In fact, most of the time, critics thought R. Carson was a man. It was unthinkable for a woman to possess such scientific knowledge of the sea, it's tides, marine life, water fowl, and plant life.
Her books of the sea gave her family more money than they'd ever had and life was good. When Rachel wrote of Silent Spring, she was ridiculed by chemical company lawyers, farmers, and big business. What prevailed, was the common people's demand for her book. People who had been damaged by breathing chemicals or had rashes from spilled chemicals on their skin. The thing that gave credibility to all of her writings was the amount of research she undertook for her subjects.
She did not print anything that was not factual, or what she could not prove.
This was such a well written book, I want to read Silent Spring.
Young Rachel was planning on being a writer, but before graduation, turned to science. This was something of a scandal, at this point in time. God works in mysterious ways, and the contacts made in science, helped also in the writing. Her first writings were of the sea and were well received. In fact, most of the time, critics thought R. Carson was a man. It was unthinkable for a woman to possess such scientific knowledge of the sea, it's tides, marine life, water fowl, and plant life.
Her books of the sea gave her family more money than they'd ever had and life was good. When Rachel wrote of Silent Spring, she was ridiculed by chemical company lawyers, farmers, and big business. What prevailed, was the common people's demand for her book. People who had been damaged by breathing chemicals or had rashes from spilled chemicals on their skin. The thing that gave credibility to all of her writings was the amount of research she undertook for her subjects.
She did not print anything that was not factual, or what she could not prove.
This was such a well written book, I want to read Silent Spring.
July 24, 2018
A short but pithy biography of Rachel Carson, the force behind the modern environmental movement & the EPA, whose most famous books-"The sea around us", "The edge of the sea", & "Silent spring"disclosed her passion for nature, her analytic mind(trained on good writing & scientific thinking), and her commitment to warn the public & pressure the government against the use of untested chemicals with short & long term fallout for the environment. She succeeded in her role, in spite of dying prematurely of breast cancer-a diagnosis not disclosed to her( a mere woman) by her doctors in spite of her direct questioning-as was the practice at the time, but only to the husband(she had remained single). The criticisms directed at her by doctors & scientists, as well as publicists in the pocket of the chemical-insecticide industry are shocking to hear today by their sexism, personal attacks, & self-interest.
December 28, 2015
This is a marvelous introduction to the life of Rachel Carson written for students 6th grade and above. I will use sections of it with my 4th & 5th grade students in the coming trimester. Well written, engaging, and serious, this work will inform and encourage students to be cautious with the environment. Historically, students will see the problems which were created earlier, which Ms. Carson endeavored to bring attention to. Unfortunately some of those same problems are still going unanswered, or are newly created by different sources.
June 30, 2012
Great introduction to a wonderful woman. Nice, light read for any age that's interested in her story.
April 28, 2022
Wow! Rachel Carson was an amazing and brilliant woman who was able to marry her talents as a writer and a scientist. This allowed her to create the modern Environmental Movement, educate the public about the hazards of the misuse or overuse of chemicals and technologies, and light a fire politically for laws that protect the environment and humanity. So glad I read “Her-Story.
January 18, 2018
Geared to a teen or young adult reader, I nevertheless recommend it to anyone wanting to know about an amazing woman and the environmental movement she spawned.
May 1, 2014
Rachel Carson is famous for her science nonfiction, THE SILENT SPRING. I had been aware of its immortality among the literati, notably on the list of the TIME as one of the best nonfictions of all time. In fact,I had turned my back on it many times whenever I saw it at my stomping ground. I just skimmed it since it is nonfiction,and I was borne upon the idea that it could no longer be realiable.
Had it been written in great detail or by Rachel Carson herself,for sure, I would have given 5 stars. Nevertheless, I still LIKED it a whole lot,because Rachel Carson was an amazing woman . She inspired not only people with scientific mentality, but even the laymen like me. She even caused me to regress to the "delusional personality "I tried to be- a trying -hard environmentalist. I believe that any books attempted to be written about her would be still worth reading just the like of this Ellen Levine's.
This book reflects in the other side of Rachel Carson,mostly her dedication to her field of studies, her determination to achieve her dreams, her sisterly and daughterly love for her family,and her viewpoints about religion and science -let alone the question about her being a spinster.
What I liked about Rachel Carson,according to the book, is her "reverence for life". She humbled herself despite her superior intelligence. She preferred to use her god -send talent in writing in informing the public about how they should have loved the nature ,how they should have been aware of the dangers of artificial chemicals,particularly the pesticides. She used the literature as the instrument to catch their interest in natural sciences. She intended not to be technical ; she put her ideas into the language of the layman. This was how she may have been revolting against the greedy capitalists in 1960's. She was the antithesis of Harriet Beecher,the author behind the UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. Both were considered nothing in the eyes of the big time business men and politicians but they made a big difference.
In some cases, reading a biography could be apocryphal because of the credibility of the facts and information data gleaned by authors. They could pad their "masterpieces " with a pack of "fairy tales" to pan out in the market. So could autobiographers. On the other hand, Helen Levine's may be credible since all the information came primarily from Rachel Carson' s documents.But what I appreciated about H. Levine is the simplicity of how she narrated Rachel Carson's personal and professional life. Reading it was like as though I watched a documentary peppered with enough information- enough to inform a reader like me.
Had she written it in great detail combined with her writing skills , like an ambitious novel,for sure, I would have really given it 5 stars. But giving it 5 or 4 stars is neither here nor there. I care about the message of Rachel Carson,so when I go to the bookstore one of these days, I will not give a shadow of doubt about buying the SILENT SPRING more so I've got an idea of how she wrote it.
TRIVIA :
Rache Carson was an ailurophile. She had a confederation of cats which became her companions in writing her notable books. The last cat that became the instrument of her writing the SILENT SPRING was Jeffie. Hahaha! Cool, Rachel. ^^
Had it been written in great detail or by Rachel Carson herself,for sure, I would have given 5 stars. Nevertheless, I still LIKED it a whole lot,because Rachel Carson was an amazing woman . She inspired not only people with scientific mentality, but even the laymen like me. She even caused me to regress to the "delusional personality "I tried to be- a trying -hard environmentalist. I believe that any books attempted to be written about her would be still worth reading just the like of this Ellen Levine's.
This book reflects in the other side of Rachel Carson,mostly her dedication to her field of studies, her determination to achieve her dreams, her sisterly and daughterly love for her family,and her viewpoints about religion and science -let alone the question about her being a spinster.
What I liked about Rachel Carson,according to the book, is her "reverence for life". She humbled herself despite her superior intelligence. She preferred to use her god -send talent in writing in informing the public about how they should have loved the nature ,how they should have been aware of the dangers of artificial chemicals,particularly the pesticides. She used the literature as the instrument to catch their interest in natural sciences. She intended not to be technical ; she put her ideas into the language of the layman. This was how she may have been revolting against the greedy capitalists in 1960's. She was the antithesis of Harriet Beecher,the author behind the UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. Both were considered nothing in the eyes of the big time business men and politicians but they made a big difference.
In some cases, reading a biography could be apocryphal because of the credibility of the facts and information data gleaned by authors. They could pad their "masterpieces " with a pack of "fairy tales" to pan out in the market. So could autobiographers. On the other hand, Helen Levine's may be credible since all the information came primarily from Rachel Carson' s documents.But what I appreciated about H. Levine is the simplicity of how she narrated Rachel Carson's personal and professional life. Reading it was like as though I watched a documentary peppered with enough information- enough to inform a reader like me.
Had she written it in great detail combined with her writing skills , like an ambitious novel,for sure, I would have really given it 5 stars. But giving it 5 or 4 stars is neither here nor there. I care about the message of Rachel Carson,so when I go to the bookstore one of these days, I will not give a shadow of doubt about buying the SILENT SPRING more so I've got an idea of how she wrote it.
TRIVIA :
Rache Carson was an ailurophile. She had a confederation of cats which became her companions in writing her notable books. The last cat that became the instrument of her writing the SILENT SPRING was Jeffie. Hahaha! Cool, Rachel. ^^
November 22, 2015
Yet, after the amazing book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published it was a suprise wake up call to people around the world. Later it was an award winning favorite, see as Ellen Levine takes a closer look at what was behind the brains and wisdom of Rachel. In Up Close: Rachel Carson by Ellen Levin.
The story follows the shy and quiet lady. She writes about Rachel as a child and how it progressed into what she is today and her personal story. Ellen speaks the story of how Rachel Carson combined her love of science and writing into a wild story. One of the most unlikely person to start a revolution had started one. The author, Levine recounts Carson's life, from her childhood outside Pittsburgh to her tragic death from cancer. The book is filled with excerpts from Carson's writings of her famous finds. Her book was the main reason for people to notice how polluted our world is. She had Revealed the dangers of pesticide use, it also brought readers to a new awareness of human contamination of the environment and ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. With being a female Rachel was often a victim of sexism in her field. Especially because of her creating huge awareness. This is nonfiction with the potential to wow readers who think they don't enjoy nonfiction.
Even though,I personally did not like the book. I’m not saying it wasn’t well written but I’m saying I didn’t enjoy it. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who don’t care that much for a good nonfiction book. The vocabulary was really well used and very fascinating pictures of Rachel herself or ones she had drawn. I would recommend this for people with interests in nature and what happens in the world with factories and how much they really pollute.
The story follows the shy and quiet lady. She writes about Rachel as a child and how it progressed into what she is today and her personal story. Ellen speaks the story of how Rachel Carson combined her love of science and writing into a wild story. One of the most unlikely person to start a revolution had started one. The author, Levine recounts Carson's life, from her childhood outside Pittsburgh to her tragic death from cancer. The book is filled with excerpts from Carson's writings of her famous finds. Her book was the main reason for people to notice how polluted our world is. She had Revealed the dangers of pesticide use, it also brought readers to a new awareness of human contamination of the environment and ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. With being a female Rachel was often a victim of sexism in her field. Especially because of her creating huge awareness. This is nonfiction with the potential to wow readers who think they don't enjoy nonfiction.
Even though,I personally did not like the book. I’m not saying it wasn’t well written but I’m saying I didn’t enjoy it. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who don’t care that much for a good nonfiction book. The vocabulary was really well used and very fascinating pictures of Rachel herself or ones she had drawn. I would recommend this for people with interests in nature and what happens in the world with factories and how much they really pollute.
August 22, 2009
I actually really liked Rachel Carson by the end of this book! My only issue with the book is that I thought the author jumped to conclusions way too much. But, disregarding that I enjoyed the book and know a lot more about Rachel Carson (the author of Silent Spring) than I ever did before. She was quite the woman who cared for her family and nature and did what she could to help them both. This book shows how Rachel tried to look at both sides. She acknowledged the need for pesticides, but she also pointed out people need to look at the long term picture for not only nature, but themselves too.
June 18, 2014
This book really shines when the subject's own writing is quoted, revealing a passionate observer and interpreter of the natural world. That Rachel Carson was able to write a number of best-selling books, one of which inspired the modern environmentalist movement, in spite of sexism, overwhelming family obligations and health problems only makes me admire her more. "I am not afraid of being thouht a sentamentalist when I stand here tonight and tell you that I believe natural beauty has a necessary place in the spiritual development of any individual or any society." I couldn't agree more. I would like to have gone hiking or beach-combing with Carson.
June 25, 2008
I picked this book up as a gift to my daughters and read it so I could discuss it with them. I knew NOTHING about Ms. Carson, beyond the fact that she wrote "Silent Spring", which I have not read.
Now I feel compelled to tell everyone: you must read this book.
I was must moved by how Ms. Carson perservered over sexism and financial difficulty. Devoted to her family, she support 3 generations, while working and writing. No mention ever of any man in her life. She was emotionally connected to many women and I wonder if this is why she was so private and why more people don't know about her.
Now I feel compelled to tell everyone: you must read this book.
I was must moved by how Ms. Carson perservered over sexism and financial difficulty. Devoted to her family, she support 3 generations, while working and writing. No mention ever of any man in her life. She was emotionally connected to many women and I wonder if this is why she was so private and why more people don't know about her.
August 11, 2010
An amazing 'real' woman whom more children and adults should know.
Every year children are assigned to read and write a paper on someone in history. For some reason Lincoln is the first to disappear off the library shelves. Perhaps it's because there are almost a billion books published about him. But, for the child who approaches my desk and says, "I dunno who I want to write about", Rachel Carson will be the first name I exalt.
Every year children are assigned to read and write a paper on someone in history. For some reason Lincoln is the first to disappear off the library shelves. Perhaps it's because there are almost a billion books published about him. But, for the child who approaches my desk and says, "I dunno who I want to write about", Rachel Carson will be the first name I exalt.
October 21, 2014
Four stars for what it is, a short bio of a woman/scientist/poet I wanted to know more about. I want to know more because she was a really unique person. I felt really angry on her behalf for what she suffered health-wise and the discrimination she faced all her life.
This Up Close series was written for young adults. Quick, easy, and informative for everyone.
This Up Close series was written for young adults. Quick, easy, and informative for everyone.
March 10, 2015
inspiring, a woman determined to do what was right. Creation vs. Evolution didn't stop her from appreciating God's beauty.
She was always listening, seeing,smelling and feeling the wind around her....
She was always listening, seeing,smelling and feeling the wind around her....
December 10, 2008
It described her life well, and I was interested. I read it for my history fair project.
March 19, 2009
I have learned so far that Rachel Carson is an amazing person and gives me hope!!!!!!!!!!
Want to read
January 19, 2010found on my bookshelf
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews