Myth of Silent Spring: Rethinking the Origins of American Environmentalism

by Chad Montrie

Since its publication in 1962, Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring has often been celebrated as the catalyst that sparked an American environmental movement. Yet environmental consciousness and environmental protest in the United States date back to the nineteenth century, with the advent of industrial manufacturing and consequent growth of cities. As these changes transformed peoples' lives, ordinary Americans came to recognize the connections between economic exploitation, social inequality, and environmental problems. In turn, as the modern age dawned, they relied on labor unions, sportsmen's clubs, racial and ethnic organizations, and community groups to respond accordingly. The Myth of Silent Spring tells this story. By challenging the canonical "songbirds and suburbs" interpretation associated with Carson and her work, the book gives readers a more accurate sense of the past and better prepares them for thinking and acting in the present.

Genres: History, Grad School, Nonfiction, Environment

196 pages, Paperback

Published January 26, 2018

Reviews

[Mason Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned a bit from The Myth of Silent Spring, or at least got many good reminders from it, but I was frustrated by the organization of the short book. The topic is important, but I think the book would be better if it wasn't about Silent Spring at all, and instead about the history of the environmental movement in the US. It didn't read as very focused, repeated a few stories multiple times, and didn't seem to take in the breadth of the topic that I figured the author would want to do, but instead focused on the histories of a few regions and professional organizations. It felt selective.