A narrative of generations of Americans who struggled to make sense of DDT's risks and benefits. Historian Elena Conis follows DDT from postwar farms, factories, and suburban enclaves to the floors of Congress and tony social clubs, where industry barons met with Madison Avenue brain trusts to figure out how to sell the idea that a little poison in our food and bodies was nothing to worry about.
A compelling, copiously researched account of DDT in America ... A vitally important contribution to the ongoing discussion over the use of pesticides.
A thorough history of the U.S. government’s use of the chemical insecticide DDT ... Though many credit environmentalist Rachel Carson as having spearheaded anti-DDT efforts, Conis goes beyond that narrative to highlight the roles some less celebrated figures played ... Conis’s account is impressively researched, and her narrative carefully constructed. This is a worthy contribution to environmental history.
Through a collection of shocking narratives, historian Conis...tracks the history of DDT ... The author captivatingly examines decades of conflicting reports from scientists and government agencies regarding the pesticide’s toxicity ... [A] convincing, deeply researched, and disturbing survey ... An insightful, timely work.
