Karen F. SteinUniversity of Rhode Island, Kingston, USARachel Carson is the twentieth centurys most significant environmentalist. Her books about the sea blend science and poetry as they invite readers to share her celebration of the oceans wonders. Silent Spring, her graphic and compelling exposé of the damage caused by the widespread aerial spraying of persistent organic pesticides such as DDT, opened our eyes to the interconnectedness of all living beings and the ecological systems we inhabit. Carsons work challenges our belief that science and technology can control the natural world, asks us to recognize our place in the world around us, and inspires us to treat the earth respectfully. She calls us to rekindle our sense of wonder at natures power and beauty, and to tread lightly on the earth so that it will continue to sustain us and our descendants. This book guides readers on a journey through Carsons life and work, considers Carsons legacies, and points to some of the continuing challenges to sustainability. It provides a listing of resources for reading, learning, or teaching about the environment, about nature writing, and about Carson and the crucial issues she addressed.

Acknowledgements; Introduction: Rachel Carson, Environmentalism, and the Web of Life; 1 Biography; Rachel Carson: The Poet Laureate of the Sea (Ballard); Childhood; Education; Career at the Fish and Wildlife Service and Early Publications; Career after Leaving the Fish and Wildlife Service; Political Activity; Honors, Awards, and Public Speaking; Carson's Last Years; 2 Nature Writing: A Whirlwind Tour; 3 Books About the Sea: Who has known the Ocean?; Under the Sea Wind; The Sea Around Us; The Edge of the Sea; 4 Words to Live by: Carson's Other Writings: Field Notes, Essays, Reviews, and Government Brochures; Government Publications; Essays in Newspapers and Magazines; CF6peeches; TV Script "Clouds"; The Sense of Wonder; Letters to Dorothy Freeman; 5 Silent Spring (1962); Background on Pesticides Before DDT; Development and Use of DDT; Carson Takes on the Challenge; Silent Spring: Summary and Discussion; Timeliness of the Book; Reasons for the Book's Popularity; Chemical Company Reactions; Reviews of the Book; CBS Reports; Carson's Testimony in Congress; Related Speeches and Articles; Carson's Rhetorical Strategies; 6 After Silent Spring : The Legacies of Rachel Carson; Posthumous Awards and Honors; Women Marine Biologists and Oceanographers; Continuing Controversies; Updates: Delaney Clause to Food Quality Protetction Act; Cancer and Environmental Toxins; Environmental Ethics; Environmental Justice; Updates and Revisits: Silent Spring Revisited; Carson's Views of Factory Farms; Organic Farming; The DDT and Malaria Controversy; Continuing Research on DDT's Health Effects; Sustainability; Ecofeminism; 7 Teaching Rachel Carson; Ideas for Student Projects; Teach the Controversies; Problem Based Learning; 8 Resources; 9 Epilogue; Appendix 1 Rachel Carson Chronology; Appendix 2 History of DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyltrichloroethane); Appendix 3 History of U.S. Environmental Legislation; References.