I. Silent Spring book (1962)

1. I. Silent Spring book (1962) “The most alarming of all man's assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials. This pollution is for the most part irrecoverable; the chain of evil it initiates not only in the world that must support life but in living tissues is for the most part irreversible. In this now universal contamination of the environment, chemicals are the sinister and little-recognized partners of radiation in changing the very nature of the world - the very nature of its life…” --Rachel Carson, the author

2. II. Main Idea of Silent Spring • Rachel Carson indicates that pollution of the earth by chemicals causes highly detrimental effects on the environment, many of which cannot be reversed.

3. III. Point of View/Bias • In order to initiate an environmental movement against chemical pollution, Carson would have pointed out only the negative aspects that chemicals such as pesticides and DDT had and disregard their benefits.

4. IV. Inferences • Likely one of the most influential science books of all time in the history of the United States • The chemical industry attacked Carson, calling her a “hysterical woman”, likely because she cost them a great deal of business • Ecologists were likely very pleased with Carson’s book since Carson was criticizing pollution and therefore stirring many people to take better care of the environment and its organisms