Rachel Carson, author of "Silent Spring", was born in 1907 in Pennsylvania. She studied at Chatham College and later majored in biology and earned her master's degree in zoology at John Hopkins University. Her book "Silent Spring" played an important role in starting the environmental movement, by forcing governments and businesses to confront the dangers of pesticides. There were very few opportunities and jobs in the science field for women in the 1930's, but Carson was an aquatic biologist for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. She wrote articles for many magazines from between the 1930's to the 1940's and published her first book "Under the Sea-Wind" in 1941.
Carson had serious health problems; in 1950, she had surgery to remove a tumor from her breast. However, the next year she published "The Sea Around Us", an instant best seller. In 1958, she began working on "Silent Spring" while caring for her sick mother and grandnephew. From 1960 and 1961, medical problems slowed down her writing again and Carson discovered that she had had cancer. She kept her medical condition private, fearful that readers will question her findings, and finally published "Silent Spring" in 1962. But in 1964, her disease caught up and she died on April 14 at age 56. Scientists like Paul Ehrlich and E. O. Wilson have credited “Silent Spring” with a crucial role in starting the modern environmental movement.
It amazes me that Rachel Carson still published her book while taking care of her family, fighting cancer and other health problems. and having surgeries. She remained confident, knowing that the book would take longer than originally planned. Rachel Caron should be more respected and recognized; not only for her hard work and determination, but for warning people about the consequences of the use of pesticides and for starting the environmental movement. In 1972, the use of DDT was banned in the United States and the Clean Water Act was passed in that year and the Endangered Species Act in 1973. "Silent Spring" lead to those important events taking place; the book probably had saved humanity.
Carson had serious health problems; in 1950, she had surgery to remove a tumor from her breast. However, the next year she published "The Sea Around Us", an instant best seller. In 1958, she began working on "Silent Spring" while caring for her sick mother and grandnephew. From 1960 and 1961, medical problems slowed down her writing again and Carson discovered that she had had cancer. She kept her medical condition private, fearful that readers will question her findings, and finally published "Silent Spring" in 1962. But in 1964, her disease caught up and she died on April 14 at age 56. Scientists like Paul Ehrlich and E. O. Wilson have credited “Silent Spring” with a crucial role in starting the modern environmental movement.
It amazes me that Rachel Carson still published her book while taking care of her family, fighting cancer and other health problems. and having surgeries. She remained confident, knowing that the book would take longer than originally planned. Rachel Caron should be more respected and recognized; not only for her hard work and determination, but for warning people about the consequences of the use of pesticides and for starting the environmental movement. In 1972, the use of DDT was banned in the United States and the Clean Water Act was passed in that year and the Endangered Species Act in 1973. "Silent Spring" lead to those important events taking place; the book probably had saved humanity.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/business/rachel-carsons-lessons-50-years-after-silent-spring.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&pagewanted=prin
Article by Nancy F. Koehn on October 27, 2012