Silent Spring
by Carson, Rachel
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Cape Coral, Florida, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. , 1962 First edition. 8vo. 368 pages. Dark green cloth stamped in gilt. Sharp and tight. Top page edges stained yellow. Some faint evidence of former attachments on endpages. no jacket. near Fine condition..
Synopsis
Silent Spring is a groundbreaking environmental science book by Rachel Carson that brought environmental concerns to the general population. It was published in 1962, a decade after Carson won the National Book Award for her best-selling book The Sea Around Us (1951). When Silent Spring was published, Rachel Carson was already a well-known writer on natural history but had not previously been a social critic. Silent Spring served as a catalyst for the modern environmental movement, shedding light on the detrimental effects of indiscriminate pesticide use on ecosystems and human health. Examining the widespread use of synthetic pesticides, particularly DDT, and their unintended consequences on wildlife and the environment, Carson exposes how pesticides harm beneficial insects, birds, and aquatic life. Silent Spring argues that these chemicals accumulate in the food chain, posing serious risks to human beings. Upon its release, Silent Spring sparked both praise and controversy. The book's publication history reflects this dynamic reception. The first edition was published by Houghton Mifflin Company in 1962, with illustrations by Louis and Lois Darling. The initial print run of 50,000 copies sold out quickly, indicating the significant public interest in the subject matter. The book's first edition has a few notable points. The cover of the first edition features a striking illustration of a forest with silhouetted birds created by Paul Bacon. The book consists of 17 chapters and ends with a chapter titled "The Other Road," which suggests alternative methods of pest control that are less harmful to the environment. Despite initial criticism from the chemical industry and agricultural interests, Silent Spring garnered widespread acclaim for its scientific rigor and persuasive arguments. It raised awareness about the need for environmental protection and led to increased scrutiny of pesticide use. The book ultimately influenced policy changes, such as the banning of DDT in the United States and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring remains a seminal work in environmental literature, inspiring generations of activists, scientists, and policymakers to address the ecological challenges facing our planet. Its enduring impact continues to shape environmental discourse and conservation efforts worldwide.
Read More: Identifying first editions of Silent Spring
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Details
- Bookseller
- Cultural Connection
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 019192
- Title
- Silent Spring
- Author
- Carson, Rachel
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Date Published
- 1962
- Bookseller catalogs
- General #1;
Terms of Sale
Cultural Connection
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Cultural Connection
Biblio member since 2016
Cape Coral, Florida
About Cultural Connection
Home to collectible and scarce or rare hard to find books and quality collectible fine art including wood sculpture, limited edition cast marble sculpture, paintings and wood block prints. Our book inventory has a large number of first editions, books autographed by the author, maps, limited editions and books with engravings. We have many scarce and collectible books. Our book specialties are art, archaeology, history, natural history, and fiction. Our art collection includes African tribal art, American, antiques, Asian, Eskimo, European, Far Eastern, Indian, Mid Eastern, 17th, 18th and 19th century, 20th century, contemporary, and Precolumbian art.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
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