With the publishing of her book, "The Silent Spring" in the early 1960"s, Rachel Carson awakened the citizens of the United States to the very real dangers of some of the chemical pollutants that were in common use at the time. The pesticide, DDT, which was widely used in agricultural settings and in homes, was later banned, thanks in part to Carson, a writer, biologist and ecologist. Carson calm eloquence and thorough research lead many people to take a harder look at the effects of chemical pollutants on the environment and on people. 5 chapters, photographs, chronology, glossary, further information section, index, and author profile.