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Silent Spring
by Carson, Rachel
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Deep River, Connecticut, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962. First Edition. First Printing Near fine in dark green cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and front board and with the top edge of the text block stained light yellow. An octavo of 8 5/16 by 5 11/16 inches with the cloth at the corners of the spine lightly rubbed. In a very good-, price clipped dust jacket with 1/8 inch deep chipping across the upper edge of the spine area, rubbing and flecking of the colors at the lower end of the spine area and rubbing to the fore corners of the front panel and to the fold to the front flap. There is a 1.5 inch closed tear to the rear panel. 368 pages including an index. bibliography and text. Overall this is a very nice copy of Carson's most memorable book and one of the most important books of the 20th century one which is often credited with starting the modern environmental movement. A clean and tight copy with no prior ownership markings of any kind.
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
- Town's End Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- TB33135
- Title
- Silent Spring
- Author
- Carson, Rachel
- Book Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First Edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Date Published
- 1962
Terms of Sale
Town's End Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Town's End Books
Biblio member since 2009
Deep River, Connecticut
About Town's End Books
We purchase and sell only collectible first editions in a number of fields all focused on Americana. We are primarily mail order sellers; however, we are open by appointment and welcome visits from customers.
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...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- 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...
- 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...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Chipping
- A defect in which small pieces are missing from the edges; fraying or small pieces of paper missing the edge of a paperback, or...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Price Clipped
- When a book is described as price-clipped, it indicates that the portion of the dust jacket flap that has the publisher's...
- Text Block
- Most simply the inside pages of a book. More precisely, the block of paper formed by the cut and stacked pages of a book....
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
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