Book Club: May 4, 2026, 2-4pm, – Fellows and External Fellows – Zoom only event

May 4, 2026, 2-4 pm – Fellows and External Fellows

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (1962)

Discussion Leader: Sara Shettleworth

Published only 63 years ago, Silent Spring already qualifies as a classic. As an accessible popular account of the damage being to the environment by substances such as the then-common pesticide DDT, it was a wakeup call for government control of the chemical industry. It had a huge impact, helping to galvanize the then-nascent environmental movement. We are now seeing the benefits of actions inspired by the information in this book in such developments as the ban on DDT and the resulting return of bald eagles and other of DDT’s victims. Written by a scientist who was also a clear and compelling writer.

Available in many editions and formats. For those who do not already have a copy, the 2002 40th Anniversary Edition is recommended. At 400 pages, it includes an illuminating 19 page introduction by Carson’s biographer, Linda Lear, and an afterword by noted ecologist E.O. Wilson, as well as 77 pages of references and notes. Available as a $23.99 paperback and all other formats. TPL 20 + copies.

For additional background, even part of the two-hour PBS “American Experience” documentary “Rachel Carson” is very worth watching for vivid illustrations of the opposition Carson faced and the instant impact her book had https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFDh9c34XX4.

The link to register is https://forms.office.com/r/bWcpK7a6nP

The deadline to register is the Monday morning the day of the event at 8 am. The Zoom link will be sent to registrants only.

If you have any questions, please contact the organizer, Mary Jane Ashley at maryjane.ashley@utoronto.ca.