Man's War Against Nature

One of TIME Magazine's All-TIME 100 Nonfiction BooksOne of The Guardian's 100 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time"Rachel Carson is a pivotal figure of the twentieth century...people who thought one way before her essential 1962 book Silent Spring thought another way after it."-Margaret AtwoodIn celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, HarperCollins is proud to present this library of American classics drawn from our storied catalog. Rarely does a single book alter the course of history, but Rachel Carson's Silent Spring did exactly that by helping to launch the environmental movement.The outcry that followed the publication of Silent Spring in 1962 forced the banning of DDT and spurred revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. Carson's passionate concern for the future of our environment reverberated powerfully throughout the world. Silent Spring not only addressed issues of the time, but began a critical discussion on humanity's responsibility for our planet that continues to this day. As Carson reminds us, "In nature, nothing exists alone."The introduction by acclaimed biographer Linda Lear, author of Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature, tells the story of Carson's courageous defense of her truths in the face of a ruthless assault form the chemical industry following the publication of Silent Spring and before her untimely death."Wonder and humility are just some of the gifts of Silent Spring. They remind us that we, like all other living creatures, are part of the vast ecosystems of the earth of the earth...this is a book to relish: not for the dark side of human nature, but for the promise of life's possibility." -from the Introduction- A BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE WITH FLAPS: Featuring French flaps and a unique vivid cover design, each book in the collection is published as a deluxe trade paperback that is a part of a stunning series look.- HARPER COLLINS AMERICAN CLASSICS: This series includes timeless novels, poetry, children's books, and groundbreaking nonfiction that has shaped American thought, literature, and identity across generations.- AMERICA'S PUBLISHER: Since its founding in 1817, no American publisher has been so entwined in the history of American letters. Our books enrich, challenge, and defined the American spirit.- AMERICA 250: The HarperCollins American Classics arrive in time for America's 250th anniversary celebrations

"Der stumme Frühling" erschien erstmals 1963. Der Titel bezieht sich auf das Märchen von der blühenden Stadt, in der sich eine seltsame, schleichende Seuche ausbreitet. Das spannend geschriebene Sachbuch wirkte bei seinem Erscheinen wie ein Alarmsignal und avancierte rasch zur Bibel der damals entstehenden Ökologie-Bewegung. <BR>Zum ersten Mal wurde hier in eindringlichem Appell die Fragwürdigkeit des chemischen Pflanzenschutzes dargelegt. An einer Fülle von Tatsachen machte Rachel Carson seine schädlichen Auswirkungen auf die Natur und die Menschen deutlich. Ihre Warnungen haben seither nichts von ihrer Aktualität verloren.

Now recognized as one of the most influential books of the twentieth century, Silent Spring exposed the destruction of wildlife through the widespread use of pesticides <BR><BR>Rachel Carson's Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of pesticides, spurring revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. Despite condemnation in the press and heavy-handed attempts by the chemical industry to ban the book, Carson succeeded in creating a new public awareness of the environment which led to changes in government and inspired the ecological movement. It is thanks to this book, and the help of many environmentalists, that harmful pesticides such as DDT were banned from use in the US and countries around the world.<BR><BR>This Penguin Modern Classics edition includes an introduction by Lord Shackleton, a preface by World Wildlife Fund founder Julian Huxley, and an afterword by Carson's biographer Linda Lear.

Rachel Carson, die legendäre Pionierin der Umweltbewegung, schrieb Menschheitsgeschichte. Dieses Buch ist ihr Vermächtnis: Einfühlsam und mit einem feinen Sinn für die uns umgebende Welt beschreibt sie, wie wir unser Verhältnis zur Natur heilen und unsere Entfremdung überwinden können.Wie finden wir wahrhaft zurück zur Natur? Indem wir auf unser Herz hören und das Staunen wieder lernen. In wunderbarer Sprache erzählt Rachel Carson, wie sie ihrem kleinen Neffen mit einfachsten Mitteln die Wunder der Natur nahe bringt - nicht mit enzyklopädischem Wissen, sondern durch intensives, gemeinsames Erleben. Was folgt, ist eines der schönsten Bekenntnisse zur Natur, das die Literatur zu bieten hat, und zugleich ein Ratgeber für Eltern und Kinder ohne modischen Firlefanz. 'Magie des Staunens' zeigt beide Seiten der großen Rachel Carson: die praktische einer Wissenschaftlerin, die die Welt verändern wollte, und die künstlerische einer Autorin, die als Pionierin des 'nature writing' noch zu entdecken ist.