Critique du Publishers Weekly
Musil (Hope for a Heated Planet) offers a valuable history of noteworthy female American environmentalists, though readers will have to first make it through a cringe-worthy explanation of his discovery that many women have played crucial roles in raising awareness of environmental issues. The book's most important contribution is its emphasis on the accomplishments of figures like nature writer Florence Merriam Bailey, ecology pioneer Ellen Swallow Richards, and naturalist/activist Terry Tempest Williams. They are Carson's intellectual sisters, and Musil presents them in chronological order, beginning with the 19th-century's first popular nature writer, Susan Fenimore Cooper. The careers of the women presented in the first two chapters are dutifully linked to Carson's accomplishments, though readers unfamiliar with the Silent Spring author have to wait until the third chapter for a cohesive discussion of her career. The book's second half focuses on Carson's successors. In addition to Williams, there is Sandra Steingraber, who investigated the link between pesticides and cancer, and Devra Davis, who made feminist analyses of industrial pollution. Musil's work comes alive in this second half, his choices of influential female environmentalists more assured and better connected to Carson and her work. The book is odd and uneven, but with enough quirks to make the reading worthwhile. Illus. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Critique de CHOICE
Rachel Carson (1907-1964) is widely considered the most influential woman in the American environmental movement. Fifty years after its publication, her groundbreaking work Silent Spring continues to be the focus of robust scholarship, discussion, and celebration. Less discussed are the female environmentalists who came before Carson and influenced her character and work. In Rachel Carson and Her Sisters, Musil (Rachel Carson Council; senior fellow, American Univ.) author of Hope for a Heated Planet (CH, Nov'09, 47-1436) fills the gap by placing Carson's achievements in a wider context, weaving connections from the past through the present. Readers will find new insight into Carson and contemporary figures she influenced, such as Terry Tempest Williams, along with female naturalists and scientists of the 19th century, such as Florence Merriam Bailey and Ellen Swallow Richards, who have historically received less attention. Musil's respect and enthusiasm for these women is evident throughout the book, making it a deeply engaging and enjoyable read. A valuable addition to scholarship on Rachel Carson, female environmentalists, and the American environmental movement in general. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic and general readers. --Kimberly A. Reycraft, Florida Gulf Coast University
