Rarely does a single book alter the course of history, but Rachel Carson's Silent Spring did exactly that. The outcry that followed its publication 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 planet reverberated powerfully throughout the world, and her eloquent book was instrumental in launching the environmental movement. It is without question one of the landmark books of the twentieth century. This edition includes an afterword by the author and scientist Edward O. Wilson. The introduction, by the acclaimed biographer Linda Lear, tells the story of Carson's courageous defense of her truths in the face of a ruthless assault from the chemical industry following the publication of Silent Spring and before her untimely death.