The Chemical Age

Von Hippel takes us through the surprising relationship of disease and war, from how the treatment of malaria facilitated colonialism, how weapons against disease carrying pests were used against human beings in war and riot, the development of tear gas, and the coming insect apocalypse. -- Jessa Crispin, Public Intellectual Podcast Von Hippel's leisurely and wide-ranging history will raise readers' awareness about the power of toxic chemical compounds introduced into our environment. -- Library Journal Reveals that while the chemical industry has averted famines and vanquished diseases, it has also driven countless species towards extinction. -- New Scientist Our love affair with industrial chemicals may have heroic origins, but it also has Promethean consequences that we are only beginning to fully comprehend. The Chemical Age is an essential addition to this comprehension, and a delightful mix of deep research and vivid anecdotal storytelling. -- McKay Jenkins, author of Food Fight: GMOs and the Future of the American Diet A superbly written and riveting account of scientific myopia: the employment of chemistry to solve major problems while doggedly oblivious to the consequent ravages those solutions cast upon life on earth. Destined to be a classic, this would top the fiction bestseller list, except it is solid truth. The Chemical Age should be required reading for everyone. -- Thomas E. Lovejoy, coeditor of Biodiversity and Climate Change: Transforming the Biosphere The Chemical Age is a vital and refreshing synthesis of public health, agricultural development, war, and pesticide history. With crisp writing, von Hippel draws from an impressive breadth of sources to tell a revealing and truly thought-provoking story. -- David Kinkela, author of DDT and the American Century