In a post-World War 11 world of scientific efficiency and technological progress, there was little public concern about the way agricultural technology was affecting people and the natural world. Then, in 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring exposed the dangers of DDT and other pesticides. Her book became a bestseller and stimulated widespread public debate. The controversy prompted five government inquiries, launched the Environmental Protection Agency, and led to the banning of DDT and several other pesticides. Carson also increased public awareness of environmental issues, heralding an entirely new public awareness of ecological problems in the United States and around the world. Manifesto: Words That Changed the World contains extensive quotes from Silent Spring. Commentary by Alex MacGilivray examines the book’s historical context and world-wide repercussions.