Silent SpringSilent Spring
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1962, Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and bestselling nature writer, warned that the pesticides being sprayed across America, especially DDT, were poisoning birds, fish, soil, water and people. The book opens with a fable about a town where no birds sing, then lays out the evidence chemical by chemical. The chemical industry attacked her, but the book led to the ban on DDT in the United States and helped launch the modern environmental movement.
Why it's worth reading
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and is on both the Modern Library and Guardian lists of the best nonfiction ever written. Few books have changed the world so directly.
You'll love it if you liked
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
Pilgrim at Tinker CreekGood to know
Some of the science is dated, and parts are technical. Carson wrote it while she was dying of cancer.
By the numbers
- Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics92 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller56 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #20 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #74 of the 762 classics we rank
- #238 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
A Brief History of Time
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Cosmos
The Right Stuff
Sophie's ChoiceExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 762 ranked
Books of the 1960sTop 25 · 92 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Silent Spring worth reading?
Yes. It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and is on both the Modern Library and Guardian lists of the best nonfiction ever written. It ranks #238 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Silent Spring about?
In 1962, Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and bestselling nature writer, warned that the pesticides being sprayed across America, especially DDT, were poisoning birds, fish, soil, water and people. The book opens with a fable about a town where no birds sing, then lays out the evidence chemical by chemical. The chemical industry attacked her, but the book led to the ban on DDT in the United States and helped launch the modern environmental movement.
How long does it take to read Silent Spring?
About 9 hours (347 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Silent Spring?
If you liked it, try The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan or Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard.