Health Care Books:
When Smoke Ran Like Water: Tales Of Environmental Deception And The Battle Against Pollution
Today's shopping tips: "Before committed to purchasing, best is first reviewing several books ..."
NOTE: All online transactions are processed at Amazon.com's secure server, using the latest technology on internet's secure transactions.
List Price: $17.95
Our Price: $9.49
You Save: $ 8.46 ( 47% )
(prices subject to change)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Average Customer Ratings:
The National Book Award Finalist from a leading public-health expert, this is the unknown story of how environmental pollution has affected our health-past, present, and future.
In When Smoke Ran Like Water, the world-renowned epidemiologist Devra Davis confronts the public triumphs and private failures of her lifelong battle against environmental pollution. She documents the shocking toll of a public-health disaster-300,000 deaths a year in the U.S. and Europe from the effects of pollution-and asks why we remain silent. For Davis, the issue is personal: Pollution is what killed many in her family and forced some of the others, survivors of the 1948 smog emergency in Donora, Pennsylvania, to live out their lives with impaired health. She describes that episode and also makes startling revelations about how the deaths from the London smog of 1952 were falsely attributed to influenza; how the oil companies and auto manufacturers fought for decades to keep lead in gasoline, while knowing it caused brain damage; and many other battles. When Smoke Ran Like Water makes a devastating case for change.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS:
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 615.902
EAN: 9780465015221
ISBN: 0465015220
Label: Basic Books
Manufacturer: Basic Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: 2003-12-24
Publisher: Basic Books
Studio: Basic Books
SIMILAR ITEMS:
• The Secret History of the War on Cancer
• Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What's at Stake for American Power
• Deceit and Denial: The Deadly Politics of Industrial Pollution (California/Milbank Books on Health and the Public, 6)
• The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
• Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World
CUSTOMER REVIEWS:
Facsinating subject by an excellet writer -
I have read both books by Dr. Davis. She is fascinating, informative, and very informative. I had the chance to hear her speak once, and it changed my views on so many things. She is very couragous in discussing the truth of what is happening to the earth, and to our bodies. A must read for everyone!
Get FREE prescription medicine - If your medicine is listed here you can get it free.
My natural health e-book - Discover the amazing powers of whole foods! Over 3,129 home remedies using whole foods as medicine.
Dr. Davis has both the academic credentials and family experience to write the real story of the Donora PA tragedy and then to use that as a jumping off point to expose some of the "environmental deception" that had made our air less breathable and our water less drinkable coming into the 21st century. She ranges widely, from the deadly fogs that hit both Donora and London in the 1940s and 50s to breast cancer to problems we may encounter through global environmental change. Lost in many of this crises, she notes, is the cost of public health problems caused by pollutants in our air, water, and food.
While her message is an important one, there are two problems that keep this book from being a five star title: range and editing.
As noted, the book moves across many problems confronting us today. By doing so, however, Dr. Davis can only touch the surface of some issues, weakening her presentation by jumping too quickly from one point to another and covering key points to her central thesis less extensively than one would prefer. The chapter on breast cancer, for example, might better have been saved for what became her next book, The Secret History of the War on Cancer,
I am hesitant to criticize a book that has, justifiably, won awards and acclaim, but this would be far more accessible and easily referenced with stronger editing. Davis sometimes writes almost in a stream of consciousness approach, without any kind of break to indicate the commentary has shifted. Usually, there is at least paragraph separation to help the reader understand that she has gone on to another topic, but what does one do with a paragraph like one on page 279?
The beginning of the quote references a campaign to stop construction of a huge "cement industrial city" and proceeds, "The plant would release 1.47 million pounds of particles each year from a stack that will be one of the tallest structures from New York to Montreal and would dwarf the Statue of Liberty. Deborah Axelrod, the breast cancer surgeon who wrote *Bosom Buddies* with Rosie O'Donnell, knows how to use humor to diffuse the trauma of cancer..."
Passages like this make the book less readable and can sometimes cause confusion that might put off some readers who would benefit greatly from the overall content. Sad to see when there is so much importance in what she has to say.
A must for anyone trying to do what is right in the world -
I purchased this book as a gift for friends who are passionate about the environment and health. I felt it would be a great boost to those that feel that no matter how hard they try, nothing seems to change. This book is a wonderful account of years and decades of fighting for what is right. The most wonderful part is that the end result of several of the battles against big business and money have been won! The book provides a documentary type summary of some of the worlds biggest battles against toxins and polutions and how tedious these battle were (example - leaded gasoline). It shows how fairness and truth are discarded, but seem to resurface again and again thanks to dedicated people who continue to fight for what is right. The courage and dedication of Devra Davis is amazing. This book is truly inspiring.
Your health vs. the air you breath. -
Very thorough history of dangers of air pollution. It affects the average person though we don't recognize it. Studies back up the evidence this excellent author presents. Reading this author's works will educate you quite quickly on how the enviroment affects your personal health and how government, commerce and industry are not your protectors.
With this unbeatable web hosting you will get: 5,000MB disk space (raid storage), 30GB data transfer/bandwidth, 250 POP3/IMAP Email & SMTP, 10 FTP users, Unlimited subdomains, 24 x 7 FTP access, CGI-BIN, SSI, .htaccess, Cronjobs, PHP4 w/ Zend Optimizer, Sendmail, Perl5, FrontPage 98/2000/2002 Ext., SSL (secure server), MySQL database. All come with FREE setup fee and FREE 1st year domain name.
Learn more here ....
This is a good and balanced book, especially considering the vested interests of the author (her life!). Too often, these types of books turn into little more than political rants. This is not the case here. Sure, there are political actions and inactions that are discussed, but no personal attacks.
There is not a tremendous amount of scientific data in this book, but I did not expect it. I was not looking for a tome of information. The author delivers on her personal and professional experiences in what is the best way possible. If only we could get others to follow her lead.
© 2005-2008 This great on-line book store for health care ... is brought to you by Health Care NetMedia Inc., your health and healthy living books. Health Care NetMedia Inc. is an official associate of the Amazon.com.We recommend PowWeb.com hosting service and, get a free domain name at CO.CC.
Related terms to this Health Care Books: health care, personal health care, home health care, .