By McKay Jenkins (Find this book)
Finding a mysterious
orange-sized lump in his side after years of healthy living was a
warning sign for Jenkins, a journalism professor at the University of
Delaware. In the course of being diagnosed, he was grilled about his
exposure to a frightening collection of toxins and realized he had no
idea what he was inadvertently breathing, ingesting, and absorbing every
day. "The more I began to look into it," he writes, "the clearer it
became that we have spent our lives virtually marinating in toxic
chemicals: in the water that comes through the tap; in the plastics we
find in our baby toys or use to store our food; in our soaps and
shampoos and cosmetics; in the products we use to clean our homes; in
the chemicals we spray on our weeds and apply to turn our toilet paper
white." Jenkins argues "that industry uses its clout at both federal and
state levels to kill most efforts at increasing what we can know about
these toxins.... most chemicals have never been even minimally
scrutinized for their toxicity." In this serious expose that is
surprisingly entertaining and positive, Jenkins uncovers the ubiquity
and danger of these chemicals and offers some solutions, both personal
and political, including the fascinating and inspiring story of a Maine
chemical toxins study, and the role played by Hannah Pingree, study
volunteer and former Maine state house majority leader, in passing a
comprehensive chemical safety bill in Maine. -- Publisher's Weekly
