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American Pests: The Losing War on Insects from Colonial Times to DDT
The world of insects is one we only dimly understand. Yet from using arsenic, cobalt, and quicksilver to kill household infiltrators to employing the sophisticated tools of the Orkin Man, Americans have fought to eradicate the "bugs" they have learned to hate.
Inspired by the still-revolutionary theories of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring," James E. McWilliams argues for a more harmonious and rational approach to our relationship with insects, one that does not harm our environment and, consequently, ourselves along the way. Beginning with the early techniques of colonial farmers and ending with the modern use of chemical insecticides, McWilliams deftly shows how America's war on insects mirrors its continual struggle with nature, economic development, technology, and federal regulation. He reveals a very American paradox: the men and women who settled and developed this country sought to control the environment and achieve certain economic goals; yet their methods of agricultural expansion undermined their efforts and linked them even closer to the inexorable realities of the insect world.
As told from the perspective of the often flamboyant actors in the battle against insects, "American Pests" is a fascinating investigation into the attitudes, policies, and practices that continue to influence our behavior toward insects. Asking us to question, if not abandon, our reckless (and sometimes futile) attempts at insect control, McWilliams convincingly argues that insects, like people, have an inherent right to exist and that in our attempt to rid ourselves of insects, we compromise the balance of nature.
Inspired by the still-revolutionary theories of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring," James E. McWilliams argues for a more harmonious and rational approach to our relationship with insects, one that does not harm our environment and, consequently, ourselves along the way. Beginning with the early techniques of colonial farmers and ending with the modern use of chemical insecticides, McWilliams deftly shows how America's war on insects mirrors its continual struggle with nature, economic development, technology, and federal regulation. He reveals a very American paradox: the men and women who settled and developed this country sought to control the environment and achieve certain economic goals; yet their methods of agricultural expansion undermined their efforts and linked them even closer to the inexorable realities of the insect world.
As told from the perspective of the often flamboyant actors in the battle against insects, "American Pests" is a fascinating investigation into the attitudes, policies, and practices that continue to influence our behavior toward insects. Asking us to question, if not abandon, our reckless (and sometimes futile) attempts at insect control, McWilliams convincingly argues that insects, like people, have an inherent right to exist and that in our attempt to rid ourselves of insects, we compromise the balance of nature.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published June 17, 2008
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About the author
James McWilliams
22 books24 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Disambiguated authors:
(1) James McWilliams - See below (Current Profile)
(2) James McWilliams - War Historian
He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Georgetown University in 1991, his Ed.M. from Harvard University in 1994, his M.A. in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996, and his Ph.D. in History from Johns Hopkins University in 2001. He won the Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History awarded by the Colonial Society of Massachusetts for 2000, and won the Hiett Prize in the Humanities from the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture in 2009. He has been a fellow in the Agrarian Studies Program at Yale University. He currently is a Professor in the History Department at Texas State University.
Writing has appeared in The Paris Review daily, The New Yorker.com, The New York Times, Harper’s, The Washington Post, Slate, The American Scholar, Texas Monthly, The Atlantic, and The Virginia Quarterly Review. McWilliams writes column at Pacific Standard. Literary non-fiction has appeared in The Millions, Quarterly Conversation, The New York Times Book Review, and The Hedgehog Review.
Disambiguated authors:
(1) James McWilliams - See below (Current Profile)
(2) James McWilliams - War Historian
He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Georgetown University in 1991, his Ed.M. from Harvard University in 1994, his M.A. in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996, and his Ph.D. in History from Johns Hopkins University in 2001. He won the Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History awarded by the Colonial Society of Massachusetts for 2000, and won the Hiett Prize in the Humanities from the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture in 2009. He has been a fellow in the Agrarian Studies Program at Yale University. He currently is a Professor in the History Department at Texas State University.
Writing has appeared in The Paris Review daily, The New Yorker.com, The New York Times, Harper’s, The Washington Post, Slate, The American Scholar, Texas Monthly, The Atlantic, and The Virginia Quarterly Review. McWilliams writes column at Pacific Standard. Literary non-fiction has appeared in The Millions, Quarterly Conversation, The New York Times Book Review, and The Hedgehog Review.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 29, 2008
Interesting book about the history of the intersection of insects, agriculture and agriculture policy, pesticides, and the environment. I skimmed a lot of it, but really liked the final chapter on Rachel Carson and Silent Spring. It would have been better as a New Yorker article.
May 27, 2015
James McWilliams explores the never-ending war on bugs waged by Americans. Beginning with "word of mouth" vernacular solutions to pest control, Americans learned to use science (first biology--fail?--and then chemistry) to control and eradicate pesky insects at home and in their fields. The chemical
success of eradication had the unexpected consequence of yielding pesticide-resistant insects. Thus, as Americans sought to control their environments and produce unmolested monocultures undermined their control in ways more extensive than had they not killed pests so extensively. Government-set tolerance levels for pesticide use rather than outright banning them has been the unsatisfactory compromise.
James E. McWilliams is here inspired by the still-revolutionary theories of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. In addition to his chronology of American pest control, he eventually calls for "a more harmonious and rational approach to our relationship with insects, one that does not harm our environment and, consequently, ourselves along the way." Rather than just reduce insects to a nuisance with no place in the world, McWilliams argues fairly convincingly that Americans should reconsider the right bugs have to life: killing them off with reckless abandon has not been beneficial to humans. He sees economci incentives as both possible and more likely to yield success than government regulation.
success of eradication had the unexpected consequence of yielding pesticide-resistant insects. Thus, as Americans sought to control their environments and produce unmolested monocultures undermined their control in ways more extensive than had they not killed pests so extensively. Government-set tolerance levels for pesticide use rather than outright banning them has been the unsatisfactory compromise.
James E. McWilliams is here inspired by the still-revolutionary theories of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. In addition to his chronology of American pest control, he eventually calls for "a more harmonious and rational approach to our relationship with insects, one that does not harm our environment and, consequently, ourselves along the way." Rather than just reduce insects to a nuisance with no place in the world, McWilliams argues fairly convincingly that Americans should reconsider the right bugs have to life: killing them off with reckless abandon has not been beneficial to humans. He sees economci incentives as both possible and more likely to yield success than government regulation.
February 5, 2009
The loud and lighthearted cover art belies what turns out to be drudge to read. McWilliams seems admirably dedicated to his subject, and the sheer amount of information he gathers on such an arcane topic is impressive, but there is simply not much of a story to be told; rather we get account after account of failed technique and end up with a hasty paean to Rachel Carson. A waste of time.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews