by Dan Fagin
First published 1997
When pesticide spraying turns the Graham family farm into a toxic wasteland, they discover they're battling more than contaminated soil. Dead birds cover their fields, their cow produces bloody milk, and the farm pond foams with chemicals while family members fall seriously ill. The Grahams find themselves confronting a powerful chemical industry that keeps dangerous products on store shelves even when safer alternatives exist. Their fight exposes a system where manufacturers outmaneuver government regulators through political influence and corporate muscle. As the family struggles against environmental horror and mounting health problems, they uncover how chemical companies manipulate safety laws to protect profits over people. The Grahams' battle becomes part of a larger war over the household products and food Americans consume daily, revealing the hidden costs of trusting an industry that prioritizes market share over public safety.
Genres: science, american-fiction, political-science, environment, non-fiction, activism
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: david-vs-goliath, expos
Setting: Graham Family Farm
294 pages · Hardcover · Birch Lane Pr
Content warnings: death, medical-trauma