Now available in paperback with a new afterword by awardwinning author dan fagin, the book masterfully blends hardhitting investigative journalism, scientific discovery, and unforgettable characters. This book chronicles the long struggle as many members of the community noticed a large number of children with cancer and tried to get the government to investigate and clean up the problem. Pulitzer prizewinning book toms river tells a story of cancer, pollution and the hard job of linking the two clusters of rare cancers like the one in toms river may actually be much more common than we can discern with the crude statistical tools, fagin writes. A story of science and salvation, the pulitzer prizewinning book. The new york timesthe riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of c. I was an asbury park press reporter covering toms river during that. The story of toms rivers trouble with pollution is a 50year tale with key heroes who began to realize things werent right, he notes. Dan fagin handles topics of great complexity with the dexterity of a scholar, the honesty of a journalist, and the dramatic skill of a novelist. A story of science and salvation, i saw a tv replay of the movie, a. It is ironic that within a week after reading dan fagins book, toms river. The toxic dumping that occurred in toms river in 2001 was the subject of the 20, pulitzer prize winning book toms river.
A correlation between pollution and illness was not enough. From conversations with the carters and other toms river families, she had heard a little bit about the cibageigy chemical plant and its history of pollution. The city of toms river, new jersey, suffered decades of pollution from toxic waste both from a large chemical company and an illegal dumpsite. A story of science and salvation traces the story of a new jersey town plagued by two generations of. Mar 29, 2019 toms river when scientists recently told a group of toms river residents that a substance found in their drinking water nearly 20 years ago doesnt cause cancer, there was a collective sense. Fagins book may not endear him to toms rivers real estate agents, but its. Mar 19, 20 winner of the pulitzer prize winner of the new york public librarys helen bernstein book award a new classic of science reporting. Mar 24, 20 dan fagins recentlyreleased book toms river. Winner of the pulitzer prize winner of the new york public librarys helen bernstein book award a new classic of science reporting.
Dan fagin won the general nonfiction award, issued a by 19member pulitzer board administered by. The story of a small town engulfed by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, deep historical research and unforgettable characters into a sweeping narrative in the tradition of a civil action, the emperor of all maladies, and the immortal life of henrietta lacks. A story of science and salvation, by dan fagin bantam books. The true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river won the 2014 pulitzer prize and has been hailed by the new york times as a new classic of science reporting. One of new jerseys seemingly innumerable quiet seaside towns, toms river became the unlikely setting for a decadeslong drama. A story of science and salvation, a new book about a town in new jersey devastated by industrial pollution. Toms river is home to many beaches located along the jersey shore, including ortley beach, normandy beach, monterey beach, ocean beach, chadwick beach and silver beach. How toxic dumping led to tragedy in a small seaside town. It is exceptionally wellwritten, with even the esoteric statistical concepts put across clearly. A story of science and salvation traces the story of a new jersey town plagued by two generations of toxic waste dumping. Toms river ebook by dan fagin 9780345538611 rakuten kobo. The book ends with the conclusion of a legal settlement between the ocean of love families and cibageigy, toms river water, and union carbide. The new york times the true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river won the 2014 pulitzer prize and has been hailed by the new york times as a new classic of science reporting. Danny devito options dan fagins pulitzerwinning book.
The new york timesthe riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a. A cibaowned chemical plant came to the coastal town of toms river, new jersey, in 1952 to make dyes through processes that used and discharged enormous quantities of water. The new york timesthe riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a sweeping. The story of a small town engulfed by industrial pollution, toms river melds hard hitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, deep. A story of science and salvation is a 20 nonfiction book by the american author dan fagin. In light of the fiscal uncertainty due to the covid19 health emergency, the office of management and budget omb has placed select available funding into spending freeze reserve in order to meet emergency and statutorily required obligations. A story of science and salvation, examined the issue in detail. It is about the dumping of industrial pollution by chemical companies including cibageigy, in toms river, new jersey, beginning in 1952 through the 1980s, and the epidemiological investigations of a cancer cluster that subsequently emerged there. A story of science and salvation from the worlds largest community of readers.
Incredible book, maddening in underscoring the collaborative relationships between pollutors and regulators. Pulitzer prize awarded to author of book about chemical dumping in toms river. Mar 19, 20 dan fagins new book, toms river, is an edgeofyourseat account of industry and illness in a new jersey town, with plenty of side trips. Dan fagin has written a powerful and important book. The swiss had hoped that dilution would mask its pollution of the toms river, just as they had hoped it would in the rhine and the ohio. Toms river is one of new jerseys innumerable quiet seaside towns. Danny devitos jersey films 2nd avenue has optioned the screen rights to toms river. Since the 1990s, toms river families affected by cancer linked to industrial pollution have been pursuing a classaction lawsuit against the cibageigy corporation, union carbide corporation, and the united water toms river. Dan fagin won the general nonfiction award, issued a by 19member pulitzer board administered by columbia university.
Toms river, winner of the 2014 pulitzer prize and the academies communication award for best book, tells the story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution. The true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river has been hailed by the new york times as a new classic of science reporting. How a health crisis created a town full of environmentalists. Jun 06, 2019 pulitzer prize awarded to author of book about chemical dumping in toms river. A story of science and salvation, by dan fagin bantam books share.
May 22, 2018 since the 1990s, toms river families affected by cancer linked to industrial pollution have been pursuing a classaction lawsuit against the cibageigy corporation, union carbide corporation, and the united water toms river. Fagin weaves a riveting tale of of chemical pollution in toms river, new jersey, with the story of cancer epidemiology from the 18th century teen chimney sweeps who suffered scrotal cancer to the apparent childhood cluster in toms river. Twitter facebook email a book that deftly combines investigative reporting and historical research to probe a new jersey seashore towns cluster of childhood cancers linked to water and air pollution. In his pulitzer prizewinning book toms river, dan fagin uses history, personal narrative, health data and investigative journalism to tell the story of a small towns decadeslong struggle with chemical pollution. Now available in paperback with a new afterword by acclaimed author dan fagin, the book masterfully. At once intimate and objective, toms river is the heartbreaking account of one towns struggle with a legacy of toxic pollution. Aug 14, 2018 the toms river study is one of only two studies in the u. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read toms river. The riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a sweeping narrative in the tradition o. Toms river cancer cluster still a mystery despite 20 years of. Now available in paperback with a new afterword by acclaimed author dan fagin, the book masterfully blends hardhitting investigative journalism, scientific discovery, and unforgettable characters. The riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a sweeping narrative in the tradition of a civil action, the emperor of all maladies, and the immortal life of henrietta lacks.
It won the 2014 pulitzer prize and was a winner of the new york public librarys helen bernstein book award. A story of science and salvation brought back those days in vivid focus. Danny devito options rights for book about toms river. A balanced book, toms river does not push a political agenda, unlike rachel carsons silent spring. The riveting true story of sixty years in the life of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a sweeping narrative. The new york times the riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a sweeping. The riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river.
The new york times the riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story. But both books offer many valuable lessons to those around the world who wish to improve environmental and occupational health. He doesnt just write about pollution in toms river, but also the origins of the dye that the toms river plant manufactured. People said, oh, dont drink the water when youre there, and dont breathe too deeply, boornazian remembered. Pa imagessipa usa danny devito, shown here in london, optioned the screen rights for a book about the jersey shore town of toms river, and a communitys battle with water pollution and a cancer. A story of science and salvation, i saw a tv replay of the movie, a civil action, starring jon travolta. Dan fagins new book, toms river, is an edgeofyourseat account. It tells the story of the towns struggle with water pollution and. I love that fagin doesnt limit his writing to the story at hand. A history of pollution for many years ciba geigy polluted the toms river a river that flows into barnegat bay with waste from its dye manufacturing facility. The riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast. Dan fagin science and environmental journalist science.
Toms river is a cautionary tale about the faustian tradeoffs between unfettered economic growth and industrial pollution. Recent publicprivate coalitions to restore the river and to purchase and preserve the wetland areas near its source in the pinelands have resulted in an increase in water quality citation needed. Toms river has been featured in television, including mtv which filmed three episodes of the show made and scenes from mtvs jersey shore there. A story of science and salvation 20 by dan fagin is the true story of a small new jersey town decimated by industrial pollution. Because toms river chemical had no environmental department, however, coping with the manifold consequences of the plants burgeoning waste discharges was an unwelcome part of cranes portfolio. After the 1984 pipeline break, toms river s claim to fame was hosting not one, but two superfund sites cibageigy and the reich farm. Mar 12, 2020 the true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river won the 2014 pulitzer prize and has been hailed by the new york times as andquot. The new york timesthe riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds. Cibageigy and the toms river cancer cluster settlement. Book explores toms rivers toxic history with industrial. The new york timesthe riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting. A story of science and salvation ebook written by dan fagin. This book appeared in advance copy, a column in which nasw book.
Elizabeth kolbert, author of field notes from a catastrophe. Despite this book s emotionally neutral title, toms river is at bottom a horror story of unregulated capitalism. By the mid1960s, people living in toms river noticed that their drinking water had a medicinal taste and smell. Dan fagin science and environmental journalist science and. The toms river study is one of only two studies in the u. Toms river evansville vanderburgh public library overdrive.
It is about the dumping of industrial pollution by. Aug 19, 20 it is ironic that within a week after reading dan fagins book, toms river. Chemical troubles in toms river may 6, 20 issue vol. The town itself is a town like so many others, said dan fagin, who explores the townships dark history with pollution and its health effects in his new book, toms river. The true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river won the 2014 pulitzer prize and has been hailed by the new york. Kara holsopple spoke with fagin in advance of his september 7th visit to pittsburgh to learn more about what we can learn from toms river. Jul 18, 2015 because toms river chemical had no environmental department, however, coping with the manifold consequences of the plants burgeoning waste discharges was an unwelcome part of cranes portfolio. There is a great deal of uncertainty as to whether the pollution was a causal factor in the cancer cluster. The riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating. A story of science and salvation, was published in 20 by dan fagin, a professor at new york university. Toms river winner of the pulitzer prize winner of the new york public librarys helen bernstein book award a new classic of science reporting. Recounts the decadeslong saga of the new jersey seaside town plagued by childhood cancers caused by air and water pollution due to the indiscriminate dumping of toxic chemicals.
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