Rather than being a traditional reference book, as the title suggests, it is a series of explorative essays on major environmental issues in American history, combined with supporting primary documents that further illustrate the dilemma. Magoc has arranged the essays chronologically, starting with the early American view of nature as a commodity to be consumed, and moving through major environmental issues such as the damage done by early industrialization, wildlife destruction, the Hetch Hetchy Dam, causes of the Dust Bowl, use of lead in gasoline, air pollution, pesticides, toxic waste, and the use of nuclear energy. The explanations are well done; the addition of primary documents provides depth and makes for an especially interesting reading experience….Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers.

Choice

Arguably one of the most significant dimensions of the modern age is its environmental history; here is a valuable overview with chronology, discussion, and relevant primary documents.

Library Journal

This is a useful book for anyone interested in environmental history. This collection of primary documents is not repeated elsewhere, nor placed in such an interesting context.

American Reference Books Annual

Providing primary documents that support different sides of various questions such as the use of water as an energy source, deforestation, gold mining, and the emergence of wildlife conservation.

Natural Resources Journal

Magoc introduces American environmental history using an issues-centered approach geared to be accessible to an undergraduate audience. Each one of the 16 chapters combines textual analysis of the topic alongside primary source documents. Topics include water resource control in the early industrialization of New England, the progressive movement and the fight for improved meat inspection, public health and the debate over tetraethyl leaded gasoline, causes and consequences of the Dust Bowl, Love Canal and the grassroots movement against toxic waste, the passage of the Endangered Species Act, and Three Mile Island and the search for a national energy policy.

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