The authoritative biography of the marine biologist and nature writer whose book Silent Spring inspired the global environmentalist movement. In a career that spanned from civil service to unlikely literary celebrity, Rachel Carson became one of the world’s seminal leaders in conservation. The 1962 publication of her book Silent Spring was a watershed event that led to the banning of DDT and launched the modern environmental movement. Growing up in poverty on a tiny Allegheny River farm, Carson attended the Pennsylvania College for Women on a scholarship. There, she studied science and writing before taking a job with the newly emerging Fish and Wildlife Service. In this definitive biography, Linda Lear traces the evolution of Carson’s private, professional, and public lives, from the origins of her dedication to natural science to her invaluable service as a brilliant, if reluctant, reformer. Drawing on unprecedented access to sources and interviews, Lear masterfully explores the roots of Carson’s powerful connection to the natural world, crafting a “fine portrait of the environmentalist as a human being” (Smithsonian). “Impressively researched and eminently readable . . . Compelling, not just for Carson devotees but for anyone concerned about the environment.” —People “[A] combination of meticulous scholarship and thoughtful, often poignant, writing.” —Science “A sweeping, analytic, first-class biography of Rachel Carson.” —Kirkus Reviews

We have a list too and your name is on it. . . Ben Harvester and Becky Sanborne are clocking off after a normal shift at the Ministry of Pandemonium, guiding the souls of the newly-dead to the afterlife. But the enemy are still smarting after their catastrophic defeat at Halloween and are keen for revenge. A freak tornado that destroys Becky's house is only the start. When thirteen souls are stolen following a bomb explosion on Bad Saturday, the Ministry staff know that it heralds an all-out war with the Lords of Sundown. But little does Ben suspect how far their influence spreads. Who is the mysterious whisperer at his school? And why does Ben feel so uneasy about his mother's new boyfriend? The brilliant follow-up to the highly acclaimed Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood takes readers on a thrilling journey through the streets of London and to the gates of Abhorra. Fantastically gripping until the very last page.

When Ben Harvester meets the mysterious Mr October in Highgate Cemetery, nothing could have prepared him for the strange and dramatic turn his life is about to take. Soon Mr October is leading him towards his true calling - his work at the Ministry of Pandemonium, helping to guide the dead to the afterlife. But Ben quickly discovers that there are terrifying forces keen to thwart the work of the Ministry and lead the newly-dead astray. And when Ben's mum suddenly becomes seriously ill, he questions whether he can continue with the important job he has been given. This spine-tingling, magical book is an exciting return for author Chris Westwood and a thrilling read from start to finish. Follow all Ben Harvester and Mr October's adventures at www.ministryofpandemonium.co.uk

A spooky fantasy-adventure in which death is only the beginning!When Ben Harvester meets the mysterious Mr. October in London's Highgate Cemetery, he has no idea what a strange and dramatic turn his life is about to take. But Ben soon discovers that Mr. October works for the Ministry of Pandemonium, a secret organization responsible for tracking down lost souls and guiding them to the afterlife. And Mr. October wants him to be his new recruit.As Ben's apprenticeship begins, his eyes are opened to a new world of wonder -- a world where magic is real and ghosts haunt every crime scene, accident site, and hospital corridor.But with the wonder comes horror. Because the Ministry is not the only organization hunting spirits of the dead. The ghoulish Lords of Sundown want those spirits for their own sinister reasons. And as far as they're concerned, Ben's just chosen the wrong side in a very dangerous war.Ill-mannered spooks and fearsome monsters populate the alternative London of this charming paranormal adventure!

One city. Five people. A bloody trail of revenge. the victim and his sister Freya Rust believes she knows everything about her twin brother Ben, but when he is murdered, she realises his life was full of secrets. She is determined to avenge his death, no matter the cost. the teacher Rugby coach Mr October has his hands full with a wild teenage daughter, but it is his own guilty conscience that haunts him as he roams Pretoria with a loaded gun. the drug dealer Slick’s ruthless apprenticeship under Mama Africa taught him that power and retribution go hand in hand, a lesson that drives him as he carves his path through Pretoria’s shadowy underworld. the detective Benjamin Rust’s murder lands on the desk of Inspector Nolwazi Mngadi. Amid the corruption and inefficiency of a Pretoria police station, she begins her investigation into his mysterious death. Why did Ben die? Who killed him? And what is the price of justice? Defying the conventions of the crime novel, Talion captures the dark and brutal consequences of grief, anger and revenge.