Ever since its publication in 1962, Rachel Carson’s eloquent, ground-breaking investigation into the devastating effects of pesticides has been recognised as a landmark environmental text. It is also proof that literature can lead to actual change: Silent Spring’s meticulous scientific examination of the widely-used chemical agent DDT and its consequences galvanised activists, the public and policy-makers alike, triggering legislative changes which ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States.

Carson’s masterpiece is also a reminder that it is through connecting with the natural world that we can find the resources to save it: “Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

Read more of our Climate Classics: timeless works exploring themes of climate change and biodiversity loss.