Dan fagin won the general nonfiction award, issued a by 19member pulitzer board administered by columbia university. In the 1990s it seemed as if the number of children with cancer in the toms river area was growing. Incredible book, maddening in underscoring the collaborative relationships between pollutors and regulators. A story of science and salvation is a 20 nonfiction book by the american. Rampant pollution ravaged toms river 60 years ago, causing cancer clusters and triggering a new chapter in environmental protection. Pulitzer prizewinning book toms river tells a story of cancer, pollution and the hard job of linking the two. More new jerseyans get these cancers than any other toms. 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. This was 23 more than would be expected in the population. New jersey, beginning in 1952 through the 1980s, and the epidemiological investigations of a cancer cluster that subsequently emerged there.
A new classic of science reporting the new york times. The more attention the suspected cancer cluster got, the larger the stain on toms rivers reputation grew. 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. Toms river, nj toms rivers water supply tested positive for chromium6, the cancercausing toxin that was made famous in the 2000 julia roberts movie erin brockovich, according to a. Winding river park, whitesville rd, toms river, nj schedule. The narrative backbone of this book is the 60year history of the relationship between the citizens of toms river and two chemical companies, ciba and union carbide. Toms river cancer cluster still a mystery despite 20 years. Chemical troubles in toms river may 6, 20 issue vol.
A story of science and salvation, the pulitzer prize. Now available in paperback with a new afterword by acclaimed. Environmental reporter discusses book about toms river. Will environmental rollbacks bring back toxic town. 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. The toms river was known as goose creek until it was renamed in the early 18th century either for english captain william toms farmer and ferryman thomas luker or a native american named tom. Slate this hard hitting account of cancer epidemiology in the new jersey town of toms river is. In a nutshella troubling number of cancer cases occurring in very young children living in the area. Dan fagin has written a powerful and important book.
A swiss industrial giant with more than 100 years of experience manufacturing dyes and other chemicals decided to build a factory there. By the spring of 1995, when steve jones called to ask him to look into a possible. Michael was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was three months old. Dan fagins new book, toms river, is an edgeofyourseat account of industry and illness in a new jersey town, with plenty of side trips. Danny devito options dan fagins pulitzerwinning book.
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. Cancer affects the entire family and we know they need some special time at ocean of love. 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 outbreak. This book is an incredible synthesis of the many disparate strands that is the story of toms river and the seeming cancer cluster that occurred there. Danny devito options rights for book about toms river pollution. At once intimate and objective, toms river is the heartbreaking account of one towns struggle with a legacy of toxic pollution. The toms river chemical corporation must have discharged them into the river, and the three shallow riverside wells operated by the toms river water company on holly street, more than two miles downstream, must have then sucked in the contaminated water, pulling it through the sandy riverbank and into the wells and eventually pumping it to the. Twentytwo years after reports of elevated childhood cancer levels. Danny devito options film rights for toms river cancer cluster story. The other was found about a decade later in toms river, n.
Toms river started out as a large but sparsely populated agrarian town near the atlantic ocean, barnegat bay, and the toms river, which gave the town its name. A story of science and salvation, by dan fagin bantam books share. 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. Actor danny devito has plans to produce a film about a cancer cluster and chemical spill in toms river, according to reports. But, as this years pulitzer prizewinning book details, the. Visit regional cancer care associates at 40 bey lea road, suite b202 in toms river, nj 08753. 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. Danny devito options rights for book about toms river pollution, cancer outbreak. Now available in paperback with a new afterword by acclaimed author dan fagin, the book masterfully blends hardhitting investigative journalism, scientific discovery, and unforgettable. The investigative story won a 2014 pulitzer prize for general. Toms river investigates the subtle science of linking cancer to pollution.
The book begins with a prologue describing what michael gillicks life was like. Winner of the 2014 pulitzer prize for general nonfiction. Please take notice that the toms river township zoning board of adjustment will hold their regular may 14, 2020 meeting at 6. What followed was a life of chemotherapy and a large volume of. Children in this coastal new jersey town were coming down with rare types of cancer. Toms river when scientists recently told a group of toms river residents that a substance found in their drinking water nearly 20 years ago. An honest, thoroughly researched, intelligently written book.
A story of science and salvation, author dan fagin tells the true tale of what happens when large chemical companies with dubious waste disposal practices set up shop in a quiet seaside town in new jersey. Pulitzer prize awarded to author of book about chemical dumping in toms river. Cibageigy and the toms river cancer cluster settlement. In response to the residents concerns, the new jersey department of health in 1996 studied the problem and found that between 1979 and 1995, 90 children in the township were diagnosed with cancer. 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. 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. Danny devito options rights for book about toms river. Waterborne destruction has visited toms river before, albeit via less conspicuous channels, which dan fagin traces with marvelous precision in his new book, toms river. While doing some student teaching in a toms river elementary school located in the core zone, there was a young girl in that class 6th grade class with leukemia we knew people in town who had young kids with cancer. A story of science and salvation is a 20 nonfiction book by the american author dan fagin.
It is ironic that within a week after reading dan fagins book, toms river. Contact us at 732 4318400 to schedule an appointment. He is the author of the recently published book toms river. As the chairwoman of a cancer support group called oceans of love for children with cancer, she began noticing large numbers of cases in toms river in the mid 1990s. 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. Toms river unravels the careless environmental practices that damaged a community. When children unexpectedly started coming down with rare forms of cancer, the citizens of toms river started asking questions. On thursday, march 17, university of michigan welcomes dan fagin, author of the 2014 pulitzerprize winning book, toms river. This is a fun night for the siblings of our ocean of love children. A story of science and salvation traces the story of a new jersey town plagued by two generations of toxic waste dumping.
The book goes beyond the toms river phenomenon itself to examine the many factors that came together in that one spot, from the birth of the synthetic chemical industry to the evolution of epidemiology to the physicians who invented occupational medicine. As a leading provider of cancer services in the ocean county region, our focus is to combat this deadly disease through a broadening arsenal of worldclass technologies and innovative programs in all areas of cancer prevention, detection and treatment. It is exceptionally wellwritten, with even the esoteric statistical concepts put across clearly. Doctors suspected he had developed the cancer in utero.
Toms river drinking water contains erin brockovich toxin. More new jerseyans get these cancers than any toms river, nj a study from the center for disease control and prevention says new jerseyans are more likely to get these forms of cancer than any. Danny devito options film rights for toms river cancer. Fear and poison in a us cancer village china dialogue. A story of science and salvation, i saw a tv replay of the movie, a civil action, starring jon travolta. Winner of the pulitzer prize winner of the new york public librarys helen bernstein book award a new classic of science reporting. It has been nationally recognized by the commission on cancer of the american college of surgeons with accreditation since 1986. Dan fagin won the general nonfiction award, issued a by 19member pulitzer board administered by. At the time the state health department report on toms river s elevated childhood cancer rates became public, gillicks group was assisting 157 pediatric cancer patients and their families. And because of the unusual number of cancer cases, the town was designated a. Danny devitos jersey films 2nd avenue has optioned the screen rights to toms river. Despite this books emotionally neutral title, toms river is at bottom a horror story of unregulated capitalism.
1275 186 388 872 1426 679 700 18 1138 881 381 807 203 158 134 790 320 177 758 1592 1151 1459 49 284 758 1314 899 904 868 1314 1335 193 850 1378 74 443 1190 743 208