Unsilenced

Vilified by the chemical industry as a �fanatic defender of the cult of the balance of nature,� Rachel Carson was no commune-dwelling hippie. A marine biologist who�d worked at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she was a prize-winning author when her most famous�and controversial� book, Silent Spring, was published in 1962. Exposing the health and environmental fallout of pesticide use, the book was attacked as alarmist by such mainstream media as Time and Newsweek.

Unfolding during the year following the release of Silent Spring, A Sense of Wonder is essentially a monologue with scenery. But when the monologue is inspired by Carson�s writing, which remains fresh and relevant, and shot by Academy Award�winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler, you can�t help but be moved. Kaiulani Lee�s assured performance as Carson anchors the film, which Lee adapted from her stage play of the same name.

This month, which happens to be National Women�s History Month, the National Women�s History Project is presenting nationwide screenings of A Sense of Wonder. No question, Carson merits the recognition. Not only was she a single woman supporting both an adopted child and an aged mother. Critics sought to undermine her authority by accusing her of being �hysterical� and deriding her �emotional outbursts��barbs they would never hurl at a man.

More information and DVDs are available at asenseofwonderfilm.com.

� Amy Spitalnick, Associate Editor