Toms River, by Dan Fagin

What a great read! Admittedly, I am from New Jersey, once worked in the chemical industry and now work as a physician. So the subject and setting resonate particularly strongly with me. That being said, on many different levels this story is important for all of us. Among other things, it teaches us about the dynamic between corporate and individual/social interests, speculative versus scientific inquiry, role of government and how it may sometimes fail its citizens, chemistry, cancer, the history of the Toms River area of NJ, epidemiology and statistics and how sometimes it only takes a few determined people (and some luck) to effect significant change. I found the epidemiological discussion(s) among the more interesting parts of the book. The first quarter of the book takes the reader through the history of the dye industry and weaves in tales of epidemiological cancer investigations. It serves as a valuable history lesson, germane to both scientist and non-scientist types. Well worth the effort.