The Truth About Where You Live

More than one hundred maps provide a geographical, statistical overview of American communities that suffer from disproportionate cases of environmental contamination, disease, and death rates

Interpreting statistics gleaned largely from the Census Bureau and other government sources, Goldman has created over 100 maps, ranked by county, of mortality rates, toxin emissions and concentrations, and demographics. The text raises disturbing questions about the relationship between pollution and disease, and the tremendous geographic disparities in mortality rates. Governmental publication delays and the sale to private firms of proprietary rights to information hampered Goldman in obtaining the most current information, but except for AIDS-related data, the geographic rankings should hold for some time. The book complements Robert Mason and Mark T. Mattson's Atlas of the United States Environmental Issues ( LJ 5/15/91), whose general focus precludes such in-depth treatment of public health. Both books utilize statistics to provide a firm knowledge base needed by citizens to deal with environmental problems in their communities. For all libraries.
- Linda Knaack, Univ. of Lowell Lib., Mass.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.