American pests : the losing war on insects from colonial times to DDT / James E. McWilliams.

New York : Columbia University Press, [2008], ©2008.

296 pages : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 24 cm

Includes bibliographical references (p. [257]-284) and index.

"The insect tribes still maintain their ground" : insects and early Americans -- "There is no royal road to the destruction of bugs" : the rise of the professionals -- "Let us conquer space" : breaking the plains and fighting the insects -- "A great schemer" : Charles V. Riley and the broken promises of early insecticides -- "Let us spray" : mosquitoes, war, and chemicals -- "Vot iss de effidence?" : residues, regulations, and the politics of protecting insecticides -- "Complaints are coming in" : a year in the life of an insecticide nation, 1938 -- "Let's put our heads together and start a new country up" : silent springs and loud protests.