This is written by a science professor and it feels like it. It’s scientifically sound but I felt a bit talked down to. He uses a lot of made up stories to show how to assess risk and he definitely minimizes risk for most chemicals, using stats about how low the risks supposedly are of getting cancer and other harms from various chemicals. He does talk some about accumulation and factors like age, but he frequently goes back to the fact that we all choose to do things that are statistically riskier like eating bacon. It’s not so much a book about the risks of the thousands of chemicals we encounter every day as much as surface level talk of the possible dangers of a few of them like fluoride, glyphosate and BPA while going into lots of drawn out math and unnecessary verbiage to generally almost mock people who are concerned in most cases. The made up stories frequently make natural minded people look like they are at great risk and the most foolish, with characters who give themselves lead poisoning with herbal supplements and make their sons develop breasts with lotions made with essential oils. His takeaways are basically wash your produce really well, rethink driving your children around in the chemicals in that new car, buy organic when possible and google for risk factors and statistics for everything you have a question about, but most chemicals are statistically fine. Oh, and if you disagree you’re using the wrong part of your brain.

I read a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

NetGalley ARC Review

This felt dry to me, didn’t really cover anything I hadn’t already know.
Maybe right up someone else’s alley that’s never read about this topic

Incredibly informative.

Why it matters: I didn't know much about chemicals but this book helped catch me up to speed on something I was incredibly ignorant about.

What makes it unique: It's well-written for beginners.

The bottom line: Heard a lot about chemicals and want to know the truth? This is for you.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. This book was interesting and I learned a lot. It is a little dry, but if you are interested in chemicals in our everyday lives you should pick this up.

Description: "This book is a layperson’s guide to understanding chemical risk. The toxicologist Gerald A. LeBlanc offers a nontechnical overview of the key factors in evaluating whether exposure to chemicals in our daily lives could be harmful. He leads readers through the basic concepts of risk assessment using real-world examples. LeBlanc emphasizes that chemical hazard depends on the level of exposure and provides practical strategies for sensible decision making. The book features a series of accessible case studies describing how we all can reach rational conclusions about the danger of typical chemical exposures we experience every day."

If Serious About Chemical Toxicity Risk, This Book Will Help

We live in a society that depends heavily on chemicals to maintain our quality of life. Also, there are stories regularly appearing on the news and social media about the latest or not so latest toxins de jure that are making their way into our bodies.

Paracelsus was a Renaissance alchemist and physician who is considered the “Father of Toxicology.” He is often quoted as saying some derivation of “all things are toxic: it’s the dose that makes the poison.” The first factor is that all substances have the potential to cause harm— that is, they are hazardous to living things. Surprisingly, most substances can cause harm. The second factor is that different substances are hazardous at different amounts, and toxicity is judged by the level of exposure that is required to cause harm. These two factors, hazard and exposure, are also the fabric of risk.

I believe that many potential readers will look at the title and stop consideration based up their negative experiences possibly in high school chemistry, but this book has more to it than what is in the title and is well worth the time to read. Also, do not stop after the introduction that has several pages of chemical definitions used in toxicology. At this point, the author launches into some minimal chemical lessons using toxicology examples concerning what and how a substance is safe and when it is not. The author discusses what is risk. All this, the author attempts to do this in a level for the common reader and not an expert in the toxicology.

The author starts with explaining the three levels of the brain where decisions are made and how they are made at that level. The first level is where fight-or-flight decisions are made when time is of the essence. Here you learn the characteristics of each level and upon what and how decisions are made at that level.

What is a hazard is the next subject presented. This one does use the toxicity of chemical substances to explain hazard. The challenge that the author raises is to determine when a chemical exposure is hazardous, which is called risk. Risk cannot be determined exactly due to uncertainty and variability. The author explains how these two aspects are applied in defining toxicological risk so that these risk values can be used to determine risk to you.

Lastly, the author presents various examples of ordinary persons using the methodology that he presents to determine the risk to them or their children from exposure to various toxins where the reader is provided where to find various information required to perform the calculations. Therefore, the readers can finish the book with some new skills.

I recommend reading this book because it will provide you the tools to understand the truthfulness of some very important issues facing the human race. I do believe that most readers will be able to seek the data behind statements and have a good ability to determine the validity of the reasons behind the advocated position.

Overall, I enjoyed reading and learning more about this very important subject. Please do not worry if you cannot do all the calculations, as it is the methodology and the logic behind it in measuring risk that is important. I did see this same decision-making methodology years ago when I was working in upper management of an IT department. I rate this book with four stars.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Columbia University Press. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Columbia University Press. for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Well written book in easy to understand language that doesn't talk down to a reader when discussing chemicals that we all are frequently in contact with and exposed to, yet that not everyone might not be well versed in. Highly recommend as an informative book to help people evaluate their own tolerances and risks in regards to everyday chemicals which surround us all.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for ARC of this book.

Chemicals are everywhere, including our own bodies. There are bad ones and good ones, natural and synthetic. From time to time we all read big and scary headlines that this or that chemical can cause cancer, or has been detected in drinking water. Should we be worried? Well... it depends.
The author in simple terms explains the most common chemicals that surround us and tells us if and when should we be worried. What is important is that he also explains on what basis the relevant authorities decide what is safe for us and what is not. Or rather should I say: when is safe and when is not.
I really like this book, because it contains a good chunk of knowledge, and is written in simple language without making the reader feel like an idiot (yes, there are out there books in which the overstretched ego of mr professor plays the main role, instead of the science!).
It´s important to say that Leblanc has done a great job in here, raising awareness on such an important, and often ignored matter.
I´ve made plenty of notes and I´m sure I will get back to this book many times.
You have to read this!

A readable and useful explanation of what's hazardous and what's not in the chemicals we encounter daily.

I enjoyed this book. Dr. LeBlanc took people's concerns about man-made chemicals seriously and he didn’t slough off any harms. The book is written in plain language and with a conversational tone. The book also gives practical advice on assessing risk, with lots of examples, framed in realistic scenarios. LeBlanc gives good examples on how and where to do searches and good websites for reliable information. Overall, I feel that this is a fair and balanced book and is worthwhile reading for anyone interested in chemistry, whether or not they are worried about the chemicals around them. Thank you to Netgalley and Columbia University Press for the digital review copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

In the world of becoming a non-toxic home this book shares so much information with the reader it is almost overwhelming. The chemicals that have been introduced into our day to day living are abundant. Trying to eliminate them from our contact is hard work. But having the knowledge is extremely helpful to make good choices for our future humans.

This is a very thorough book that talks about, as you guessed, every day chemicals and what they mean for your health. If you are interested in what "chemicals" (I say this in quotes because everything is a chemical) could be bad for your health, without. the fear mongering that a lot of companies are pitching nowadays, this is a great book to read. It is a little dry since it has a lot of science behind it, but that's how I want a book about chemicals to be - thorough! Luckily, the author makes the arguments about chemicals and the history of why we are mostly scared of them, easy to understand and explains in details why or why not we should be scared of them. Excellent to combat misinformation and fear mongering.