Paul Brodeur (born May 16, 1931) is an American investigative science writer and author, whose writings have appeared in ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', where he began as a staff writer in 1958. He lives on
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
. For nearly two decades he researched and wrote about the health hazards of
asbestos. He has also written about the dangers of household
detergents, the depletion of the
ozone layer,
microwave
Microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from about one meter to one millimeter corresponding to frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz respectively. Different sources define different frequency ra ...
radiation and
electromagnetic fields from
power lines
Electric power transmission is the bulk movement of electrical energy from a generating site, such as a power plant, to an electrical substation. The interconnected lines that facilitate this movement form a ''transmission network''. This is d ...
.
In 1992 he donated 300 boxes of papers accumulated during his research to the
New York Public Library. In 2010 he was informed that the NYPL had finished culling the papers it chose to retain in its collection. Brodeur publicly objected, stating that the materials to be removed were essential to understanding his investigative process. Brodeur's papers are now archived at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University.
Science writer
Gary Taubes
Gary Taubes (born April 30, 1956) is an American journalist, writer, and low-carbohydrate / high-fat (LCHF) diet advocate. His central claim is that carbohydrates, especially sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, overstimulate the secretion of i ...
has said Brodeur's writings on electromagnetic radiation are part of what inspired him to switch from writing about bad practices in physics to
epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.
It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evide ...
and
public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
.
Brodeur's short stories have appeared in ''The New Yorker'', ''
The Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...
'', and ''
Show Magazine''. His 1970 novel ''
The Stunt Man
''The Stunt Man'' is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Richard Rush, starring Peter O'Toole, Steve Railsback, and Barbara Hershey. The film was adapted by Lawrence B. Marcus and Rush from the 1970 novel of the same name by Paul Brod ...
'' inspired the Academy-Award nominated 1980 film of the same name, starring
Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus O'Toole (; 2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) was a British stage and film actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic ...
as an egotistical movie director.
Brodeur graduated from
Phillips Academy
("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness
, address = 180 Main Street
, city = Andover
, state = Ma ...
and
Harvard College
Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
.
His daughter,
Adrienne Brodeur, is an author and program director at the
Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1949 as the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies. The institute's stated aim is the realization of "a free, just, and equitable society" through seminars, policy programs ...
.
Bibliography
* ''The Sick Fox'' (novel) – 1963
* ''The Stunt Man'' (novel) – 1970
* ''Downstream'' (short stories) – 1972
* "Asbestos & Enzymes" – 1972
* "Expendable Americans" – 1974
* "The Zapping of America: Microwaves, Their Deadly Risk, and the Coverup" – 1977
* "The Asbestos Hazard" – 1980
* "Outrageous Misconduct: the Asbestos Industry on Trial" – 1985
* "Restitution: The Land Claims of the Mashpee, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Indians of New England" – 1985
* "Currents of Death" – 1989
* "The Great Power-Line Cover-Up: How the Utilities and Government Are Trying to Hide the Cancer Hazard Posed by Electromagnetic Fields" – 1993
* "Secrets: A Writer in the Cold War" – 1997
References
External links
*
Paul Brodeur: A Breach of Trust at The New York Public LibraryThe Case of Paul Brodeur vs the NYPL, Felix SalmonBloggingheads.tv – Science Saturday: Why We Get Fat
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brodeur, Paul
Writers from Boston
The New Yorker staff writers
American science writers
1931 births
Living people
20th-century American novelists
20th-century American male writers
American male novelists
21st-century American politicians
Novelists from Massachusetts
20th-century American non-fiction writers
American male non-fiction writers
Phillips Academy alumni
Harvard College alumni