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'', and ''Show Magazine''. His 1970 novel ''The Stunt Man'' inspired the Academy-Award nominated 1980 film of the same name, starring Peter O'Toole as an egotistical movie director. Brodeur graduated from Phillips Academy and Harvard College. His daughter, Adrienne Brodeur, is an author and program director at the Aspen Institute.

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 Library

The Case of Paul Brodeur vs the NYPL, Felix Salmon

Bloggingheads.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