A compelling exploration of the mysteries of environmental toxicity
and the community of "sensitives"--people with powerful, puzzling
symptoms resulting from exposure to chemicals, fragrances, and cell
phone signals, that have no effect on "normals."
They call themselves "sensitives." Over fifty million Americans endure a
mysterious environmental illness that renders them allergic to
chemicals. Innocuous staples from deodorant to garbage bags wreak havoc
on sensitives. For them, the enemy is modernity itself.
No one is born with EI. It often starts with a single toxic exposure.
Then the symptoms hit: extreme fatigue, brain fog, muscle aches,
inability to tolerate certain foods. With over 85,000 chemicals in the
environment, danger lurks around every corner. Largely ignored by the
medical establishment and dismissed by family and friends, sensitives
often resort to odd ersatz remedies, like lining their walls with
aluminum foil or hanging mail on a clothesline for days so it can
"off-gas" before they open it.
Broudy encounters Brian Welsh, a prominent figure in the EI community,
and quickly becomes fascinated by his plight. When Brian goes missing,
Broudy travels with James, an eager, trusting sensitive to find Brian,
investigate this disease, and delve into the intricate, ardent
subculture that surrounds it. Their destination: Snowflake, the capital
of the EI world. Located in eastern Arizona, it is a haven where
sensitives can live openly without fear of toxins or the judgment of
insensitive "normals."
While Broudy's book is wry, pacey, and down-to-earth, it also dives
deeply into compelling corners of medical and American history. He finds
telling parallels between sensitives and their cultural forebears, from
the Puritans to those refugees and dreamers who settled the West. Ousted
from mainstream society, these latter-day exiles nonetheless shed bright
light on the anxious, noxious world we all inhabit now.
