Title: Toxic Tenacity
Author: Kenneth McCalip
Publisher: 20 Twenty Literary Group
ISBN: 978-1-962868-22-8
Genre: Non-fiction, Environmental (Nature & Ecology)
Pages: 183
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Hollywood Book Reviews
The way this story starts, it is hard to tell whether it is fiction or nonfiction. Toxic Tenacity is a true story, but it sounds so unbelievable that one might not believe it initially. The craziest part about Kenneth McCalip’s story is that he wasn’t the first and isn’t the last to experience something like this. The famous movie Erin Brockovich comes to mind when you think about the residents of Casmalia. You won’t believe what this small California town had to go through or that you’ve likely never heard of an environmental disaster that almost killed an entire town.
At its core, this is a story of greed and corruption, but Kenneth McCalip does a fantastic job of making it as relatable as possible for the reader. His years as an administrator must have paid dividends when it came time to write this story because he tells it in such vivid detail that he must have had notes to work from. When a toxic dump site is opened in the town of Casmalia, residents aren’t pleased, but there isn’t much they can do about it. By the time the dump site started to cause serious health issues, it had been tied up with the county, so they didn’t want to shut down their golden goose. As the title suggests, it takes years of constant vigilance by McCalip and the community to get the dump shut down. The casualties were great, but this story does justice for the town.
As a lifelong administrator, it is no surprise that Mr. McCalip’s writing is above average. He never seems to be talking above you, even though he dedicated his life to fighting this waste dump and probably has more technical knowledge about dumps than most dump workers. One section feels a bit out of place in this book when Mr. Mccalip takes a side step to explain where his persistence comes from. There is a whole chapter dedicated to his genealogy where he tries to explain how his ancestry plays a role in his “toxic tenacity.” This is a reasonably trivial complaint, and it is an interesting side story, but it feels a touch out of place when every other part of the story focuses on Casmalia and the school especially.
Everyone should read this book, but be warned, it may make you a little angry. To read what this town had to suffer at the hands of a greedy dump owner and corrupt bureaucrats is infuriating. What’s more infuriating is that it seems like a story lost to time, as you would probably never have heard about it if it hadn’t been for this book. By reading this story, you are keeping the memories of the town of Casmalia alive and reminding yourself that a tragedy like this can never happen again. Mr. McCalip has been recognized many times for his dedicated work for his community, but he deserves one more recognition for keeping this story alive and passing it on to new generations to never forget the tragedy of Casmalia and all the lives affected.
Toxic Tenacity by Kenneth McCalip is a riveting and essential read that illuminates the darkside of corporate greed and the profound impact of environmental contamination on public health. Kenneth McCalip’s courageous fight for protecting the environment serves as an inspiration and a stark reminder of the importance of transparency, accountability, and the relentless pursuit of justice.