Asbestos House, a monumental history of James Hardie Industries and its 107-year relationship with a most useful and deadly substance, treads a fine line between exposing problems and attaching blame. Although reports from as early as 1930 suggested a link between asbestos and lung diseases, a succession of Hardie staff persisted in the belief that the problem could be overcome, or ignored until a later time. Despite the evidence, which is voluminous, the difficulties of assigning liability have been great. So many individuals were involved, and often it seems the fault of ignorance as much as negligence. James Hardie’s asbestos products could once be found almost everywhere, from the brake linings of cars to insulation, building materials and the ubiquitous fibro houses. That the dangers posed by asbestos dust were ignored for so long is almost inconceivable-this remarkable tale shows how. For the thousands who have suffered as a result, it will be small comfort, but there are lessons here for companies today. The asbestos that for 90 years was Hardie’s core business eventually became a liability, and the story of how it tried-and continues to try-to distance itself from its past makes for fascinating reading. Recommended to readers of corporate and social history.

Lachlan Jobbins is a Sydney reviewer and ex-bookseller

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