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4 Local Warehouse World History- General
11 Remote Warehouse World History- Western Civilization

Coal: A Human History

by Barbara Freese

Coal: A Human History Cover

Staff Pick

Coal generates over half of the electricity we consume yet we know little about this charred material save a few mining songs and horror stories about canaries and black lungs. In this sumptuous book we follow the black rock through time and discover its link to our past and future.
Recommended by Donna, Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

In this remarkable book, Barbara Freese takes us on a rich historical journey that begins hundreds of millions of years ago and spans the globe. Prized as "the best stone in Britain" by Roman invaders who carved jewelry out of it, coal has transformed societies, expanded frontiers, and sparked social movements, and still powers our electric grid. Yet coal's world-changing power has come at a tremendous price, including centuries of blackening our skies and lungsand now the dangerous warming of our global climate. Ranging from the "great stinking fogs" of London to the rat-infested coal mines of Pennsylvania, from the impoverished slums of Manchester to the toxic streets of Beijing, Coal is a captivating narrative about an ordinary substance with an extraordinary impact on human civilization.

Review:

"Coal, to borrow a phrase, is king." (The New York Times Book Review) "An enthralling journey, across time and across continents." (Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States)

Synopsis:

The fascinating history of a simple black rock that has shaped the world--and now threatens it. In this remarkable book, Freese takes readers on a rich historical journey that begins hundreds of millions of years ago and spans the globe.

About the Author

Barbara Freese, an assistant attorney general of Minnesota for more than twelve years, helped enforce her state's air pollution laws and along the way became fascinated by coal.

Product Details

ISBN:
9780142000984
Subtitle:
A Human History
Author:
Freese, Barbara
Publisher:
Penguin Books
Location:
New York
Subject:
Rocks & Minerals
Subject:
Natural Resources
Subject:
Industrialization
Subject:
Coal miners
Subject:
Environmental degradation
Subject:
Coal
Subject:
Pollutants
Subject:
Earth Sciences - Geology
Subject:
World - General
Subject:
Civilization
Subject:
Power Resources - Fossil Fuels
Series Volume:
1737-19
Publication Date:
January 2004
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Yes
Pages:
320
Dimensions:
7.36x5.04x.58 in. .45 lbs.

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