Items related to Coal: A Human History
The fascinating, often surprising story of how a simple black rock has altered the course of history. Prized as the best stone in Britain by Roman invaders who carved jewelry out of it, coal has transformed societies, powered navies, fueled economies, and expanded frontiers. It made China a twelfth-century superpower, inspired the writing of the Communist Manifesto, and helped the northern states win the American Civil War. Yet the mundane mineral that built our global economy--and even today powers our electrical plants--has also caused death, disease, and environmental destruction. As early as 1306, King Edward I tried to ban coal (unsuccessfully) because its smoke became so obnoxious. Its recent identification as a primary cause of global warming has made it a cause celebre of a new kind. In this remarkable book, Barbara Freese takes us on a rich historical journey that begins three hundred million years ago and spans the globe. From the Great Stinking Fogs of London to the rat-infested coal mines of Pennsylvania, from the impoverished slums of Manchester to the toxic city streets of Beijing, Coal is a captivating narrative about an ordinary substance that has done extraordinary things--a simple black rock that could well determine our fate as a species.
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Review:
"Engrossing and sometimes stunning... [a] strongly argued and thoroughly researched book...Coal, to borrow a phrase, is king." "Shelly Frasier reads in an even, unhurried rhythm that captures the authorial personality with its authority, light touch, and humor intact."---AudioFile ""Shelly Frasier reads in an even, unhurried rhythm that captures the authorial personality with its authority, light touch, and humor intact.""---AudioFile
From the Publisher:
A brilliant, short gem of a book on the small black stone that fuelled the industrial revolution and Britain's rise to Empire, and still powers the world. For fans of Cod and Salt and readers interested in the business of energy.
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- PublisherPerseus Books
- Publication date2000
- ISBN 10 0738208655
- ISBN 13 9780738208657
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages320
- Rating
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