Coal: A Human History

(Paperback)

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Description

The Romans called it 'the best stone in Britain' and used it to make jewellery. Coal has transformed societies and launched empires. It fuelled the industrial revolution, inspired the Communist manifesto, and was a catalyst for some of the greatest inventions of all time - from the steam engine to the railroad. Taking us on a rich historical journey that begins hundreds of years ago on the banks of the River Tyne and spanned the globe, Barbara Freese shows us the profound and often surprising role coal has played in human history. A gifted and lively storyteller, Barbara Freese tells the riveting story of how a shiny black lump changed the modern world.

Reviews

Elegant and engaging... No subject is more important for understanding the recent past and preparing for the future. * Sunday Times *
Engaging and interesting, tightly documented and consistently readable. Freese makes a pasionate plea for a more considered way of treating the earth, its rescources and inhabitants. * Daily Telegraph *
The incredible story of Britain's black gold. * Daily Mail *
Fascinating... It lingers hauntingly in the mind. * New Statesman *
I can think of no substance that has played so important a role in shaping the relative fortunes of competing economies. * David Landes, Author of The Wealth and Poverty of Nations *

Author Bio

Barbara Freese was Assistant District Attorney in Minnesota for 12 years and is an expert on air pollution laws. Coal is her first book. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband and two children.