Format:
Book
Author:
Freese, Barbara (Barbara E.), author.
Title:
Coal : a human history / Barbara Freese.
Publisher, Date:
New York : Basic Books, a member of the Perseus Books Group, 2016.
Description:
360 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 21 cm
Summary:
The fascinating history of a simple black rock that has shaped our world--and now threatens it. 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 lungs--and 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.
Subjects:
Coal -- History.
Coal -- Environmental aspects.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 331-341) and index.
Contents:
A portable climate -- The best stone in Britain -- Launching a revolution -- Full steam ahead -- A precious seed -- The rise and fall of King Coal -- Invisible power -- A sort of black stone -- A burning legacy -- Tipping points: epilogue to the new edition.
ISBN:
9780465057931 (paperback)
0465057934 (paperback)
Other Number:
914195434
System Availability:
2
Current Holds:
0
Control Number:
3606225
Call Number:
553.2/4
Course Reserves:
0
# System items in:
1