Coal: A Human History

"Engrossing . . . Coal, to borrow a phrase, is king." -- New York Times Book Review

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, launched empires, and expanded frontiers. It made China an eleventh-century superpower, inspired the Communist Manifesto, and helped the North win the American Civil War. Yet coal's transformative power has come at tremendous cost, from the blackening of our lungs and skies, to the perils of mining, to global warming. Now updated with a new chapter describing the high-stakes conflict between coal's defenders and those working to preserve a livable climate, Coal offers a captivating history of the mineral that helped build the modern world but now endangers our future.

Author: Barbara Freese
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: 02/09/2016
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.10d
ISBN13: 9780465057931
ISBN10: 0465057934
BISAC Categories:
- History | World | General
- Science | Earth Sciences | Geology
- Technology & Engineering | Power Resources | Fossil Fuels

About the Author
Barbara Freese is an environmental attorney and energy policy analyst, who for more than twelve years helped enforce her state's environmental laws as an Assistant Attorney General in Minnesota. Freese lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.