Coal, Barbara Freese
Coal, Barbara Freese
6 Rating(s)
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Coal
A Human History

Author: Barbara Freese

Narrator: Shelly Frasier

Unabridged: 7 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 06/01/2003

Synopsis

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 célèbre 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.

About Barbara Freese

An Assistant Attorney General of Minnesota for more than twelve years, Barbara Freese helped enforce her state's air pollution laws and along the way became fascinated by coal and the larger story behind the smoke. She lives in St. Paul with her husband and two children.

Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by MGN on 2011-02-27 18:38:45

Much of this book is an anti-coal environmentalist sermon. The history rarely rises above the level of a high school survey course text book. The author displays little knowledge of the technology, chemistry, mineralology, or economics of coal. Her research does not extend beyond England and the US. She infuses a lot of personal opinion and takes the obligatory cheap shots at Republican Presidents. This is a narrow, shallow, and disappointing book. It could have beens titled, Why I Hate Sulfur Dioxide. Who doesn't?

Goodreads review by Dan on September 01, 2012

This isn't a history of coal. OK, it is about coal, but a book written by a environmental lawyer isn't a history, it's a critique. Which really is too bad, because the history of coal is about the triumph of human ingenuity and will over scarcity and poverty. Is it always a pretty picture? Not even c......more

Goodreads review by Bibliovoracious on January 29, 2019

Coal can't be galvanized. But people sure can be, about the topic. This is a fascinating journey through the story of coal from discovery, to resource, to modern political issue. This is a history book, rich in science, facts, and interesting human anecdotes while describing major socio-economic shif......more

Goodreads review by Stephanie on March 23, 2014

Disappointed, wanted a more detailed history of coal. Got major, faulty diatribe on global warming. Hey, guess what? Snake eggs are not hard shelled, they are soft. She couldn't even get that right. what else didn't she get right?! There has got to be a better read about coal than this.......more

Goodreads review by Leo on March 24, 2013

Overall,Coal: A Human History is a fascinating and balanced look at the enormous and often unsung impact that this little black rock has had on our lives. Without it, there would have been no British empire. Nor would there have been an Industrial Revolution. Nor would the United States, whose h......more

Goodreads review by Kyle on April 13, 2008

I'm not sure whether or not I'm disappointed in this book. I've bee looking for a history of the coal industry for a while, and thought this might be the ticket. It does a great job looking at pre-industrial revolution uses of coal (the books best section), but falls down somewhat as it moves to 19t......more

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