Coal A Human History
“Coal: A Human History” by Barbara E. Freese, published by Perseus Pub. in 2003, offers a comprehensive exploration of coal’s significant role throughout history. Spanning hundreds of millions of years and various global contexts, this book examines how coal has been valued, from its use in Roman jewelry to its pivotal role in powering modern societies. Freese discusses the societal transformations and social movements sparked by coal, while also addressing the environmental consequences associated with its use.
Readers will find a detailed narrative that connects historical events to the broader themes of energy, civilization, and technology. The book delves into the impact of coal on urban environments, highlighting issues such as pollution and climate change. With 308 pages of insightful content, “Coal: A Human History” provides a thorough understanding of an ordinary substance that has profoundly influenced human civilization and the planet.
Official synopsis Publisher
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.
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