Coal: A Human History (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780465057931)

"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
ISBN-10: 0465057934
ISBN-13: 9780465057931
Publisher: Basic Books
Language: English
Published: 02/09/2016
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.10d

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 10.5
Point Value: 13
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 101905 / Coal: A Human History