Coal Country: Rising Up Against Mountaintop Removal Mining (Paperback)

~ Shirley Stewart Burns (Editor), Mari-Lynn Evans (Editor), Silas House (Editor)

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Product Description

In the long, complex history of coal exploitation in Appalachia, mountaintop-removal (MTR) mining is the most destructive practice yet visited upon the land and its people: Ancient forested mountainsides are blown up to extract the underlying coal, and the resulting debris is dumped into nearby valleys and streams. The politics and economics of mining in the region have long allowed coal companies virtually free rein, but in recent years, opposition to MTR has gained national momentum.

This illustrated volume, like the powerful documentary film on which it is based, gives voice to the growing chorus of protest against MTR mining in Appalachia through a collection of essays, oral history, commentary, and images. It features many of the personalities from the film in their own words, as well as thoughtful essays by such eloquent voices as writers Wendell Berry and Silas House, activist Judy Bonds, journalists Michael Shnayerson and Denise Giardina, and entertainers Kathy Mattea and Ashley Judd. Illustrations include contemporary photography of this still-beautiful region — and of mining devastation and the affected landscapes, communities, and people — by noted photojournalists such as Mark Schmerling, Builder Levy, and Vivian Stockman. Sidebars feature excerpts from contemporary and historical literature, poetry, song lyrics, drawings, cartoons, and ephemera.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Sierra Club/Counterpoint (November 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578051665
• ISBN-13: 978-1578051663
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #331,872 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece of essays about contemporary coal mining, December 22, 2009

By	Stephen Fesenmaier (charleston, wv USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Shirley Stewart Burns, Mari-Lynn Evans and Silas House have done an exceptional job editing many essays by the leading opponents of mountaintop removal mining. This is the perfect companion book to the great film by Mari-Lynn Evans that I have called "the "Harlan County, USA" of the 21st century.Articles range from Nick Clooney, an Appalachian native and journalist, father of a famous son, to Ken Hechler, who wrote a great article on "how Congress enabled mountaintop removal mining." ( Ken's parody song "Almost Level, West Virginia" sung to the tune of "Almost Heaven, WV" by John Denver is also printed. Ken is working on a book of his famous political parodies.) I especially enjoyed the quotes on the side of the main text in the essays and the photographs by Mark Schmerling, Builder Levy, Jim Clark (color photos) and many other great photographs. The book includes a good list of information resources including listing other films on MTR. There has been several notable ones recently including the 2008 Pare Lorentz Award winning film BURNING THE FUTURE - COAL IN AMERICA about Maria Gunnoe, the third WV woman to win a Goldman Award for Environmental activism. Ms. Evans, as producer, has repeated her great success of "The Appalachians," creating a book worthy of the film that she produced. I told Ken that he should visit our local cineplex and watch "Avatar," a film about people like Maria Gunnoe and Larry Gibson and himself fighting a giant corporation complete with its own police force willing to do anything to extract valuable ore from a living planet. Hopefully people other than myself will connect "Avatar" which took in a record $70 million on it opening weekend to the struggle in Appalachia.