Publisher's description: The fascinating history of a simple black rock that has shaped our world--and now threatens it. 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...

Provides a critical look at the cause and effect of the industrial revolution on America and its impact on today's society. As modern man's greatest growth sport, the industrial Revolution ushered in an era unsurpassed in the history of the modern world, from technology to industry to migration. Using an eclectic group of viewpoints including presidential addresses, anonymous testimony, and the perspectives of such figures as Jack London, H.G. Wells,...