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Title: Coal: A Human History by Barbara Freese ISBN: 0738204005 Publisher: Perseus Publishing Pub. Date: 07 January, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.44
Rating: 5
Summary: Little Black Book With A Great, Big Punch
Comment: Between the covers of this brilliant little black book lie truths hard to stomach for some readers and easier for others.
There is no doubt, regardless of the sophistry utilized by its proponents, that coal is POISON on a grand environmental, economic, sociological and epidemiological scale. Its propensity for developing dependency in a culture is akin to what nicoteine and heroin do on an individual level. Ms. Freese, with great scholarship and good will, holds this up for our own appreciation. She paints a seldom seen picture of the truly transformative power of coal in the rise of the industrial nation-state. She also demonstrates coal's ability to make monsters of men in its service. Even the medieval English Roman Church was in the "brimstone" business, only relinquishing power when Henry VIII boldly divested it from the monks.
In the modern era, particularly in America, Ms. Freese, in relatively few words, shows us the devastating effects of coal on our country, as well as the lengths that corporations hopelessly addicted to it (think: Sid Vicious and heroin) will go in justifying the continuing, deliberate poisoning of America, Canada and others in the name of coal.
Here in West Virginia, where overloaded monster coal trucks almost monthly kill innocents in their bid to get another ton from Point A to Point B; where majestic mountains millions of years old are levelled for a few meager tons of coal, the Industry has hired a beloved former football coach to enourage others to be "Friends of Coal." And the masses are signing up. They may be Friends of Coal, but in any analysis, as Ms. Freese so succinctly and eloquently points out, coal is no friend of theirs, no friend of ours, no friend of yours. As the industry touts in its latest ad campaign here: "COAL: It keeps the lights on." Sure it does. In the nation's funeral homes.
Rating: 2
Summary: A Grand History But Short Sighted On Research & The Future!
Comment: I found the book excellent in some aspects of outlining the author's research of coal in human history, but she lost it with a poor line of investigation on the future of coal due to her bias in the book.
I found her account on the history of coal in Britain, America and China very good. The Coal Lobby in England did attempt to keep coal supreme even though the British Navy knew oil burning Battleships were the future. British Petroleum was created for that very purpose and few in The City, (London Investors); felt oil had a future compared to coal. Yet, finally good common sense ruled over powerful political interest and investors and coal became a secondary source of energy but still important one.
Although the author wrote in a very easy to read style, my own interest in studying this subject since boyhood left me wanting when she came to some very weak conclusions not supported with real facts or proper research, in my opinion.
I cannot agree with her study whatsoever on her conclusions coal should be eliminated as an energy source in the future. The simple facts are not in dispute except in this book. At this time, nothing can produce the BTU's that Coal, Gas or Oil creates in order to run our current society. Her myopic prejudice views on this point are really astounding and bring into question her creditability as well as the book.
Although everyone loves talking about the future of Hydrogen replacing our energy sources, talk is cheap compared to the currents needs coal actually supply. Hydrogen is very volatile and is burned off at refineries because of it explosiveness. All one has to do is remember the "Hindenburg" burning in New Jersey?
Hydrogen Automobiles biggest set backs for the future will be to prevent explosions as cars run into each other unlike most accidents today. Any refinery worker will tell you they burn off the hydrogen that comes from refining oil and gas due to its volatility that makes it dangerous for storage in great quantities unlike coal.
Additionally, colossal Hydrogen Power Plants are not an answer right now since they cannot extract Hydrogen from water or oil or gas without electrolysis requiring huge amounts of BTU's. This can only come from refineries or electric plants fueled by oil, gas and coal. Although Hydrogen is bountiful, it needs to be separated from the oxygen molecules in water or gas and that won't come without huge electric power doing it first and foremost from BTU's produced by coal.
I have no problem with promoting solar, wind and hydrogen power when it is easily and cheaply able to produce the same amount of BTU's our society now requires from oil, gas and of course coal. Still, at this time the author's conclusions are simply in error.
Today, coal is an important component of our energy needs all over the world out of necessity not some sinister scheme. Everyday in the Third World underdeveloped nations people die due to lack of proper energy sources, the people need heat and air conditioning to survive and prosper just like our societies do using coal today. Plus their economies cannot grow without such BTU's needed to run their businesses.
But this author feels otherwise and concludes coal should be abandon at a time when large amounts of hydrogen are not available? So her pipe dream is not based on the required rational thinking of our current worldwide realities. Thus, the book is great history mixed with current fiction and dreams don't produce British Thermal Units needed to preserve life more than injuring it, similar to the book.
The author does point out the negative health effects coal has created in our society, my own father died of Coal miner's pneumoconiosis, better known as black lung disease. But today's coalmines spray limestone on the coal before mining it to reduce coal dust today. There is no question coal can be mined safely today and is cleaner than ever before and can be cleaned even better in the future before abandoning it as the author proposes.
One could burn this book but it would not provide the BTU's that a piece of coal would do and why I cannot recommend it for good reading at this time!
Rating: 4
Summary: The author is a good speaker too!
Comment: Who'da thought coal could be so interesting?
Written in a very engaging, not-dry manner.
Good ammo if one is opposed to the use of this foul fuel.
Seek clean alternatives.
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Title: The Frozen-Water Trade: A True Story by Gavin Weightman ISBN: 078686740X Publisher: Hyperion Press Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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Title: Krakatoa : The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester ISBN: 0066212855 Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: 01 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky ISBN: 0802713734 Publisher: Walker & Co Pub. Date: January, 2002 List Price(USD): $28.00 |
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Title: Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky ISBN: 0142001619 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: 28 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Measuring America: How an Untamed Wilderness Shaped the United States and Fulfilled the Promise of Democracy by Andro Linklater ISBN: 0802713963 Publisher: Walker & Co Pub. Date: December, 2002 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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