Coal Country: Rising Up Against Mountaintop Removal Mining Book

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 a wide range of eloquent contributors, including writers Wendell Berry, Silas House, and Denise Giardina; activist Julia "Judy" Bonds; journalists Michael Shnayerson and Jeff Biggers; and entertainers Ashley Judd, Loretta Lynn, and Kathy Mattea. Illustrations include contemporary photographs of this still-beautiful region by award-winning nature photographer Jim Clark; images of mining devastation and the affected landscapes, communities, and people by noted photojournalists such as Builder Levy, Mark Schmerling, and Vivian Stockman; and archival photos of Appalachian mining and culture. Sidebars feature excerpts from contemporary and historical literature, poetry, song lyrics, drawings, cartoons, and ephemera.