Coal Book Review! (Coal: A Human History)
When talking about sources of energy, it feels like coal doesn't get the attention it deserves. It's dirty, underground, and rife with danger and labor disputes in remote areas of Appalachia. Coal can feel old fashioned the same way a wood burning stove feels quaint. When was the last time you used coal? In the past year you may have pumped a car with gasoline, used a natural gas stove, and maybe seen neighbors installing solar panels or even started a camp fire. But coal? There's a slight chance that you've grilled with charcoal, but that's about it. It feels removed from American life as clean air and climate change concerns have swelled. But coal hasn't just been left underground. Upon reading Barbara Freese's "Coal: A Human History," it made me aware of the fact that coal could be playing a bigger role in our lives than ever before. Background: across the pond Freese's book, though brief, does a great job painting visuals of diff...