Prized as "the best stone in Britain" by Roman invaders who carved jewelry out of it; coal has transformed societies; powered navies; fueled economies; and expanded frontiers. It made China a twelfth-century superpower; inspired the writing of the Communist Manifesto; and helped the northern states win the American Civil War. Yet the mundane mineral that built our global economy -and even today powers our electrical plants-has also caused death; disease; and environmental destruction. As early as 1306; King Edward I tried to ban coal (unsuccessfully) because its smoke became so obnoxious. Its recent identification as a primary cause of global warming has made it a cause célèbre of a new kind.In this remarkable book; Barbara Freese takes us on a rich historical journey that begins three hundred million years ago and spans the globe. From the "Great Stinking Fogs" of London to the rat-infested coal mines of Pennsylvania; from the impoverished slums of Manchester to the toxic city streets of Beijing; Coal is a captivating narrative about an ordinary substance that has done extraordinary things-a simple black rock that could well determine our fate as a species.
#3752785 in Books G.P. Putnam 1969Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 #File Name: 0718105648647 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great directory of combat planesBy Benjamin KrystallI'm very happy with the book as it describes every major combat airplane and a few helicopters in the directory and also has 3-view drawings and technical specifications. Out of print books are awesome and hard to find these days at a very good price.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Edward A Grimsleyjust what I wanted0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Complete catalog of every military airplane to 1960sBy Bruce E. MccallThis book is a complete catalog of every military airplane up to the 1960s. The book is organized by nation and then alphabetically by manufacture. Each plane will typically have about a page with a brief text history; some small bw photos and sometimes some line drawings showing front; side and top views. The book also has a good indexI like this book for it's complete listing; but I'm actually more comfortable using the Rand McNally aircraft series which gives a much better history.This book does not list airships. Readers interested in airships should get "Jane's Pocket Book of Airships" by Lord Ventry; c. 1976.
