Coal River A Powerful and Unforgettable Story of 20th Century Injustice

I loved this book! Ellen Marie Wiseman is an amazing Author. I love that she incorporates history in all her books.

A poignant story that in spite of being a fictitious one is a heartrending documentary to what most probably happened in reality. It is therefore a must read. The book describes the wretched and miserable life that befell the coal miners of Pennsylvania at the beginning of the 20th century. The story is about one wicked , obdurate, and unprincipled Mr. Flint, of a flinty heart , the coal mine’s owner of Coal River village, against Emma – a virtuous young woman driven by her highly moralistic values. She chooses to get involved and assist in the uprising against evil. I felt so sad to learn that such atrocities took place, and that many innocent liveshad to be sacrificed till justice was finally achieved. I feel it is our duty to read this book for the sake of remembering those poor people and the suffering they had to undergo.

I was born and raised in a coal town myself. I can’t count the number of family members I’ve had that lived and died in the mines. It’s one of those jobs that you have to hug your loved one before they go to work and tell them you love them like it’s the last time because you’re all too aware that it may be the last time. I’ve watched documentaries and even a movie about my hometown when the strikes took place in Harlan county and there’s a little town called Lynch, where I grew up that sounds so much like the little coal town in this book. Lynch even had a general store where the miners could only spend their money because the miners were paid in coal vouchers. I think this was a common practice. My hometown is still bleak and desolate and in my opinion the only ones to truly prosper and profit from the mines are the owners themselves. Coal miners and their families sacrifice their entire lives and it’s heartbreaking to think they were nothing more than a number. It’s heart shattering to know that so many young innocent boys suffered and died for the sake of greed. This book was beautiful written and thoroughly researched. It truly resonated like no other book I’ve read.

Good read. Read it twice by accident, took me awhile to remember story line. Good story

I had previously read Ms Wiseman’s “The Lost Girls of Willowbrook”, which intrigued me enough that I wanted to know more about mental hospitals. This story of Coal River miners was another that had me looking into the Pennsylvania mines of the past. Emma Malloy lived in Coal River when she was 10 and her 8 yr old brother drowned. When she was 19 her parents died in a Manhattan theater fire. She must return to Coal River to live with her aunt and uncle or else be sent to the poorhouse. Uncle Otis is the foreman of the mine owned by Hazard Flint. Both men are ruthless money grubbers who don’t care about how cruel the miners and breaker boys lives are. Clayton Nash is a miner who is trying to unionize the miners. Emma sees so many maimed young breaker boys she feels she must help them. In her efforts she ends up being thrown out of her uncle’s house. She goes to stay with Clayton and the orphan children he supports. The characters are all very well written. The story will have you on the edge of your seat when the “Black Maria” hearse comes to the miners’ village to bring home a miner’s body, wondering who it is. You’ll root for Emma in her brave pursuits. You won’t be expecting the shocking courtroom scene. I found myself hating to be interrupted while reading this amazing and enlightening tale. I highly recommend this story. I read more about the breaker boys and this unforgettable time in America’s history.Ellen Marie Wiseman is a very inspiring author.