Black Gold: The History Of How Coal Made Britain

Jeremy Paxman

It was coal that powered the industrial revolution, pushed Britain to the forefront of the developed nations and funded the growth of the empire. It changed the way the country worked, and not just by its powering of machines. The work was hard and dirty, and gave rise to early trade unions to protect miners. Some landowners became unspeakably rich from living on the land it was found under. This book is a social history of how coal changed our country for ever. William Collins, RRP £25