Coal River Coal River

Coal River

A Powerful and Unforgettable Story of 20th Century Injustice

    • 4.4 • 71 Ratings
    • $9.99
    • $9.99

Publisher Description

This eye-opening novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan Collector delivers “a spot-on portrayal of a dark time in American history” (Historical Novel Society, Editor’s Choice).
 
Ellen Marie Wiseman draws readers into the Pennsylvania mining operations of the early 20th century—where children had no choice but to work in deadly conditions . . . or face starvation.
 
As a child, Emma Malloy left isolated Coal River, Pennsylvania, vowing never to return. Now, orphaned and penniless at nineteen, she accepts a train ticket from her aunt and uncle and travels back to the rough-hewn community. Treated like a servant by her relatives, Emma works for free in the company store. There, miners and their impoverished families must pay inflated prices for food, clothing, and tools, while those who owe money are turned away to starve.
 
Most heartrending of all are the breaker boys Emma sees around the village—young children who toil all day sorting coal amid treacherous machinery. Their soot-stained faces remind Emma of the little brother she lost long ago, and she begins leaving stolen food on families’ doorsteps, and marking the miners’ bills as paid.
 
Though Emma’s actions draw ire from the mine owner and police captain, they lead to an alliance with a charismatic miner who offers to help her expose the truth. And as the lines blur between what is legal and what is just, Emma must risk everything to follow her conscience.
 
“Wiseman offers heartbreaking and historically accurate depictions of the dangerous mines, the hopeless workers, and their improbable fight for justice.” —Publishers Weekly

GENRE
Fiction & Literature
RELEASED
2015
November 24
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
304
Pages
PUBLISHER
Kensington Books
SELLER
Kensington Publishing Corp.
SIZE
3.4
MB

Customer Reviews

Jessiep813 ,

Really great read

It took me a little while to fully get I to the book but once I did I was hooked.

Leeleem925 ,

Another work of art by a fantastic author

I have now devoured all of this author's books and I'm not sure how to go on living until another is released. Amazing stories with characters I miss like they were friends and family in real life. Must read.

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