King Coal

When young millionaire Hal Warner decides to experience the life of a coal miner firsthand, he trades his silk shirts for a pickaxe and descends into the dark, deadly world of the Colorado coal fields. Under the alias Joe Smith, he discovers a system of debt peonage, dangerous working conditions, and ruthless company control that crushes the men and boys who toil underground. As Hal befriends the miners and witnesses the constant threat of explosions, cave-ins, and black lung, he is drawn into the growing conflict between labor and capital. When a devastating mine disaster ignites a strike, Hal must choose between his privileged past and the desperate fight for justice. This retelling of Upton Sinclair's classic novel captures the grit, courage, and moral awakening of a man who dared to see the truth. Part of Timeless Classics.