Few people in America today live with the dangers and
deprivations that Appalachian coal mining families experience. But
to the eighteen West Virginia women Carol Giesen interviewed for
this book, hard times are just everyday life.
These coal miners' wives, ranging in age from late teens to
eighty-five, tell of a way of life dominated by coal mining -- and
shadowed by a constant fear of death or injury to a loved one. From
birth to old age, they experience the social and economic pressures
of the coal mining industry. Few families in these communities earn
their living in any job outside a coal mine, and most young men and
women find no advantage in completing their education.
Women whose stresses and strengths have seldom been disclosed
reveal here their personal stories, their understanding of the
dangers of coal mining, their domestic concerns, the place of
friends and faith in their lives, and their expectations of the
future. What emerges is a deeply moving story of determination in
the face of adversity. Over and over, these women deal with the
frustrations caused by strikes, layoffs, and mine closings, often
taking any jobs they can find while their husbands are out of work
Endlessly; their home concerns revolve around protecting their
husbands from additional work or worry. Always there is fear for
their husbands' lives and the pervasive anger they feel toward the
mining companies. For some, there is also the pain of losing a
loved one to the mines. Behind these women's acceptance of their
circumstances lies a pragmatic understanding of the politics of
mining and of the communities in which they live.
Giesen's insights into the experiences of miners' wives
contribute much to our understanding of the impact of industry,
economics, and politics on women's lives.
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