The Shadow of the Mine
Coal and the End of Industrial Britain
By Huw Beynon, Ray Hudson | Publisher: Verso Books
About the book
No one personified the age of industry more than the miners. The Shadow of the Mine tells the story of King Coal in its heyday – and what happened to mining communities after the last pits closed.
The Shadow of the Mine tells the story of King Coal in its heyday, the heroics and betrayals of the Miners’ Strike, and what happened to mining communities after the last pits closed.
No one personified the age of industry more than the miners. Coal was central to the British economy, powering its factories and railways. It carried political weight, too. In the eighties the miners risked everything in a year-long strike against Thatcher’s shutdowns. Their defeat doomed a way of life. The lingering sense of abandonment in former mining communities would be difficult to overstate. Yet recent electoral politics has revolved around the coalfield constituencies in Labour’s Red Wall. Huw Beynon and Ray Hudson draw on decades of research to chronicle these momentous changes through the words of the people who lived through them.
This edition includes a new postscript on why Thatcher’s war on the miners wasn’t good for green politics.
‘Excellent’
NEW STATESMAN
‘Brilliant’
TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
‘Enlightening’
GUARDIAN
Editions of The Shadow of the Mine
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781839767982
Read an Excerpt
No one personified the age of industry more than the miners. The Shadow of the Mine tells the story of King Coal in its heyday – and what happened to mining communities after the last pits closed.
The Shadow of the Mine tells the story of King Coal in its heyday, the heroics and betrayals of the Miners’ Strike, and what happened to mining communities after the last pits closed.
No one personified the age of industry more than the miners. Coal was central to the British economy, powering its factories and railways. It carried political weight, too. In the eighties the miners risked everything in a year-long strike against Thatcher’s shutdowns. Their defeat doomed a way of life. The lingering sense of abandonment in former mining communities would be difficult to overstate. Yet recent electoral politics has revolved around the coalfield constituencies in Labour’s Red Wall. Huw Beynon and Ray Hudson draw on decades of research to chronicle these momentous changes through the words of the people who lived through them.
This edition includes a new postscript on why Thatcher’s war on the miners wasn’t good for green politics.
‘Excellent’
NEW STATESMAN
‘Brilliant’
TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
‘Enlightening’
GUARDIAN
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Shadow of the Mine about?
No one personified the age of industry more than the miners. The Shadow of the Mine tells the story of King Coal in its heyday – and what happened to mining communities after the last pits closed.
The Shadow of the Mine tells the story of King Coal in its heyday, the heroics and betrayals of the Miners’ Strike, and what happened to mining communities after the last pits closed.
No one personified the age of industry more than the miners. Coal was central to the British economy, powering its factories and railways. It carried political weight, too. In the eighties the miners risked everything in a year-long strike against Thatcher’s shutdowns. Their defeat doomed a way of life. The lingering sense of abandonment in former mining communities would be difficult to overstate. Yet recent electoral politics has revolved around the coalfield constituencies in Labour’s Red Wall. Huw Beynon and Ray Hudson draw on decades of research to chronicle these momentous changes through the words of the people who lived through them.
This edition includes a new postscript on why Thatcher’s war on the miners wasn’t good for green politics.
‘Excellent’
NEW STATESMAN
‘Brilliant’
TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
‘Enlightening’
GUARDIAN
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Shadow of the Mine?
Economics, Finance, Business and Management > Economics > Political economy
Where can I read a sample of The Shadow of the Mine?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781839767982
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Shadow of the Mine?
Huw Beynon, Ray Hudson
Who is the Publisher of the book The Shadow of the Mine?
Verso Books
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Shadow of the Mine is available as paperback(ISBN 9781839767982)
Where can I buy The Shadow of the Mine online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Shadow of the Mine from below
Where can I buy The Shadow of the Mine?