"Disasters in Appalachia" is a comprehensive account of the numerous natural and man-made disasters that have struck the Mountain State throughout its history. From devastating floods and deadly mine explosions to catastrophic wildfires and severe winter storms, West Virginia has experienced its fair share of tragedy and loss. Through a combination of eyewitness accounts, historical research, and expert analysis, this book offers a gripping and insightful look at some of the most significant disasters in West Virginia's past. Readers will learn about the events leading up to each disaster, the impact on the state and its people, and the lasting effects on the community. In addition to chronicling the disasters themselves, "Disasters in Appalachia" also explores the lessons learned from each event and the ways in which the state has worked to prevent future catastrophes. With vivid descriptions and compelling storytelling, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of West Virginia or the science of disaster management.

Written in Blood features the work of Appalachia’s leading scholars and activists making available an accurate, ungilded, and uncensored understanding of our history. Combining new revelations from the past with sketches of a sane path forward, this is a deliberate collection looking at our past, present, and future. Sociologist Wess Harris (When Miners March) further documents the infamous Esau scrip system for women, suggesting an institutionalized practice of forced sexual servitude that was part of coal company policy. In a conversation with award-winning oral historian Michael Kline, federal mine inspector Larry Layne explains corporate complicity in the 1968 Farmington Mine disaster which killed seventy-eight men and became the catalyst for the passage of major changes in U.S. mine safety laws. Mine safety expert and whistleblower Jack Spadaro speaks candidly of years of attempts to silence his courageous voice and recalls government and university collaboration in covering up details of the 1972 Buffalo Creek flooding disaster, which killed over a hundred people and left four thousand homeless. Moving to the next generation of thinkers and activists, attorney Nathan Fetty examines current events in Appalachia and musician Carrie Kline suggests paths forward for people wishing to set their own course rather than depend on the kindness of corporations.

Ducktown Smoke