Somethings Rising: Appalachians
Fighting Mountaintop Removal by
Jason Howard
A Voice For The Mountains
Like an old-fashioned hymn sung in rounds, Somethings Rising gives a
stirring voice to the lives, culture, and determination of the people fighting
the destructive practice of mountaintop removal in the coalfields of central
Appalachia. Each persons story, unique and unfiltered, articulates the
hardship of living in these majestic mountains amid the daily desecration of
the land by the coal industry because of Americas insistence on cheap
energy. Developed as an alternative to strip mining, mountaintop removal
mining consists of blasting away the tops of mountains, dumping waste
into the valleys, and retrieving the exposed coal. This process buries
streams, pollutes wells and waterways, and alters fragile ecologies in the
region. The people who live, work, and raise families in central Appalachia
face not only the physical destruction of their land but also the loss of their
culture and health in a society dominated by the consequences of

mountaintop removal. Included here are oral histories from Jean Ritchie,
the mother of folk, who doesnt let her eighty-six years slow down her
fighting spirit; Judy Bonds, a tough-talking coal-miners daughter; Kathy
Mattea, the beloved country singer who believes cooperation is the key to
winning the battle; Jack Spadaro, the heroic whistle-blower who has risked
everything to share his insider knowledge of federal mining agencies; Larry
Bush, who doesnt back down even when speeding coal trucks are used to
intimidate him; Denise Giardina, a celebrated writer who ran for governor
to bring attention to the issue; and many more. The book features both
well-known activists and people rarely in the media. Each oral history is
prefaced with a biographical essay that vividly establishes the interview
settings and the subjects connections to their region. Written and edited by
native sons of the mountains, this compelling book captures a fever-pitch
moment in the movement against mountaintop removal. Silas House and
Jason Howard are experts on the history of resistance in Appalachia, the
legacy of exploitation of the regions natural resources, and areas unique
culture and landscape. This lyrical and informative text provides a critical
perspective on a powerful industry. The cumulative effect of these stories
is stunning and powerful. Somethings Rising will long stand as a testament
to the social and ecological consequences of energy at any cost and will
be especially welcomed by readers of Appalachian studies, environmental
science, and by all who value the mountains majesty -- our national
heritage.
Personal Review: Somethings Rising: Appalachians Fighting
Mountaintop Removal by Jason Howard
The voices rising in this fine and essential collection gathered by novelist
Silas House and journalist Jason Howard each sings his or her own song
of the people and land protesting the violence being done to it by Energy
companies and their practice of mountaintop removal...strip mining with a
vengeance.
I would almost call this a "chorus" of voices, except it is clear that each
voice is candid and has its own character and song. Country singer Kathy
Mattea, for example, comes across with characteristic wit and passion in a
call for "A Light in the Dark." Her "Coal" CD or Jean Ritchie's "Black
Waters" or "Now Is the Cool of the Day" songs in which she cries out in a
beautiful plaintive voice might be played while reading this book of
Appalachians. Environmental engineer Jack Spadaro makes the case
clear: "We've destroyed a million and a half acres in the past thirty years
with mountaintop removal. It's gong on at an accelerated rate now. It's not
just destroying the land; it's destroying a whole people. It's destroying a
culture. It's destroying towns. It's destroying the most diverse forest outside
the tropics in the world. This is the Mother Forest for North America."
Spadaro laments the way the United Mine Workers of America and the
Mine Safety and Health Administration have become complicit in this
devastation of a culture and a land. He was fired by the Bush
administration for making such a stand. As Silas House and Jason Howard

make clear in the introduction, Appalachians must stand up on their own
against this practice which ultimately robs jobs and land.
Each speaker is given a well written profile introduction, and each provides
an interview statement of their life and involvement. It begins with folk
singer Jean Ritchie, moves to novelist Denise Giardina, nurse activist Bev
May, veteran coal miner Carl Shoupe, Kathy Mattea, local activist Judy
Bonds, grassroots organizer Pat Hudson, Jack Spadaro, young
spokesman Nathan Hall, Ann Shelby and Jessie Lynne Keltner, and
concludes with Larry Bush of the Southern Appalachian Mountain
Stewards. Each of their voices and stories is well worth the listening and
ultimately inspiring. The book's mission is clearly to move the public to
action, to create a public outcry by building a concrete awareness. It is a
long overdue and healthy gathering shared here.
For More 5 Star Customer Reviews and Lowest Price:
Somethings Rising: Appalachians Fighting Mountaintop Removal by Jason Howard 5
Star Customer Reviews and Lowest Price!