Reading with Style discussion

20.5 - Germinal - In honor of Germinal, read a book from the top 100 Best Page-Turners with Redeeming Social Value list OR read a book containing mining or labor strikes as plot point.

Would The Miner's Right : A tale of the Australian Goldfields work for this task? I know it's a different sort of mining and a different sort of strike but it is definitely about miners rebelling against authority.

Coralie wrote: "Would The Miner's Right : A tale of the Australian Goldfields work for this task? I know it's a different sort of mining and a different sort of strike but it is definitely about min..."

~grin~ I didn't expect that anyone would actually opt for part B. Yes, it works!

There aren't many on the list that I haven't already read.

Coralie wrote: "There aren't many on the list that I haven't already read."

It's the same for me. I was quite pleased with how many I had read, actually;) --- I'm thinking about reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.

If you like Ivan Doig, the last two books are about mining and labor issues in the Anaconda mine in Butte, Montana. The first in the series is not about mining,but is really good and pretty necessary to the series.

The Whistling Season
Work Song
Sweet Thunder

Coralie wrote: "There aren't many on the list that I haven't already read."

Me too! I was kind of proud of myself. :-)

I've penciled in:
The Glass Castle,
Cutting for Stone or
Into the Wild from still unread books on the list.

Would How Green Was My Valley work? I know it deals with coal mining. But I don't know if a strike was involved.

Krista wrote: "Coralie wrote: "There aren't many on the list that I haven't already read."

Me too! I was kind of proud of myself. :-)

I've penciled in:
The Glass Castle,
Cutting for tone"

I read Cutting for Stone a couple months ago and absolutely LOVED it, I'd definitely recommend it! I also remember really enjoying The Glass Castle when I read it a couple years ago.

Krista wrote: "Would How Green Was My Valley work? I know it deals with coal mining. But I don't know if a strike was involved. ..."

Read a book containing mining OR labor strikes as plot point.

I'll accept this book. One of the subject headings is:
Miners -- Wales -- Pembrokeshire -- Fiction.

And the description begins with "Growing up in a mining community..."

I just finished reading Blood on the Forge, and one of the central elements of the plot is union organizing ( and gearing for a strike) in the steel mills. Seems like that would fit if it interests anyone.

I was thinking about reading The Sound of Water: A Novel, about an Indian coal mining disaster in which several miners become trapped in the mines as rising water levels threaten to drown them. Sounds like that fits, too.

Liz M wrote: "Krista wrote: "Would How Green Was My Valley work? I know it deals with coal mining. But I don't know if a strike was involved. ..."

Read a book containing mining OR labor strikes as plot point.
..."

Great -- thanks!

I think that The Secret Wisdom of the Earth should work too. It's a coming-of-age story that centers around mountain top removal mining in Kentucky.

I'm hoping it works since I already have this on hold in audiobook format at the library, as luck would have it.

Sam wrote: "Krista wrote: "Coralie wrote: "There aren't many on the list that I haven't already read."

Me too! I was kind of proud of myself. :-)

I've penciled in:
The Glass Castle,
[book:C..."

Thanks for the info Sam! It seems like these have both been on my TBR list forever. It would be nice to get at least one of them checked off this next challenge. :-}

These all work:

Work Song
Sweet Thunder
The Secret Wisdom of the Earth
Blood on the Forge
The Sound of Water: A Novel

Novels about Strikes

Novels about Coal Miners

Novels about Mining

Will North and South work for the task, Liz? I re-read the description and it says that the main character gets caught up in the plight of the mill workers, but it doesn't specify that there is a strike and it isn't on the BPL list you supplied. I have plenty of other choices if not.

Karen Michele, I read the book, and there is a strike in North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Here's a link to an article confirming that:
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/g...

Theresa~OctoberLace wrote: "Karen Michele, I read the book, and there is a strike in North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Here's a link to an article confirming that:
http://www.victorianweb.o..."

Thanks so much! It's one I have almost picked up many times.

Thanks Theresa! Yes, North & South works.

I'd like to double check Red Rising.

The main character works in the mines, but they are mines on Mars. He also leaves the mines to fight for a better life for his people, the Reds. That theme continues through the book, but he is no longer actually in the mines. Would this book count here?

I'm also wondering if Epitaph works here. The town of Tombstone is built around silver mining and some of the politicians are controlled by mining money. It isn't the focus of the book, but the politics of the town are a feature. Is that enough about mining? Also, have you decided about Red Rising (above post)?