"This book tells the story of the rise and decline of Old King Coal as the dominant source of energy and power in the United States from roughly the late eighteenth century to World War II. More broadly put, it is a book about the various energy transitions during these years, but the emphasis is on coal as a source of fuel and power"--
A history of the dynamic role of coal in the energy landscape of the United States during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
In The Rise and Fall of King Coal, Mark Aldrich explores the pivotal role of coal in the historical energy landscape of the United States. Meticulously researched and clearly written, this analysis of the rise, dominance, and eventual decline of coal as a primary fuel source traces its evolution from the late eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century.
Aldrich explains the factors that contributed to coal's ascendancy and decline, including efficiency, marketing, and the technological advancements that facilitated both its widespread adoption and later languishing. A complex interplay among market forces, government policies, and societal attitudes profoundly shaped the coal industry's trajectory. Challenges and controversies have surrounded the production of coal since its inception, including labor issues, environmental concerns, and resource scarcity. Aldrich's comprehensive approach—which combines historical analysis, economic perspectives, and a deep appreciation for the technological and scientific advancements that transformed the energy landscape—also emphasizes the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in driving energy transitions.
By providing a bottom-up history that underscores the pivotal role of individual choices and market dynamics, The Rise and Fall of King Coal offers valuable insights into the dynamic nature of energy transitions. In lively discussions of domestic cooking and heating, Aldrich emphasizes the importance of women in shaping households' energy choices, and he gives voice to individual women and men as they describe how these decisions raised their standard of living. This book represents a seminal contribution to the field of energy history and highlights the complex interplay of factors that have shaped the evolution of energy use in the United States.
Arvustused
[ The Rise and Fall of King Coal] is recommendable to anyone interested in understanding how coal and markets interacted historically in the USA from the point of view of economic history, business history, history of advertising, history of science and commodity history....With coal exports rising in Indonesia and Australia and absolute production rising in other parts of Asia, the market context of coal is important knowledge, for which Mark Aldrich's book is a wonderful start. H-Soz-Kult Mark Aldrich's The Rise and Fall of King Coal offers a sweeping yet richly textured history of coal's central role in the United States' energy economy from the early nineteenth century through the interwar period....a major contribution to the economic and environmental history of energy. Journal of Economic History
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A history of the dynamic role of coal in the energy landscape of the United States during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
List of Figures
List of Text Tables
Preface
Introduction
Part I: The Rise
1. The Dawning of the Coal Age, 1800-1860
2. The Age of Bituminous Coal, 1860-World War I
Part 2: Losing Industry
3. Soft Coal in Industry, 1900-1940The Long Good Bye
4. Railroads: Fuel Substitution and Conservation, 18851943
Part 3: Leaving Home
5. Coal Departs the Urban Kitchen, 19001940
6. "Cooking Shouldn't Cook the Cook": The Kerosene Kitchen, In Rural America,
18701940
7. The Battle of the Basements: Oil, Gas and the Retreat of Coal, 19171940
Part 4: Counterattack
8. Coal Fights Back: Machines, Markets and Research, 18801945
Conclusion
Appendices
Appendix I: Basic Data
Appendix II:
Chapters 1 and 2
Appendix III:
Chapters 3 and 4
Appendix IV:
Chapters 5-7
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
Measurement and Conversion Factors
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Mark Aldrich is the Marilyn Carlson Nelson Professor Emeritus of Economics at Smith College and the author of Death Rode the Rails: American Railroad Accidents and Safety, 18281965; Back on Track: American Railroad Accidents and Safety, 19652015; and Safety First: Technology, Labor, and Business in the Building of American Work Safety, 18701939.
