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

Hardcover
ISBN 9781839761553
EBook
ISBN 9781839761577

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/9781839761553

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 hardcover(ISBN 9781839761553) and ebook(ISBN 9781839761577)

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?