Thunder In the Mountains: The West Virginia Mine War, 1920-21

This is one of those historical events that is kind of overlooked for various reasons perhaps because most of it occurred in a "backwater" of sorts. Yet, this is what makes it most interesting -- it is not in most people's lists of "top tens." There are also political and cultural factors which have made the story and the topic kind of something that has been ignored. Mr. Savage's account of the Massacre and the related events is engaging, compelling, and concise. I loaned my copy of the book to a friend and, when it was returned, I found myself thumbing through the pages again even though I know the story. The only disappointment I have with the book is the fact that the account of the actual gunfight or battle at Matewan (btw: I have it on good authority that this is pronounced "may-twan") occupies only a short chunk of the book. However, the event was not something in which anyone would have loudly admitted participation for fear of retaliation, etc. The bad blood created during this period lasted for a long time -- another aspect which makes this a compelling read.

How could historians have overlooked such an important and colorful piece of American history? The book is a fast read and filled with vivid descriptions. Once you read it, you won't be able to believe that something like this happened in America.

This book is probably the most complete and balanced view of the Mine Wars in West Virginia, an almost unknown yet significant part of American history. It details how and why things happened and gives very vivid accounts of the struggles of the day in the coalfields. This was the largest insurrection against our Federal Government outside of the War Between the States, and was the only time bombs have been dropped from planes on American soil. A must read for anyone interested in Appalachia or coal mining.

I really enjoyed this fascinating account of the coal wars of west virginia. Not enough has been reported about the events that occured there, and this book sheds light on the subject.