Miner's Day

B. L. Coombes

Summary

Miner's Day is a testament to coal mining communities in the mid-twentieth century. First published by Penguin Books as a slim paperback in 1945, it married a reflective text by Britain's outstanding miner-writer, B. L. Coombes, to illustrations by the artist Isabel Alexander.
The original text is now republished in a generous new format with a substantial introduction and the full wealth of images that Isabel Alexander made in an extended project to document people and places in the South Wales coalfield – a unique addition to the visual representation of mining communities.
Bert Coombes in words and Isabel Alexander in images each aimed to reveal the layered reality of coal-mining communities to a distant public. They documented both work below ground and devastated environments above. They described the lives not just of working men but women, children and older people too. They saw poverty and despair but also love, hope and even humour. The South Wales they captured echoes similar communities across the world and evolving global challenges to health, work and environment. Miner's Day is as relevant now as it was in 1945.

Available since: 07/06/2023.

Print length: 144 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Servant to the Servants - Roy C...

Joel Nizin, KathrynJewett...

Roy Wilhelm is described by his biographers within these pages as quiet and gentle, but iron-willed. Relative to some of his contemporaries in the early Baha’i community of North America, his is a life perhaps less explored and examined so far by historians. This may be in part because many of the services he rendered were of a behind-the-scenes or administrative nature. What becomes abundantly clear when reading about the life of this brilliant and steadfast individual, however, is that he earned the unwavering trust of both ‘Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi for his tireless and selfless devotion to the Cause. 
Wilhelm’s life story is a rich and varied one that takes the reader from the coffee farms of Costa Rica to Wall Street to the picturesque environs of the properties that remain associated with his life and the Faith he held so dearly. He was a shrewd businessman with a keen intellect and a wide range of interests. The extent of his services to the Faith and the establishment of its institutions in North America is hard to overstate. A pivotal figure in laying the groundwork for the establishment of the Baha’i Administrative Order, Roy was also a dynamic and effective teacher of the Faith who shared its message with many people, including Martha Root and Curtis Kelsey. Shouldering massive responsibility for the well-being and functioning of the early American Baha’i community throughout the years of the first World War and the Great Depression, he was called upon time and time again by ‘Abdu’l-Baha and later Shoghi Effendi to rise to numerous roles and challenges. When one reads of his wisdom, discretion, and generosity, it is no surprise that the beloved Guardian described him as an “immovable pillar” and a “Herald of the Covenant,” and posthumously appointed him as a Hand of the Cause of God.

Show book

The Answer to the Atheist's...

Richard Wurmbrand

Richard Wurmbrand spent three years in solitary confinement during his 14-year imprisonment in Communist Romania. In The Answer to the Atheist's Handbook, conceived during his solitary confinement, Wurmbrand challenges the arguments for atheism as proposed by the Soviet Academy of Science's Atheist's Handbook. Throughout the Communist world, the teachings of the Atheist's Handbook held supreme authority. But Wurmbrand demonstrates that the atheistic worldview leaves more questions unanswered than it settles. Full of wisdom and grace, The Answer to the Atheist's Handbook explores insights from Scripture, literature, art, and philosophy that bear witness to the reality of God and His redemptive plan for humanity.

Show book

Letting The Light In - How A...

Karen Lawrence

How does it feel to discover that there is something wrong with your baby? 
 
Karen thought she had the perfect family. But when her seventh child, Martha, was born with Down Syndrome, Karen’s world was shaken to its core. 
 
This memoir tells the story of Martha’s early months and years. Karen shares her tears, her struggles, and her joy as she slowly came to accept the many unexpected gifts Martha brought her. 
 
Karen’s Christian faith, her family, and her very sense of identity were all shaken by the arrival of her baby with Down Syndrome. Martha needed life-saving heart surgery in her first year. Karen questioned everything she had previously taken for granted. The journey was not easy. But it was life-changing. 
 
‘Before Martha, my life was carefully sealed up against the strange, the difficult, and the imperfect. Martha cracked me apart and let the light in. I will be forever grateful.'

Show book

Think You'll Be Happy - Moving...

Nicole Avant

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER!
“Nicole Avant gives a raw and courageous look into how she found the light in her darkest moment. She reminds us that grief is different for everyone, and we have the power to move through it in our own unique way.” —Cleo Wade, New York Times Bestselling Author
“A love song to a great woman told through the eyes of the great woman she created.”—Tyler Perry
The USA Today bestseller, a spirit-lifting memoir on how to turn pain into purpose, how to live always in gratitude, and how to face down tragedy and turn it into love.
Nicole Avant—diplomat, philanthropist, filmmaker—grew up surrounded by some of the most extraordinary artists of our time: Bill Withers, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Sidney Poitier. Her parents—entertainment mogul, Clarence Avant, and legendary philanthropist, Jacqueline Avant—turned their home into a place of refuge and inspiration for a generation of geniuses. Nicole drew on that magical upbringing to create a stellar career in the music business, become the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, and produce critically acclaimed award-winning films and documentaries. Then, an unthinkable tragedy struck: her mother was fatally shot in December 2021.
In this searing and inspiring memoir, Nicole turns the pain of her family’s loss into the fuel that pushes her forward into an even more committed life of love and activism: “We can’t banish evil,” she writes. “We have to learn to swim through trauma and live for all of those who can’t.” Turning tragedy into inspiration, Think You’ll Be Happy—her mom’s last words to Nicole—provides a roadmap for anyone working to remain positive and anchored in hope.

Show book

Rhythm & Fire - A Life in...

Ralph Johnson, Rory Pullens, ...

"As a member of EWF during its heyday, Johnson was arguably the band’s most important member … A gentle reminiscence about a hard-driving pop act."—Kirkus Reviews  
  
Embrace over fifty years of Earth, Wind & Fire through percussionist and vocalist Ralph Johnson’s profound memoir. Ralph has seen it all and, for the first time, shares the inside story of their rise to fame through uplifting music, the challenges of the music industry, and the iconic mega band’s mission to ascend themselves and listeners to greater heights. 
  
Rhythm & Fire is a roadmap of music, resilience, and reflection as Ralph Johnson digs deep to tell the motivational story of Earth, Wind & Fire, from humble roots to worldwide fame and success. 
  
Ralph began his drumming craft absorbing the vibrant energy of the ’60s and ’70s Los Angeles music culture where family and faith built the band’s strong foundation. With the aid of founding vocalist Maurice White, they swear off the era’s vices of excessive drugs and sex, instead aspiring to create powerful music of spirituality, hope, and soulfulness. Through this artistic exploration and their goal of spreading positive influence, their music propelled them around the world. 
  
While the band was as strong as Earth and ascended like the Wind, they faced their share of Fire as Ralph provides real insight into the band’s struggles (such as Maurice’s abrupt hiatus, leaving their future uncertain) and the years of personal evolution needed to reclaim their triumphs. As Ralph and the other bandmates learned to persevere individually, they found a renewed purpose and reignited the band, keeping their shining star ever bright. 
  
Ralph Johnson’s genuine and inspiring stories delve into the deeper meanings of fame, success, faith, and community, proving why, even after fifty years of Earth, Wind & Fire, the band and its message still resonates with fans around the world today.

Show book

"My Name Is Not Tom" - The Life...

Susan Cooke Soderberg

The first biography to rescue the true story of Josiah Henson, restoring to history his role in the Underground RailroadJosiah Henson led a fascinating life―from the plantation fields of Maryland to the Georgetown Market to the plantations of Kentucky to escaping to freedom in Canada to being introduced to the Queen in England. Born enslaved, Henson eventually escaped and became a respected minister and famed secular leader."My Name Is Not Tom" is a biography of Josiah Henson, the man catapulted into fame after Harriet Beecher Stowe noted that certain events in his life partially influenced the development of her fictional character Uncle Tom. While previous biographies have relied heavily on Henson's four autobiographies, which replicated the myth that he was the sole inspiration for Stowe's character, "My Name Is Not Tom" uses new primary source research to fill in the untold parts of his extraordinary life and examine his views of slavery and morality, which changed substantially over the course of his life.

Show book