When the Mines Closed: Stories of Struggle in Hard Times

History professor Dublin's look at the anthracite coal region of northeastern Pennsylvania addresses important questions, not just for the beleaguered mining industry, but for American labor in general. By focusing on a largely unschooled, working-class population of former coal miners and their wives, he chronicles how people adapt to economic upheaval. While the book is framed by Dublin's excellent introduction, the bulk of the text is made up of oral histories. Twelve women and men--all of whom are now in their 70s and 80s--address the centrality of work, and analyze how ethnic, religious and gender-based associations mediated work conflicts and financial want. Their recollections span the 20th century, and move from mining's peak during WWI--when 175,000 men were employed and one million were supported by the industry--to 1992, when the mines employed 1400 and supported approximately 5000. As oil, natural gas and electricity replaced coal heat, most of the workers had to find alternate employment. Many of the men went to plants like Bethlehem Steel; women for the most part headed for textile factories. Their testimony about this translation is often extremely moving; on the other hand, more probing about alluded-to ethnic and racial conflicts, attitudes toward unions and worker associations, and changes in family structure would have made the book more resonant. Eighty photos. (Sept.)