Slow Burn, a Photodocument of Centralia, Pennsylvania: Photographs and Text

First discovered in 1962, an apparently inextinguishable mine fire beneath Centralia, Pa., has made the once-charming area resemble a ghost town. Jacobs tells the story of the fire and recounts, in poignant interviews and photographs, the residents' tough choice between staying and resettling. Some people remain, clinging to memories of better times and hoping that the fire will move or be put out, while others have accepted government money and relocated elsewhere. From Todd Domboski's account of falling into a dangerous hole in his grandmother's backyard to Helen Womer's decision to stay in Centralia no matter what happens, this book is filled with stories of courage in the face of an invisible enemy. (November)