Storming Heaven Book Report

The book Storming Heaven by Denise Giardina is historical fiction which is loosely based on real people. The book discusses the trials and tribulations of the Coal War in West Virginia and the surrounding areas. The book takes place during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. Storming Heaven is written from perspectives of different characters. This gives the reader a broader perspective of the events of the time. Since the characters are both male and females the readers learn to understand the struggles each gender had to deal with. Giardina wrote the book to educate others about the Coal War and the coal workers fight for better living and working conditions. Storming Heaven shows how the theme the Land and its People throughout.
Storming
Although the book is fiction it is based around historical facts during that time period. The conditions that these people lived and worked in is completely true. They worked from the early morning until dusk and were paid barely anything. Inside the mines there was always the possibility of it caving in on or the inhalation of methane. Boys very young as it was shown in the book would leave school to go work in the mine with their father. The strike of the miners was also an actual event that happened. They were tired of the terrible conditions and awfully low pay. Coal miners were paid low wages especially when they risked their lives every day. The Battle of Blair Mountain is also a true historical battle in West Virginia. The ending of the battle had a terrible end, “The defeat of the miners at Blair Mountain temporarily ended the UMWA's organizing efforts in the southern coalfield” (“West Virginia's Mine Wars” 1). Although a defeat was not what the workers wanted at the time “Blair Mountain stands as a powerful symbol for workers to this day” (“West Virginia's Mine Wars” 1). Most of Storming Heaven has a historical background to