Something's Rising: Appalachians Fighting Mountaintop Removal (review)

Something's Rising is an engaging oral history showcasing Appalachian people critical of mountaintop removal coal mining (MTR), who serve as "witnesses" to its destructive force in Appalachia (10). The unequivocal stance of these witnesses is crucial in an era when most regional residents "have failed to come out against mountaintop removal" (11). In the book's introduction, editors Silas House and Jason Howard present an informative overview of MTR, the political and economic forces that make it possible, and the media silence surrounding it. The book is most notable for its organization and reworking of oral history conventions. For example, House and Howard add their own oral histories in the introduction, inserting themselves in the grassroots resistance along with the narratives of those subsequently showcased. The collection provides twelve chapters, or portraits, of Appalachian people, such as Judy Bonds, Jack Spadaro, Carl Shoupe, Jean Ritchie, and others who speak out against MTR. In each chapter the editors provide an overview of the person, followed by the witness narrative, which discusses the connection of each to the Appalachian region, impressions of MTR, and coal's negative influence in these states. Having the editors introduce readers to the person before hearing the actual voice of that witness is an appealing device, and a functional strategy that keeps the narratives moving along efficiently.

Taken together the selection of six Kentuckians, four West Virginians, one Tennessean, and one Virginian seeks to reveal the diversity of people speaking out against MTR. Some, such as Jessie Lynne Keltner and Anne Shelby, resist individually through music and literature, while others, like Judy Bonds, have been directly impacted by MTR, and joined environmental justice groups to collectively fight the practice. The volume does not include racial diversity but does consider gender, class, age, and geographical and occupational backgrounds. Witnesses include a former Kentucky coal miner, a Goldman Environmental Prize winner, a nurse practitioner, a political whistle blower, and a folk singer, among others. While there are differences among them, House and Howard assert, "All are Appalachians, a fact that is very important to us" (11).

Considering the scope of the book, twelve Appalachians in four states, the volume could be twice its size and perhaps could have more thoroughly lived up to its goal of presenting a diverse group of people. Limiting the focus to twelve witness portraits elicits predictable criticisms as to the editorial process of inclusion and exclusion. House and Howard claim they included narratives of "those whose stories have affected us the most." We believe that their stories perfectly illustrate the complexities of this subject" (10). The narratives in Something's Rising largely include people from Kentucky (the birthplace of House and Howard), and omit prominent anti-MTR figures such as Teri Blanton, Larry Gibson, Joe Lovett, and Vivian Stockman. While it is laudable that the editors chose witnesses who speak to the complexity of the issue, perhaps a more effective editorial process would involve choosing subjects based on their importance in the larger scheme of this growing movement, rather than who, in the editors' minds, had the most compelling stories.

Despite these minor problems, Something's Rising is a welcome addition to the growing canon of MTR literature. Moreover, this collection of oral histories makes clear that the "Something" that is "Rising" in Appalachia is the voice of dissent against razed mountains for coal extraction. This book can serve as a powerful call-to-arms, affirming those who take a stand against MTR, while encouraging more to speak out against this destructive practice.