First published 2013
The residents of Bakerton, Pennsylvania watch their coal mining town transform across decades of change. During the boom years of two world wars, the mines provide steady work and community pride. As the industry declines, families face hard choices between staying loyal to home and seeking opportunities elsewhere. Children grow up dreaming of escape while their parents cling to familiar ground. Workers lose jobs that defined generations of their families. Some residents adapt to new realities while others resist the inevitable changes. Each story reveals how deeply the town has shaped its people, even as they struggle with whether to remain or leave. The collection examines the pull between wanting freedom and needing connection to the place that made you.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: Bakerton, Pennsylvania
Period: World War I, World War II
320 pages · Paperback · Harper Large Print