by Clancy Sigal
First published 1978
Davie kneels in darkness two thousand feet underground, chipping coal from the seam that runs beneath Yorkshire. The young miner carries brushes and canvas along with his pickaxe. Between brutal shifts in the tunnels of Dinlock, he paints to quiet the ache in his body and mind. The work breaks backs and spirits, but Davie and his fellow miners find ways to endure. They gather in pubs after their shifts, trading stories and blows with equal fervor. Their conversations turn from union politics to family troubles to dreams of something better. The mining community operates by its own harsh rules, where violence and tenderness exist side by side. Davie moves through this world of coal dust and camaraderie, seeking beauty in a place designed to crush it. His art becomes both escape and witness to the lives of men who dig deep into the earth while fighting for social change above ground.
Genres: fiction, art, historical-fiction, 20th-century, social-issues, activism
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, social-commentary
Setting: Dinlock, Yorkshire
Period: 20th-century
252 pages · Unknown Binding · Popular Library
Content warnings: violence