The Rise and Fall of King Coal charts the pivotal role of coal in the historical energy landscape of the United States, exploring the factors that contributed to coal’s ascendancy and decline, including efficiency, marketing, and the technological advancements that facilitated both its widespread adoption and later languishing. A complex interplay among market forces, government policies, and societal attitudes profoundly shaped the coal industry’s trajectory. Challenges and controversies surrounded the production of coal since its inception, including labour issues, environmental concerns, and resource scarcity.

In lively discussions of domestic cooking and heating, Aldrich emphasizes the importance of women in shaping households’ energy choices, and he gives voice to individual women and men as they describe how these decisions raised their standard of living. Emphasising the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in driving energy transitions, this is a seminal contribution to the field of energy history, highlighting the complex interplay of factors that have shaped the evolution of energy use in the United States.