Drew Hudson

In the Field of Black Diamonds Drew Hudson

It is the year 1918, the zenith period of anthracite coal mining andJames Mueller, a fourteen-and-a-half-year-old son of a coal miner, issoon catapulted into the arduous life of a mine worker. James' decisionis not based on greed or a directive from his parents, but on his desireto help his family financially, after learning that his older brother is toattend medical school in Philadelphia to become a doctor. Along the turbulent path of his life, James soon discovers that a specialbond has formed with one of his seven children, his daughter, Catherine. Catherine faces her own obstacles growing up in the impoverished,idiosyncratic patch town of Shepsberg. The experiences of both Jamesand Catherine are entwined on many levels as they learn the mostessential lessons in life from one another. In the Field of Black Diamonds is based on a true story, which chroniclesthe tale of a coal mining family set in the anthracite coal region ofEastern Pennsylvania. This is the story of their lives, their journeys,their successes, and their struggles in the black land simply known ascoal country.