Taylor Brown

It was a time when King Coal was so powerful and rich the law was in its pocket. The workers were expendable–immigrants and people of color and poor whites, so easily replaced. The work was gruelling, men hunched over in three foot high tunnels for six and a half days a week. The men’s bodies grew strong, but with time disease and exhaustion and accidents took them. And when the menfolk could no longer work, they were thrown out of the houses the mine provided. But what choices did the miners have? What other work was there?

Across the country, workers were organizing unions to demand a just wage and safe working conditions. The workers went on strike and were thrown out of their houses. The miners found quick replacements.

In West Virginia the mine owners hired enforcers to shut down the strikers, killing those who stood by them. Mother Jones, tired and worn from years of union organizing, came with Union supplies and speeches, until she realized the miners were fighting a war they would not win.

The conflict became legendary, the largest armed conflict since the Civil War.

Rednecks brings to life the people and events of the Matewan Massacre and Battle of Blair Mountain in a narrative filled with tension and threat without respite. Author Taylor Brown creates memorable characters on both sides of the conflict, and in the middle a Lebanese born doctor dedicated to healing who must choose sides, inspired by his own grandfather.

On one side were the mine owners, their hired thugs and the lawmen they bribed, and even Federal troops. On the other side the workers and their families, reduced to living in tents, their anger growing with every murder and beating. The miners wore red bandanas, and were known as Rednecks, which made them easy targets when vigilants and lawmen and Federal troops went to war against them.

The novel is riveting as historical fiction, and illuminating as history of the oppression of the workers, consisting of the most vulnerable and least powerful in society. Decried as socialism and anti-capitalist, Unions also are behind laws that protect workers and a fair wage and created the middle class. In recent years, unions have lost members and power, and we have seen the middle class decline.

We have forgotten the sacrifices and the violence behind laws we take for granted. Rednecks reminds us of this history.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.… (mehr)

This novel brings to mind the lyrics of the mournful Merle Travis folk song, “Sixteen Tons.” One can’t help but hear the words sung by either of these proud “rednecks”  Tennessee Ernie Ford or Johnny Cash. “You load 16 tons, what do ya get? Another day older and deeper in debt … I owe my soul to the company store.” Clearly, the labor of West Virginia miners in the 20’s was essential for the world economy, yet their welfare was poorly appreciated by corporate owners and a complicit government. Brown’s novel emphasizes the cruel injustices that the miners faced as well as their heroism and comraderies. Their violent struggle has been lost to history because, as Brown points out, the history is told be the winners. Despite the shocking nature of what Brown depicts in this novel, many of the underlying issues have yet to be fully resolved. Union busting and corporate/government collusion still present problems for society.

The focuses of the story are the violent confrontations in the 20’s between the coal barons along with their hired thugs and politicians versus miners in Metewan and especially Blair Mountain. Conditions were inhumane, including long hours below ground, constant danger, low pay, a shortened lifespan, and an oppressive system that bordered on slavery. The latter included payment in script that was only good in the company stores, laissez faire medical care, and company owned housing that could be withdrawn at any time leaving families homeless and destitute.

Brown tells the story in exquisite detail using a combination of actual historical figures (e.g., "Smilin" Sid Hatfield and Mother Jones) and fictional characters who are loosely based on actual people (e.g., "Doc Moo" Muhanna, Frank Hugham, and Frank’s mother Miss Beulah). Brown’s narrative imagines the humanity of these people along with the extreme level of violence that took place during the uprising. Human life was unmistakably cheapened. He conveys senses of hopelessness and rage that undoubtedly pervaded the outgunned miners. If the novel has any shortcoming, it might be a lack of balance in the telling. He represents the miner side as almost universally high minded and heroic, while the owners and their supporters are shown as greedy, almost depraved, and undoubtedly racist. Their symbol of red bandanas worn around the neck persists to this day as a racist meme.… (mehr)

In less than 10 years, author Taylor Brown has developed into a undeniable force. About every two years, he turns out a new novel that one just cannot put down. "The River of Kings" and "Gods of Howl Mountain" are two of my favorite books of recent times. I honestly did not think he would ever be able to reproduce that level of writing again. Then I received an ARC of "Rednecks", his latest novel (to be published in May 2024). Wow! Was I ever wrong in doubting his ability! I dare say Rednecks is his best work yet.
The book is set in the early 1920's, in the coal fields of West Virginia. It's the story of the underdog coal miners against, well, everyone else....the coal barons, the hired thugs of the companies, and even the government. I wasn't familiar with the "war" that went on there, but am totally shocked at it now. HOW did this happen???? It gives me a much deeper appreciation of the struggles and sacrifices of so many to unionize.
This is an incredible story! I guarantee that once you begin reading it, you will not rest until you finish it. Brown has written a great narrative of the war, using many varied characters. Each is well developed and feels real. The way he writes, you can see the landscapes, smell the gun smoke and sweat, taste the fear in the people, hear the guns as well as the silences. It's all here. You will become immersed in the settings, and actually flinch when a gun goes off in the story. At the end, you're exhausted, unaware that anyone could write to make you feel such a range of emotions. And you will sit back in your chair, take a deep breath, and realize how lucky we are today because of the sacrifices of the people before us. I'm glad Brown only releases a book every two years, I honestly need the time in between to recover from the last one!… (mehr)

This seems to be a book to show off creative writing by the author. It has 3 different stories/points of view told in alternating chapters.
1. A historical expedition in the 1500’s
2. The fathers history
3. The two sons floating down the river with the fathers ashes.
Sadly none of these were very good. The historical exploration was the most interesting but were as exciting as a high school text book.
The fathers history was nothing terribly surprising or interesting.
Worst of all the 2 sons story was boring. They had boring dialogue, at no time did I care what was taking place, the dialogue if you want to call it that was painful. I can’t imagine two main characters being less interesting.… (mehr)