Desperate: An Epic Battle for Clean Water and Justice in Appalachia by Kris Maher

This is the story of seven hundred Mingo County, West Virginia, citizens and their lead attorney, Kevin Thompson, who from 2004 until 2011 pursued a legal battle against Massey Energy, a leading West Virginia coal company, from a Williamson, West Virginia, hotel. They were waging a valiant effort to seek justice for those who suffered from the pollution of their water which resulted in terrible health issues. "A comprehensive account of the seven-year legal battle waged by residents of southern West Virginia against the state's largest coal company... details of Thompson's financial and marriage troubles make his battle to secure a $35 million settlement for his clients seem all the more heroic. Readers will be appalled at how hard these communities had to fight for a modicum of justice."—Publisher's Weekly. "In the early 20th century, Mingo County in southern West Virginia was the scene of several violent clashes between coal companies and local miners seeking better pay and living co