Involves a West Virginia mountaineer family, father, mother, five sons and daughter. Their complicated rise from abject poverty to become multi-millionaires through their efforts in the coal-mining industry. From a small outcrop of coal on their unproductive farm, they eventually own thirty production mines and become the largest coal corporation in the world, controlling the coal industry in West Virginia for over sixty years. Poverty stricken but ambitious, in the year 1850, Matt Mattison secretly kills Abe, a Jewish itinerant peddler, who visits his home periodically, using Abe's money to open a small drift mine on his farm. He is assisted in the venture by his five sons who are unaware of their father's sudden source of funds. (A true story). At the birth of his daughter's illegitimate son, Matt realized that his daughter, Gem, and Abe had a clandestine love affair, planned to marry and that Abe had impregnated to comely Gem. Matt conscious-stricken becomes psychotic. Gem, suspicious of her father, grieving that the father of her child had given his life for her family's prosperity, refuses any finances earned from their mining endeavors, leaves home, adverse circumstances impel her to become proprietress of the town's bawdy house. The plot involves Gem's life, embarrassing to the family but offers amusing incidents in the bordello that becomes public. Her brothers push the mining business to great success becoming powerful financially and politically. Her bastard son (known later as "A.P." in the industry), well educated but burdened by his mother's profession, becomes president of the world's largest coal corporation. Marries a socialite, interested in breeding show horses, they build pretentious mansion on 365 acres, own private railroad train, ocean-going yacht, lavish apartment in New York City. The novel follows several generations of family, involving many complications, romances, pathos of the five brothers, threatened loss of their mines through bitterly fought union strikes and devastating mine explosions. Much of this story is true and interwoven with fiction. All character names are fictitious. Interesting coal mining facts as they effect the family are included. As well as the complete portrayal of the cruel exploration of the miners as the greedy and often inhumane madness of the coal barons to accumulate excessive wealth. Now that coal is becoming an important factor in our energy crisis, this story is timely. Readers will become educated about the problems in this important industry as the story of this once poverty stricken family unfolds.

An adventure that will take you from common everyday places to fantastic ones, The Black Diamond tells the tale of Peter, an ordinary young man with an unusual quality who experiences a life-altering event that changes him forever. Follow Peter across the world as he faces the ramifications of his curiosity while being obligated to fulfill three tasks that will have him face danger, romance, and his own personal demons. Is destiny Peter's own choice, or is it pre-ordained? Find out in The Black Diamond, a story that traverses history, archeology, culture, wizardry, mysticism, and the legendary El Dorado.

The Black Diamond is the sixth book in the saga. This time Juan is born in Lesotho, South Africa. As his immortal spirit continues to live on, he is able to vividly recall his eternal past and cannot understand why whites despise men of his race. His father Moshoeshoei, king of the Basotho, instructs him in the art of government and in the subtleties of diplomacy. His mother, offspring of Chaka Zulu, wants to end her peoples suffering and wishes that his son will dedicate his life to save their bodies and spirits. The protagonists principle desire is the same as that of all his other lives - to find the woman that was created with him at the beginning of time. Maluti and Tineke sense each other's existence and recognize that they are a couple of kindred spirits who prowl about the world in search of love; but they never meet. The novel takes place during a difficult time in Africa. Gold and diamonds are discovered. The descendants of the Dutch struggled to rise from the tyranny of England as the blacks fight to preserve their homeland. The British Empire, which is under the auspices of a brotherhood, appears to be unbeatable as it is filled wealth of the seven continents, usurping the natural resources in the seas by attacking ships of Spain, Holland, China and India. After centuries of ideological conflicts and social, religious and political differences, the nations distance themselves. The weapons become more sophisticated and, although the science improves, diseases decimate men and animals. Gradually the planet is invaded by the human species that threatens to destroy everything in its path, including a variety of almost extinct birds, fish, reptiles and mammals.

In this new "Black Diamond" series, Kane sweeps readers back to Regency England where love sparkles throughout a multi-faceted tale of mystery and intrigue. Courtney Johnson, the daughter of a sea captain, is swept underneath a wave of despair when a pirate forces her father overboard and she is taken captive. As a diamond then brings Courtney and her brother together, it glitters with a malice and mystery that draws them toward a haunting evil.

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873. Debates for sessions prior to 1873 are recorded in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (1789-1824), the Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873)

{Part 1 of 3} The Defenders of Light travel to the nation of Aegyptus to obtain the Staff of Rah before General Dominus can obtain the Divine Weapon for his Queen, the Black Witch. Medi, the Amazonia warrior; Turo, the Perzyian sailor; Kognus, the Northern demi-immortal; and Jun-ki, the Shao-du-leoht Master; continue to fight against the Church of the Universe as part of honoring their companion, Apollo, the Champion of Light. As the deeds of the Champion of Light have spread throughout the Middle Continent, Apollo's Legacy will inspire his friends, the Defenders of Light, to continue the fight against the minions of darkness.

Pete Garnett hadn’t planned on shooting anybody. But when he spotted the two hardcases threatening a helpless girl, he didn’t have much choice . . . and they fired first. He was just doing what he had to do, and that should have been the end of it. Trouble was, the two had a partner that Pete didn’t see. But the third man saw Pete, all right, and it wouldn’t be long before he tried to get rid of the girl who could identify him and the man who killed his friends.

"That William Lewis really thinks a lot of himself," I said. "He's such a smartarse." "Hhmm,"said Lucy, grinning. "That's what he said about you too." "He did? What a cheek! God, he annoys me. I really hate him." Lucy, TJ, and Izzie exchanged knowing looks. "Yeah sure," said TJ. "You hate him." Nesta's life is thrown into upheaval when she gets involved in charity work thinking that it might be a cool way to meet people (mainly boys). But as her eyes are opened to the plight of the world, she begins to want genuinely to get involved and help others. On top of this, Nesta meets William, a boy who questions her motives. At times, she's convinced he hates her and the feeling is mutual. But Izzie, Lucy, and TJ think it is something more like love....