Books and Films and CDs

Wow! There sure are a lot of books, films and music out now that document the movement to end mountaintop removal, and they provide an easy way to spread the word. Heres a roundup of some of the newer ones (and some that have recently been in the news) that feature the work of OVEC members.

Music

CO2AL Train To Amos. You can order mp3s of songs from Peter Brittons Hollow Girl, a musical-in-progress. If you order the mp3s online, a portion of the proceeds go to OVEC. Hear and buy the songs at cdbaby.com/cd/peterbritton.

In January, more than 125 folks attended the premier of Rise Up! West Virginia at the LaBelle Theatre in South Charleston. Get involved with screening this moving, motivating film. See www.patchworkfilms.com/wvhills.htm.

On Earth Day (April 22), OVEC sponsored the WV premier of independent filmmaker David Novacks Burning the Future: Coal in America at the WV International Film Festival in Charleston. On May 13, the film debuted on national TV on the Sundance Channel. Order the DVD, complete with a take action/learn more section, at www.burningthefuture.org.

Michael OConnells film Mountain Top Removal won the Nashville Film Festivals 2008 Reel Current Award, given to a documentary that provides extraordinary insight into a contemporary global issue. Al Gore chose the winner and presented the award. Coal River Mountain Watchs Ed Wiley and his granddaughter Kayla Taylor, who are featured in the movie, met Al Gore at the awards ceremony. The film also took second place at Huntingtons Appalachian Film Festival. Learn more and buy the DVD at www.hawriverfilms.com.

Catherine Pancakes film Black Diamonds screened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in February and March. To order, see www.blackdiamondsmovie.com.

A review on Amazon.com states, "One of the most important books WVU Press has published to date is Bringing Down the Mountains, by Shirley Stewart Burns The author is the daughter of a coal miner and knows firsthand what devastation this practice wreaks ... If you care about Appalachia, the most diverse temperate forests in the world, a major source of water read this book." Order at www.wvupress.com/catalog/index.php.

The No. 1 New York Times bestseller, 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth is back, and this time, the authors have joined forces with 50 leading environmental groups including OVEC! Were excited to be one of the 50 groups chosen as partners in the new edition. Order at 50simplethings.com/books.html.