Storming Heaven is the second award-winning novel by Denise Giardina, published in 1987. The historical novel is a fiction-based account of the bitter labor dispute which took place. in southern West Virginia in the early 1920s, also known as the West Virginia Coal Wars. The author tells the story of the real-life conflict faced by the miners through the eyes of four main characters, each from different backgrounds, with their own point of view. The story told about the real-life hardships faced by coal miners and the conflict that followed is a topic closely covered by The American Journey. Although the story told through the main characters is fictionalized, it provides a historically accurate portrait of the events that took place in the early 1920s. The book does an excellent job of describing not only how coal miners resisted from coherently with the difficulties imposed on them by invasive coal companies, but also the tactics used by coal companies to ensure that their commercial interests take precedence over more humane living and working conditions. The story takes place in Annadel, a rural town located in southwest West Virginia's Justice County, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author does a fantastic job of bringing the reader into the setting through the story outlined by the self-narrated stories of four different characters, which effectively puts the reader in the character's shoes. Additionally, a unique feature is added, the dialogue being written in a southern dialect style presumably specific to a region and period. This feature not only makes the reader feel like they are there at that time and place, but also makes for more interesting reading. While the unique style added to the dia...... middle of paper ...... the conditions faced by the coal miners and their families in addition to the events that led to the uprising. However, more research should be done regarding the West Virginia Coal Wars and the Battle of Blair Mountain. Most reviewers rate this book between three and four out of five, with the majority of reviews being four out of five. The book does an excellent job of describing the historical events covered, and the author does so while maintaining the entertaining qualities of a fiction book. I would rate this book a four out of five because not only is it entertaining to read while accurately describing historical events, but the author does an excellent job of keeping the reader's attention on the description of the characters. Overall, I am happy with the book and learned much more than what is covered in The American Journey..