Storming Heaven
AuthorDenise Giardina
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreHistorical novel
Publication date
1987
Media typePrint (Hardback and Paperback)
ISBN0-393-02440-7
OCLC14413378
813/.54 19
LC ClassPS3557.I136 S76 1987
Preceded byGood King Harry 
Followed byThe Unquiet Earth 

Storming Heaven is Denise Giardina's second novel. It was published in 1987 and won the W.D. Weatherford Award that year.[1] It is a fictionalized account of the labor strife in the coalfields of southern West Virginia, United States during 1920 and 1921. It mainly takes place in the town of Annadel, which is based on the town of Keystone, West Virginia. Its events also have similarities to the Ludlow Massacre, which is mentioned in the book.[2]

Characters

The Marcum Family

C.J. Marcum - One of the main narrators. A leader of the union who is eventually elected mayor of Annadel.

Violet Marcum - C.J.'s wife.

Gladys Marcum Justice - C.J.'s eldest daughter.

The Lloyd Family

Rondal Lloyd - One of the main narrators. A surrogate son to C.J. Marcum, he becomes a fugitive after joining the union and witnessing a murder.

Talcott Lloyd - Rondal's younger brother. He marries Pricie Justice, and later gets involved with the union.

Kerwin Lloyd - Rondal and Talcott's youngest brother, who dies in a mine explosion.

Clabe Lloyd - Their father, who dies when a mine explodes.

Vernie Lloyd - Clabe's wife, who is very religious.

Dillon Lloyd Clabe's brother, who disappears when the coal operators begin to build the mines.

The Bishop Family

Carrie Bishop Freeman - One of the main narrators. A nurse who leaves her homestead to live in Annadel.

Miles Bishop - Carrie's elder brother, a coal operator.

Flora Bishop Honaker - Carrie's elder sister.

Orlando Bishop - Their father.

Ben Honaker - Flora's husband.

Aunt Jane - Both Carrie's great aunt and grandmother, a widow who lives with the rest of the family.

Aunt Becka - Carrie's paternal aunt, a spinster.

The Justices

Ermel Justice - Cousins with C.J.'s grandfather. A successful businessman.

Annadel Justice - His wife. Violet Marcum's second cousin.

Isom Justice - Their son, and one of Rondal Lloyd's closest friends. He marries Gladys Marcum.

Pricie Justice Lloyd - Their daughter and Talcott Lloyd's wife.

Other characters

Rosa Angelelli - One of the main narrators, and a housekeeper for one of the coal operators. An immigrant from Italy.

Dr. Booker - A black doctor who is one of the leaders of the union.

Albion Freeman - Carrie Bishop's husband. A hardshell baptist preacher and a pacifist who doesn't believe in Hell.

Allusions

The following are historical references that appear in Storming Heaven.

References

  1. "Weatherford Award". Archived from the original on February 6, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2007.
  2. Giardina, Denise (1987). Storming Heaven. The Random House Publishing Group. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-8041-0297-1.
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