Holding the LineIt was the summer of 1983. Barbara Kingsolver had a day job as ascientific writer spends her weekends cutting her teeth as a freelancejournalist when she landed an assignment. Her mission: was to cover the PhelpsDodge mine strike. Overthe year that followed Kingsolver stood with those miners and their families,increasingly engaged and heartbroken. She recorded stories of striking minersand their stunningly courageous wives, sisters and daughters. She