The Black Country in the West Midlands currently covers the four metropolitan boroughs of Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Sandwell. The area became famous as a centre of manufacturing following the birth of the Industrial Revolution but there is much more to the area than its industrial heritage, although that has undoubtedly played a strong part in forging the shared history and identity of the area. 50 Gems of the Black Country takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the highlights of the area, which has many diverse attractions from its pre-Industrial Revolution history, through the legacy of coal mining and other mineral extraction, iron and steel works and other heavy manufacturing and the canals that aided these industries, to more recent attractions. Author John Shipley explores the many places, and their history, that make this part of the West Midlands so distinctive.

• The latest title in Amberley's popular 50 Gems series
• Review coverage in local press and media