Barbara Heaton's book - titled Working Class Warrior - delves into the long and eventful life of Mr Comerford, who died in 2006, aged 93.

The biography documents his life as a boy in Scotland and Kurri Kurri; as a young coal miner during the Lockout and Rothbury Riot; through to his days as a Miners Federation official, historian, author and book reviewer.

Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson - whose father Ben Partridge worked with Mr Comerford at Bloomfield Colliery - said it was an honour to launch the book.

"It puts so many things into perspective for me about our town and how we came to be, and the thoughts and beliefs that we have," Ms Swanson said.

"It should be required reading for anyone who wants to represent this part of the world."

Ms Heaton put many years of research into the book, and said it has been quite a journey to tell the story - that of a boy who left school at 13 and went on to gain an honorary masters, and a bronze bust in his honour at Federation House.

"There will never be another Jim Comerford," she said.

Jim Comerford: Working Class Warrior is for sale at the Kurri Kurri Visitor Information Centre, Weston Newsagency, McDonalds Bookshop Maitland and MacLean's Bookshop in Newcastle.