A review by bhsmith
Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free by Hector Tobar
4.0
I remember this story poking around the news cycle a few years ago, but I never followed much of the drama or really knew much of the story. When NPR decided to start their "Morning Reads" book club several weeks ago with "Deep Down Dark" as their first choice, I thought it sounded like an interesting book to pick up.
And... it was!
Thirty-three miners went in to their mine on an August morning and a collapse left them trapped thousands of feet below the surface. They had very little food and were forced to live in hot. humid conditions without any way to reach the outside world. After 17 days, and on the brink of starvation, a drill from the surface finally pokes through, giving the men hope that they will be rescued from the mine.
This book dives deep into the many different questions I found myself asking about the situation the miners found themselves in... physical, emotional, spiritual, logistical, etc. Author Hector Tobar spends equal time weighing the mental stress and anxiety with the physical toll taking place below ground. He explores spirituality and family matters with an intensely personal touch. It is no secret that the miners all survived, so he allows us to hear from most all of them as they recount the experience, what brought them in to the mine, what they were thinking, and many of their most painful moments. And, he explains the logistics of mining and mine rescue, which is central to this story.
Even though the entire book is pretty well described in the subtitle, this is still a page-turning description of what happened. While I know they all get out safe, part of me thinks that maybe something goes wrong (because the chances of something terrible happing are so high), or maybe there is some complication I'm not aware of. Tobar builds up this drama throughout the book and certainly kept me reading.
And... it was!
Thirty-three miners went in to their mine on an August morning and a collapse left them trapped thousands of feet below the surface. They had very little food and were forced to live in hot. humid conditions without any way to reach the outside world. After 17 days, and on the brink of starvation, a drill from the surface finally pokes through, giving the men hope that they will be rescued from the mine.
This book dives deep into the many different questions I found myself asking about the situation the miners found themselves in... physical, emotional, spiritual, logistical, etc. Author Hector Tobar spends equal time weighing the mental stress and anxiety with the physical toll taking place below ground. He explores spirituality and family matters with an intensely personal touch. It is no secret that the miners all survived, so he allows us to hear from most all of them as they recount the experience, what brought them in to the mine, what they were thinking, and many of their most painful moments. And, he explains the logistics of mining and mine rescue, which is central to this story.
Even though the entire book is pretty well described in the subtitle, this is still a page-turning description of what happened. While I know they all get out safe, part of me thinks that maybe something goes wrong (because the chances of something terrible happing are so high), or maybe there is some complication I'm not aware of. Tobar builds up this drama throughout the book and certainly kept me reading.