Summary of Héctor Tobar's Deep Down Dark

Summary

Summary of Héctor Tobar's Deep Down Dark is a narrative nonfiction book by journalist and novelist Héctor Tobar. The book tells the story of thirty-three miners trapped in a caved-in mine in northern Chile starting on August 5, 2010. They stayed underground for sixty-nine days. The miners’ personal stories of their months trapped in the mine are complemented by tales of what the miners’ families and the public experienced on the surface during the ordeal, as well as by an in-depth recounting of the successful rescue effort.

The San José copper mine in northern Chile was over a hundred years old, and the miners working there were aware that it was not in optimal condition. The men complained about the conditions to their general manager, Carlos Pinilla, but he was not responsive. Still, they needed money, and mining jobs were relatively lucrative. Those working in the mine on August 5, 2010 were all men…