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The Deep Dark: Disaster and Redemption in America's Richest Silver Mine
“A vividly detailed, heartbreaking tale about a dark, alien place, the people who loved working there and a town that has never been the same. He brings to life the hot, dirty, treasure-hunt environment where danger was a miner's heroin." — Seattle Times
“Investigation at its best.” — Tucson Citizen
On May 2, 1972, 174 miners entered Sunshine Mine in Kellogg, Idaho, on their daily quest for silver. From his office window, safety engineer Bob Launhardt could see the air shafts that fed fresh air into the mine, which was more than a mile below the surface. Sunshine was a fireproof hardrock mine, full of nothing but cold, dripping wet stone. There were many safety concerns, but fire wasn’t one of them. So when thick black smoke began pouring from one of the air shafts, Launhardt was as amazed as he was struck with fear.
When the alarm sounded, less than half of the dayshift was able to return to the surface. The others were too deep in the mine to escape. Scores of miners died almost immediately, but in one of the deepest corners of the mine, Ron Flory and Tom Wilkinson were left alone and in total darkness, surviving off a trickle of fresh air from a borehole. The miners’ families waited and prayed, while Launhardt refused to give up the search until he could be sure that no one was left underground.
In The Deep Dark, Gregg Olsen looks beyond an intensely suspenseful story of the rescue and into the wounded heart of Kellogg, a quintessential company town that has never recovered from its loss.
“Investigation at its best.” — Tucson Citizen
On May 2, 1972, 174 miners entered Sunshine Mine in Kellogg, Idaho, on their daily quest for silver. From his office window, safety engineer Bob Launhardt could see the air shafts that fed fresh air into the mine, which was more than a mile below the surface. Sunshine was a fireproof hardrock mine, full of nothing but cold, dripping wet stone. There were many safety concerns, but fire wasn’t one of them. So when thick black smoke began pouring from one of the air shafts, Launhardt was as amazed as he was struck with fear.
When the alarm sounded, less than half of the dayshift was able to return to the surface. The others were too deep in the mine to escape. Scores of miners died almost immediately, but in one of the deepest corners of the mine, Ron Flory and Tom Wilkinson were left alone and in total darkness, surviving off a trickle of fresh air from a borehole. The miners’ families waited and prayed, while Launhardt refused to give up the search until he could be sure that no one was left underground.
In The Deep Dark, Gregg Olsen looks beyond an intensely suspenseful story of the rescue and into the wounded heart of Kellogg, a quintessential company town that has never recovered from its loss.
401 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
182 people are currently reading
1185 people want to read
About the author
Gregg Olsen
116 books7,116 followersThroughout his career, Gregg Olsen has demonstrated an ability to create a detailed narrative that offers readers fascinating insights into the lives of people caught in extraordinary circumstances.
A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Olsen has written ten nonfiction books, ten novels, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.
The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News; CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen’s Snapped, Court TV’s Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E’s Biography.
In addition to television and radio appearances, the award-winning author has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People, Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.
The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture.
Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).
A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Olsen has written ten nonfiction books, ten novels, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.
The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News; CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen’s Snapped, Court TV’s Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E’s Biography.
In addition to television and radio appearances, the award-winning author has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People, Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.
The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture.
Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
August 31, 2022
In 1972 the Sunshine Mine in northern Idaho was the deepest and richest in the state. The Deep Dark explains the story of the worst accident in a hard rock mine in the United States.
I know nothing in particular about mining so this was enlightening. Olsen does a very good job of explaining the structure, techniques, lives of the miners and mining technology of the period. One thing learned is that hard rock mining (drilling precious ores out of rock) is very different from coal mining. Coal mining, digging in a naturally combustible material, is very prone to fire dangers. Hard rock mines do not catch on fire, at least not before this disaster. There are plenty of dangers all miners face, but fires in hard rock mines were not one of the things that worried anyone.
On May 2, 1972 a terrible fire with deadly carbon monoxide fumes devastated the Sunshine Mine. Shoshone County where the mine was located had a population of nearly 19,000 at that time and mining was the most lucrative occupation. Everyone knew someone involved. The Deep Dark spends a lot of time showing the lives of the miners, their families, and the company personnel.
The author holds off until the epilogue to reveal most of the causes and investigation results. This helps maintain suspense. The individuals, the scapegoats and the safety measures later implemented are very interesting.
One surprising thing to me is that it isn’t always the relatively high pay in a poor county that drew men to the mines. It’s an adrenaline junkies dream. In addition to being a family occupation, many men never wanted it any other way. Difficult for me to process. It’s filthy, dangerous, poisonous, incredibly hard work and not conducive to family life. Fifty some years later Shoshone County still has a few operating mines though the good years are in the past. Silver and other valuable minerals remain in the earth.
I know nothing in particular about mining so this was enlightening. Olsen does a very good job of explaining the structure, techniques, lives of the miners and mining technology of the period. One thing learned is that hard rock mining (drilling precious ores out of rock) is very different from coal mining. Coal mining, digging in a naturally combustible material, is very prone to fire dangers. Hard rock mines do not catch on fire, at least not before this disaster. There are plenty of dangers all miners face, but fires in hard rock mines were not one of the things that worried anyone.
On May 2, 1972 a terrible fire with deadly carbon monoxide fumes devastated the Sunshine Mine. Shoshone County where the mine was located had a population of nearly 19,000 at that time and mining was the most lucrative occupation. Everyone knew someone involved. The Deep Dark spends a lot of time showing the lives of the miners, their families, and the company personnel.
The author holds off until the epilogue to reveal most of the causes and investigation results. This helps maintain suspense. The individuals, the scapegoats and the safety measures later implemented are very interesting.
One surprising thing to me is that it isn’t always the relatively high pay in a poor county that drew men to the mines. It’s an adrenaline junkies dream. In addition to being a family occupation, many men never wanted it any other way. Difficult for me to process. It’s filthy, dangerous, poisonous, incredibly hard work and not conducive to family life. Fifty some years later Shoshone County still has a few operating mines though the good years are in the past. Silver and other valuable minerals remain in the earth.
July 13, 2011
I'd never had a physical reaction to a book I was reading, until I read this one. My family is from Wallace, Idaho so this kind of lifestyle is close to home. This tradgedy has been with me since I was two years old, and The Miner statue along I-90 makes me think of these men every time I pass. I read the first half of this book in one sitting, then I realized I was having a burning feeling in my chest and nostrils. I had to force myself to put it down and go to sleep. Gregg Olsen is an amazing author. Many of my friends can't read this. My mom made it through, and she was a friend and neighbor of some of the victims. We both agree that this was a powerful and well-written book.
December 18, 2008
My father was in that fire his name was Darol Anderson and he was also mentioned in the book.. My dads brother Robert Anderson lost his life in that fire also..Its such a sad tragedy and this book hit home and to the heart. I thought i was well written and such a accurate account of what happend. Im blessed to have my father alive today..He was a shift boss at the time and very few shift bosses made it out alive..I was lucky to have him here today..I think a movie should be made in honor of all that was lost that day..
April 3, 2019
Just west of the small town of Kellogg, Idaho, right off Hwy 90 looms a large metal monument of a miner in a hardhat. The names of 91 miners are carved into the base of that monument, memorializing those men who lost their lives in the Sunshine Mine disaster in 1972. The scope of the disaster is almost incomprehensible. 174 miners walked into the mine on May 2, 1972, less than half made it out, 2 of them surviving for a week, 4800 feet below ground, waiting for rescuers. Gregg Olsen's meticulous research and narrative takes the reader underground on that fateful day and describes in grisly detail how the miners perished as a result of a destructive fire (in a hard-rock mine that usually don't burn). This book is a gut-wrenching page-turner: Olsen recreates the scenes in the mine as the workers inhaled lethal doses of carbon-monoxide; he recounts the anguish of the families on the surface waiting to hear of their loved ones' fates, describes how the tragedy decimated the town of Kellogg, and shows the tireless dedication of safety engineer Bob Launhardt who works to find out the cause of the fire. Olsen includes the stories of many of the men and their families, and while it's hard to remember each individual story, collectively they show the tenacity of the miners and their families. This story will stay with me for a while.
December 4, 2018
I grew up in this area so I thought it would be interesting to read about this disaster. My dad and his brothers were miners but were all employed by Bunker Hill in 1972. I was a six year old who, of course, didn't pay any attention to this when it happened.
Years later, when I attended Kellogg Jr. High, I became friends with a classmate who had lost her dad due to this catastrophe. The book does mention her family several times and it was a little emotional for me to read that.
Overall, I did appreciate this accounting of the disaster.
Years later, when I attended Kellogg Jr. High, I became friends with a classmate who had lost her dad due to this catastrophe. The book does mention her family several times and it was a little emotional for me to read that.
Overall, I did appreciate this accounting of the disaster.
July 5, 2019
Gripping. Tragic. Heartbreaking. I have come away from this book with new insights about hard rock mining: the grueling physical labor in miserable conditions required to extract metals we so easily take for granted in our world today. The world of mining is foreign to me, but the experience of loss is something I can imagine with horror. I'm grateful to my friend Donna for telling me about this book and for taking my husband and me to visit the memorial to those who died in the 1972 Sunshine Mine fire when we visited Coeur d' Alene in June 2019.
July 22, 2015
Great coverage of the industry-changing Sunshine Mine fire of 1972. I would've given this one 5 stars had it included pictures of the mining equipment used, the air-scrubbers employed by the miners as they fought for clean air in the face of a wall of deadly carbon-monoxide, maybe a more 3-D map of the mine's layout, pinpointing some of the areas described in the book. Overall, a solid read.
September 5, 2023
Excellent book about the perils of hard rock mining and the tragedy in Kellogg, ID. Because Olsen writes a ton of true crime, his style is easy to read and very narrative driven.
January 28, 2019
The first sentence in this book sets the stage for what’s coming: “Hearses were in short supply in Kellogg, Idaho, in May 1972.” Beware: the story is incredibly gruesome.
March 22, 2019
I almost have no words. I feel for all the families involved in this disaster. Condolences from afar and I mean that from the heart!
January 8, 2016
Sometimes when I watch action movies dominated by really dark scenes, I get totally lost and have only a small idea of what is going on. Well, that was how I felt throughout a lot of this book. The author made an admirable attempt to describe the setting but it was like a labyrinth of dark rabbit holes in my mind. The Sunshine silver mine in Kellogg, Idaho, had many levels (all the way down to 5000 feet underground!) with over 90 miners working on various levels when a mysterious fire broke out in May of 1972. Fires evidently are extremely rare in hard rock mines because there is not much to burn in contrast to say a coal mine. But this fire developed rapidly and spread black toxic smoke to most levels of the mine. Detailed description of the mine environment and work added to my confusion because the terminology was so unfamiliar: "First he mucked out what the opposite crew had blasted. The muck pile was slushed down the chute to muck cars on the track below. Next, he and his partner would push forward, bolting the heading, drilling the next round, loading it, and shooting it, before calling it a day." Add to that a cast of characters that tried to focus my attention on 90 miners and their families, most of whom did not have especially distinguishing characteristics. And top that off with my terror at the thought of being that far underground at all, much less trapped under there in a smoky darkness!
And in spite of all that confusion, I cared about the plight of the miners and I could not leave the book until I knew who made it and who didn't. I foresaw the scapegoating that would come as above ground shock turned to panic turned to desperation and finally turned to blame.
All my confusion matched the tone of the story and in a way almost enhanced it. A true and terrifying story.
And in spite of all that confusion, I cared about the plight of the miners and I could not leave the book until I knew who made it and who didn't. I foresaw the scapegoating that would come as above ground shock turned to panic turned to desperation and finally turned to blame.
All my confusion matched the tone of the story and in a way almost enhanced it. A true and terrifying story.
December 7, 2020
A chilling true story
I will never go into a cave again after reading this chilling story about a mine in northern Idaho's panhandle. This mine, where gold, silver, and lead were mined, was extremely deep. The workmen had none of the dangers of coal mining, as there was little dust with which to contend; in fact the mine levels frequently had water pooling. There were specialists for blasting new areas, and old mined-out areas were usually filled with waste rock and silt from "dead" mined areas. The terrible incident that caused the. Deaths of 88 men, leaving widows, hundreds of fatherless children , unsupported women who had lived as common law wives.and the families they had born, all but two men died. They were under the criticism that Better Men should have been saved,but the uncontrolled flooding of carbon monoxide that killed all those men in minutes of time made this the most terrible.mining mishap for years. And the two men who lived? Their lives were represented by some who decided they weren't worthy enough to be saved. The Lord does what he can with what He's been given. Mining companies were sued for improper safety factors, but it was too.late for all the lives irreparably changed by this catastropy!
I will never go into a cave again after reading this chilling story about a mine in northern Idaho's panhandle. This mine, where gold, silver, and lead were mined, was extremely deep. The workmen had none of the dangers of coal mining, as there was little dust with which to contend; in fact the mine levels frequently had water pooling. There were specialists for blasting new areas, and old mined-out areas were usually filled with waste rock and silt from "dead" mined areas. The terrible incident that caused the. Deaths of 88 men, leaving widows, hundreds of fatherless children , unsupported women who had lived as common law wives.and the families they had born, all but two men died. They were under the criticism that Better Men should have been saved,but the uncontrolled flooding of carbon monoxide that killed all those men in minutes of time made this the most terrible.mining mishap for years. And the two men who lived? Their lives were represented by some who decided they weren't worthy enough to be saved. The Lord does what he can with what He's been given. Mining companies were sued for improper safety factors, but it was too.late for all the lives irreparably changed by this catastropy!
August 26, 2020
I recently watched 33, the movie about the 33 miners trapped in a collapsed mine in Chile in 2010. Though the mine in Chile and the one featured in this book, the Sunshine mine in Idaho were both rock mines, the men in the latter were trapped with poisonous carbon monoxide gas, leading to 91 deaths, most of which happened almost instantaneously. While the Chilean miners were all rescued after being trapped for 70 days, only 2 Sunshine miners were rescued after a week, aside from those who were able to get out immediately.
Such events create lasting impact not only to the ones directly involved but to their families as well. A wide range of emotions; friendships made, friendships severed; relationships strengthened, others shattered; the unity amid the divisiveness.
The safety protocols for mining have greatly improved since. It’s just sad that these improvements were made in hindsight. Just as well, or the lives of the fallen Sunshine miners would have been for nothing. That’s their legacy.
Greg Olsen did an excellent research and was able to put together a narrative that gave us a front seat view on what happened that fateful May day in 1972.
Such events create lasting impact not only to the ones directly involved but to their families as well. A wide range of emotions; friendships made, friendships severed; relationships strengthened, others shattered; the unity amid the divisiveness.
The safety protocols for mining have greatly improved since. It’s just sad that these improvements were made in hindsight. Just as well, or the lives of the fallen Sunshine miners would have been for nothing. That’s their legacy.
Greg Olsen did an excellent research and was able to put together a narrative that gave us a front seat view on what happened that fateful May day in 1972.
April 4, 2010
Great book (I did book on CD). In college I had a friend who left school to be a gold miner in Nevada. I was jealous of the quick money he made, but after reading this, not so jealous anymore. Being underground sounds very difficult and dangerous. Dangers that I had never imagined. This book treats a fire in a Silver mine in Northern Idaho in the early Seventies. As the book describes, fires in Rock mines are not frequent, and not usually deadly. However, due to the lack of knowledge regarding some of the "new" materials being used in the mining industry, this fire became fatal, very quickly. Over 90 people died in this fire, and if I recall, none of those were from the flames. Although still classified as unkown, some believe that a foam used to seal off sections of the mine caught fire and emitted large quantities of Carbon monoxide gas, killing most miners in their tracks. Great book, giving appreciation for those who risk their lives to extract that precious metal that is so vital.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2022
It is well written, so anyone will enjoy the book, but if you are from the Silver Valley or anywhere in the Inland Northwest, you will be fascinated by all the local references and detail. I couldn't stop thinking about the is book, especially since I recognized many of the family names that I grew up with in Coeur d' Alene. I had to go visit the mine entrance and the memorial for the lost miners.
After reading the book I devoured any documentary video I could find on the disaster. It made watching those videos so much more interesting because I felt I knew the back story. All the personal stories brought the tragedy to life.
Thank you to George Clapp for lending me his copy and is featured in the story as part of the rescue effort and had one of his family members be one of the last guys out.
After reading the book I devoured any documentary video I could find on the disaster. It made watching those videos so much more interesting because I felt I knew the back story. All the personal stories brought the tragedy to life.
Thank you to George Clapp for lending me his copy and is featured in the story as part of the rescue effort and had one of his family members be one of the last guys out.
April 22, 2022
I picked this book up while doing some research, hoping to get a sense of what life was like down in a silver mine. It delivered on this information early on in the book, but I became engrossed in the outside lives of the miners, their families, the northern Idaho setting, and found the story of the disaster itself incredibly gripping. Hats off to Gregg Olsen for crafting such an electrifying narrative; it reads like a novel—one that I could not put down. First book in years that I stayed up reading late into the night because sleep was less important than knowing what happened next.
Coincidentally, the 50th anniversary of the Sunshine mine disaster is less than two weeks away. The miners who lost their lives will be in my thoughts on May 2nd.
Coincidentally, the 50th anniversary of the Sunshine mine disaster is less than two weeks away. The miners who lost their lives will be in my thoughts on May 2nd.
June 22, 2023
We have been to Kellog, ID to ride the Trail of the Couer de Laine on the 50th anniversary of this mining disaster. It is hard to imagine that this occurred in 1972 and so many lives were lost. Everyone in this small, tight knit, mining community lost someone. It’s equally as astounding that when the mine reopened in 1974 most of the miners returned to the mine. The lure of the money that they could earn in the deep dark dangerous place. Who was at fault? The mine met all current safety requirements. Miners didn’t want to be hampered or have their profess slowed by irritating safety equipment or fire drills, company bosses wanted to maximize profits, families benefitted from the outsized paychecks.
Gripping!
Gripping!
August 9, 2016
I picked up this book on a whim, and I'm really glad I did. The book tells the story of a tragic mine fire in Kellog, Idaho. It follows many of the men up to and through the horrific event. The book is a little slow to get going, but once it does, the story is well-told and suspensful (even knowing how it turns out). I will admit that I did skip to tend to find out the cause of the fire, and I wish that that - the cause - had been made clear earlier on.
October 17, 2018
Excellent !
A huge read about a huge mining disaster that happened in 1972.
93 in total miners were involved.
You wil! need to Read this book based on a true story
that really happened in small-town in America,that was never the same.
Gregg Olsen is a magnificent author that really knows how to tell a story,true or otherwise.
Would highly recommend !
A huge read about a huge mining disaster that happened in 1972.
93 in total miners were involved.
You wil! need to Read this book based on a true story
that really happened in small-town in America,that was never the same.
Gregg Olsen is a magnificent author that really knows how to tell a story,true or otherwise.
Would highly recommend !
June 16, 2019
Well told
Very detailed and we'll described account of a mining disaster. I was looking for a accurate a definitive account of the Sunshine mine disaster and I feel this was it. Every aspect was combined: technical, safety, life, historical, personal and written perfectly to tell a unfortunate story. Suggest watching "you are my sunshine" documentary also on youtube.
Very detailed and we'll described account of a mining disaster. I was looking for a accurate a definitive account of the Sunshine mine disaster and I feel this was it. Every aspect was combined: technical, safety, life, historical, personal and written perfectly to tell a unfortunate story. Suggest watching "you are my sunshine" documentary also on youtube.
October 28, 2020
The Deep Dark
Such an interesting story. So sad so many died. I enjoyed reading about how the two men survived after being trapped. I looked up many of the main characters including Bob. I believe he was correct about the foam being the source of the fire. Great and interesting good Gregg.
Such an interesting story. So sad so many died. I enjoyed reading about how the two men survived after being trapped. I looked up many of the main characters including Bob. I believe he was correct about the foam being the source of the fire. Great and interesting good Gregg.
May 26, 2012
I read this because I wanted to know what it'd be like to be trapped in a mine, and I got exactly what I wanted. Olsen occasionally struggles with shaping the narrative on the micro level, but does a great job juggling so many POVs at once and capturing the flavor of the 1972 disaster.
June 13, 2016
Greg Olsen is one of my favorite non fiction authors. this story is set in Kellogg, Idaho in 1972. It tells the story of a mine collapse and how dangerous the job is. It is so tragic how so many men lose they're lives doing this work to make a living and support them selves and they're families.
April 25, 2019
Wow, what a terrible tragedy for Idaho mining country. I came across this book at the library basically by mistake. The title caught my attention and then when I saw the cover I had to read it. I am mezmorized by true stories, be they mystery, tragedy, crime, life lessons, etc. This event took place in 1972, I was only 1 year old at the time and was unfamiliar with it. Although I have watched on the news, other incidents of trapped miners. I can not imagine the horror and anguish that consumed the people of this book, both those above and below ground. Each person involved had a story all their own and the other did a wonderful job touching on all the lives. The detail given on the front runners of the story was wonderful and I actually felt very close to some of them at the end. It gave me a new appreciation for the danger that miners endure in order to bring us the luxury of the substances they gather(rock, coal, etc.) I also gained an appreciation for safety elements that are put in place with any job or activity. They seem silly and a waste of valuable time, until you are thrown into a situation where you truly, desperately need that information or training. For all the administrators and management, who thought they had everthing place, hind sight is 20/20, but never enough. The cause of this tragedy, although an official report was filed, has never truly been identified. There were many speculations and much finger pointing, but the truth is, it is hard to prevent something when you don't know what caused it in the first place. Even though this tragedy happened nearly 50 years ago, my heart still goes out to the families of these miners. I hope that at some and on some level they were able to find peace. God bless the dirty, hard hat wearing, working men of the world, who themselves in harms way, under the earth, for societies comforts, conveniences and luxuries.
September 2, 2024
This is a book that I really wish I could give four starts to, but I had to stop reading because there was just too much profanity for me. (Probably not for everyone else, and definitely there was less profanity in this book than in the actual mines, I'm sure, but I find the language effects me too much in a negative way and if I can avoid it, it's best if I do.) So I had to stop reading this book about half way through.
Had there been zero F-bombs, this book would have gotten a solid 4 from me. I'm only not giving it a five because there are so many people and names in the book that I really had a hard time keeping everyone straight and so after a while, I just stopped trying. There were certain names that were familiar and so I felt like I knew which person I was with, but I couldn't keep most of their backgrounds and personalities and relationships straight.
This author knows how to suck you in! I really enjoyed his writing style and word choice (minus the swearing, obviously. ;) ) The description was just excellent. I haven't read a book this captivating in a long time - which maybe just reflects my current reading choices, but still! I REALLY wanted to finish this book.
I think another reason I was so swept up in these events is because I have been to Kellogg and Wallace and Pinehurst and Smelterville and I've even seen the Catholic Mission that was mentioned in the book. I've been to the monument recognizing and honoring the miners who never escaped the Sunshine Mine. It was so sobering. I've stayed in Kellogg and I know the visual layout of the land. It's all so real and so horrifying and so devastating. And that's the truth about this book. It's not just a story. It's all so REAL and so horrifying and so devastating. Kellogg is trying to recover and become a touristy place. (We were there as tourists, sort of.) But that history still hangs heavy. It is a heavy story and a heavy place to be.
Had there been zero F-bombs, this book would have gotten a solid 4 from me. I'm only not giving it a five because there are so many people and names in the book that I really had a hard time keeping everyone straight and so after a while, I just stopped trying. There were certain names that were familiar and so I felt like I knew which person I was with, but I couldn't keep most of their backgrounds and personalities and relationships straight.
This author knows how to suck you in! I really enjoyed his writing style and word choice (minus the swearing, obviously. ;) ) The description was just excellent. I haven't read a book this captivating in a long time - which maybe just reflects my current reading choices, but still! I REALLY wanted to finish this book.
I think another reason I was so swept up in these events is because I have been to Kellogg and Wallace and Pinehurst and Smelterville and I've even seen the Catholic Mission that was mentioned in the book. I've been to the monument recognizing and honoring the miners who never escaped the Sunshine Mine. It was so sobering. I've stayed in Kellogg and I know the visual layout of the land. It's all so real and so horrifying and so devastating. And that's the truth about this book. It's not just a story. It's all so REAL and so horrifying and so devastating. Kellogg is trying to recover and become a touristy place. (We were there as tourists, sort of.) But that history still hangs heavy. It is a heavy story and a heavy place to be.
June 7, 2017
A thoroughly researched book if you are interested in every little detail about mining, politics, government, unions, and even the personal reactions of everyone who lost someone in this disaster. But for the average reader, it is too thorough.
Also a little bit hard to follow some of the locations and attempted escape routes, and even some of the technical and colloquial language re: mining.
However, the lives of miners in the 70's, mining safety, and unbearable intolerable working conditions were revealed. After reading this book, you have a graphic picture of mining conditions in the biggest silver mine in the US. And I mean graphic. If you do not want to know the truth, do not read this book. Olsen does not leave anything out, even to the details of recovery and identification of bodies after days in a hot environment.
I see disaster in this book, including to the future of Kellogg, Idaho. But I do not see redemption unless Olsen is referring to the fact that, despite the government being found not responsible for the cause of the fire, even though it recommended and developed the material, it was no longer used after this disaster. BUT it is still used in tunnels and other construction and has the same flammability.
Most people will come away from this book with a better understanding of what mining was like 4 decades ago; fortunately mining today in the US is not like this.
Also a little bit hard to follow some of the locations and attempted escape routes, and even some of the technical and colloquial language re: mining.
However, the lives of miners in the 70's, mining safety, and unbearable intolerable working conditions were revealed. After reading this book, you have a graphic picture of mining conditions in the biggest silver mine in the US. And I mean graphic. If you do not want to know the truth, do not read this book. Olsen does not leave anything out, even to the details of recovery and identification of bodies after days in a hot environment.
I see disaster in this book, including to the future of Kellogg, Idaho. But I do not see redemption unless Olsen is referring to the fact that, despite the government being found not responsible for the cause of the fire, even though it recommended and developed the material, it was no longer used after this disaster. BUT it is still used in tunnels and other construction and has the same flammability.
Most people will come away from this book with a better understanding of what mining was like 4 decades ago; fortunately mining today in the US is not like this.
September 21, 2019
On May 2, 1972, 174 miners went to work, as usual, in Kellogg, Idaho, at the Sunshine Mine. Though mineral mining is a risky job, no one expected a major fire in a hard rock mine such as this. Because of the pattern of smoke, and the slow response of mining company personnel, many of the miners who became trapped and lost their lives were caught off guard. There were questions about a lack of functioning rescue equipment and lack of proper training in its use. Some miners made it out before the toxic smoke got too bad. Many did not. Two remained alive and trapped for several days on one of the deep dark lower levels of the mine. This book tells the story of the disaster and the people who survived and those who did not.
I found this book terribly sad, yet fascinating. I came away with a better understanding of the risks many workers take each day as they go about earning a living. It also gave me a greater appreciation for first responders who also put their lives on the line for others. This was an interesting and informative read.
March 30, 2019
Not that genre I usually read, but this was a captivating history of a disaster that hit close to home. Olsen weaves interviews, documents, and the official investigation into a exceptionally written historical piece. The Sunshine Mine story opens on the morning of May 2, 1972 as the miners enter the 5200 foot shaft. the story ends with 90 miners dead and multiple governmental agencies blaming each other for the disaster. The cause of the fire is never discovered; however, polyurethane foam which was supposed to be fire retardant, was an accelerator. Like pouring pure gasoline down the shaft. Another example of a chemical company knowing its product was hazardous but being more concerned with the $ than the safety of miners.
May 21, 2019
This is the third book by Gregg Olsen I have read. As with the other two it was a well-written, easy read. That said, it is one of the hardest books I have ever read in my life. My father in law was in that mine. That day. He was one of the lucky ones. My husband, who has read this book at least twice, was eight years old at the time of the accident. He didn't have much to add because to this day his dad still can't/won't talk about it. People like to praise veterans by saying "freedom isn't free". Well, people a lot more people contribute to that freedom than soldiers and first responders. And nothing is free---or cheap. People like the men who work in mines and other dangerous jobs deserve our respect. Empathy starts here. Start reading.
February 9, 2020
When I was halfway through this book, I dragged a dear friend from our planned trip in Couer d’Alene out to the Silver Valley’s mining trail. I wanted to see the places mentioned in this book — Kellogg, Wallace, Smelterville, Big Creek, Osborn, Cataldo — so I could more clearly picture the people. We stopped at the memorial visible from the highway, and former Idaho Senator and Governor Phil Batt’s poem inscribed below the monument to the Idaho miner is still burned into my mind.
A portion of the poem also helps articulate the clearest feelings i have on this book:
“Our tongues have not tasted the bitter dust
The roar of the drills has never reached our ears
Unfelt to us is the darkness of the shafts
Yet we were Idahoans
And we were miners then.”
A portion of the poem also helps articulate the clearest feelings i have on this book:
“Our tongues have not tasted the bitter dust
The roar of the drills has never reached our ears
Unfelt to us is the darkness of the shafts
Yet we were Idahoans
And we were miners then.”
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