Survivors of 2010 Chile mine disaster pick right man to tell their story
Journalist Héctor Tobar secured the trust of all 33 of the miners who had been trapped underground for 69 days - and the resultant book is riveting
Job interviews can sometimes be marathons. But it’s rare to find one quite like what journalist Héctor Tobar went through on his way to becoming the chosen author for Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free.
Tobar, a journalist and author, is the son of Guatemalan immigrants and a Los Angeles native. He is known for his writing, his reporting, his affability and his empathy for the working class.
The miners, trapped underground in a collapsed Chilean mine for 69 days in 2010, endured an ordeal that put the whole world on watch. They had made a pact as they waited underground that they would choose one person to tell their collective story. The miners’ lawyers retained the William Morris Endeavor talent agency. The agency contacted Tobar, a long-time writer for the Los Angeles Times and author of three previous books. Then Tobar had to go to Chile, to meet the miners and secure their trust. All 33 of them.
The miners picked Tobar, and the result is a classic work of adventure reporting. Deep Down Dark was a non-fiction finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, riveting in its storytelling, meticulous in its reporting and its empathy for the miners. It’s just been released in paperback.
Tobar, who teaches journalism at the University of Oregon and writes a monthly column for The New York Times, talks about his extraordinary odyssey.
How did you win the miners’ trust?
