The 33
by Jonathan Franklin
(Bantam Press, R235)
The book states it is the ultimate account of the Chilean miners’ dramatic rescue after being trapped in the San José mine for over nine weeks. I would not fully agree with that.
The story of the trapped miners made global news. It is said that about 2 000 journalists from news broadcasters across the world had camped at the bottom of the hill in what looked like an informal settlement.
The author, Jonathan Franklin, is an award-winning journalist, who was given special access to the rescue site, covering the story for multiple media houses.
Unfortunately, Franklin’s journalistic disposition imposes itself on how the book is compiled.
The disaster was obviously traumatic, and I believe the psychological side of it is what would make the book interesting for most people to read. Franklin, however, did not take this route in writing the book. Instead, it comes across more like an elongated news article.
He does try to give life to what was at stake for the miners, most of whom had large families to support and with others expecting children around that period. Still, justice was not done.
It is sad to say that he writes the book from the perspective of a journalist staring down a 700m hole in an attempt to see what is going on with the miners below. He does not write as if he is one of the miners, trapped in a dark environment that has an average temperature of 33°C with 95 percent humidity. The fear is not tangible and the depression conveyed is meek.
The book is not all bad, though. It contains a lot of detail about the planning and execution of the rescue missions from the time they began. The deterioration of the miners’ physical condition is also well monitored.
Politics play a big part in the story as Franklin explores the Chilean government’s effort to gain support through the disaster under the watchful eye of the world’s media.
Readers who want to scratch the surface of the mine workers’ ordeal will find this book informative. Those who want to get to the marrow of their trauma will be disappointed. – Tshepo Tshabalala