47 Down: The 1922 Argonaut Gold Mine Disaster

I read this after reading a book about a silver mine fire in Idaho. This is more of a historical type book, but it held my interest. The book author did his homework and brought this sad story to life. I recommend it.

As an avid reader of non-fiction books based on historical events, I picked up 47 Down in hopes of learning a bit about my home state and in return I got so much more. Not only does O. Henry Mace give a gripping account of a disaster that affected the lives of many but a concise representation of the background and history of mines in California and across the country. What I appreciated most about the book is the detail the author took into researching the lives of not only the 47 miners and their families, but also the reporters, rescue workers, and the town as a whole. By the time I closed the book I had a clear picture in my mind of what life was like in Jackson, California 1922. I can hardly wait for the next book O. Henry Mace writes!

"47 Down" refers to the number of miners trapped in one of the deepest and most prosperous gold mines in the California foothills, in the year 1922. I bought the book because of a distant relationship to one of the individuals managing the mine, thinking this would be a good way to learn some family history. I was prepared to wade through what I thought would be dry melodrama, but I was gripped from the first pages. In addition to learning a great deal of interesting information about mining and mines, I was completely captivated by the human story of the trapped miners and the bravery and ingenuity of the rescuers. There is a story line involving the contemporary media which was also interesting in that it points out how little some things have changed. The technology of the media may have evolved, but the competition and frenzy for a good story and headlines has not changed much. This was a terrific book that will interest people who have no idea what mining is all about as well as those who do.