We Eat the Mines and the Mines Eat Us: Dependency and Exploitation in Bolivian Tin Mines

The best part about this book is that it was written 20 years after June originally arrived in Bolivia to write a book on the miners. Now she has returned and reviews the history of those 20 years and shows where today's miners, family and culture stands. This book is not a comparision of the past with the present but rather a building upon a tremendous history and struggle.For the person not familiar with the mines and miners of Bolivia this is an excelent introduction. Here one meets a world turned upside down and inside out. Mountains are filled with spirits and miners, men ans women - side by side - fight for a better life. June enables one to share in the peoples' long history of struggle through insightful first hand accounts. She also shares her personal experience while reporting the stories and brings a more human element to the work.June has done an excellent job identifyng and bringing to light the intricate web of cultural, political, and economical elements of Bolivian mining. I myself have relatives from the mining regions of Bolivia and wish to congratulate June on her depth and understanding of the people she presents. It is rare to find someone that has the ability to understand the cultural nuances that have a 5,000 year old tradition and see how the still prevail, albiet sometimes hidden or changed, in today's world. I wish to congratulate her on taking the time to understand the people she was studying and not perpetuating common stereotypes, of disorder, ignorance or misbegotten religious views.I highly recommend this book to all!