Evoking images of the vanishing world of uranium, the author shares his adventures, misadventures and respect for his fellow miners through a unique blend of traditional and offbeat storytelling by way of a collection of character sketches, entertaining anecdotes, and glimpses into a time and place and way of working that are now gone. The author consistently conveys the sense that his younger self was learning from all these different experiences, providing a unifying thread, as did his awareness that the story builds up to the eventual major injury described in the prologue. It employs a self-deprecating brand of humor, which at time is pretty hilarious, but there is also a seriousness to the book. The idea that the life lessons learned were as important as any practical skills acquired comes through strongly, as does the respect, even reverence, conveyed for honest, hard work. Even though these people and these experiences could hardly be further removed from those of most readers it is not necessary to know anything about mining to enjoy reading about the life underground. There is a strong thread of humanity woven through this work giving it real resonance.