The story behind Daughter of Copper –
When people ask me about Daughter of Copper, A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Identity, Growing Up on Borrowed Land, they often want to know what the book is about, and why I wrote it.
Over the years I realized that I had boxes with many letters, diaries, magazines, books, items, and stories that reflected a unique and mostly forgotten part of history. It wasn’t just my history, but it was an era, a time and place that holds an important story to tell, a story that while mostly forgotten, remains vivid in the minds of “the children of copper.”
I have run into many people who experienced the same childhood as mine, or similar childhoods, and they have said to me, “We are invisible.” “No one knows our story.” “It is as if we didn’t exist.” “Someone needs to tell the story!” “It is hard to explain who we are.” “Do you remember this? No one else gets it!”
Last, after doing much research about the history of the Braden Copper Company and the history of Chile, especially its mining history, I came to the realization that we, the children of copper, are an integral part of this history. We are not just part of the history of the company, but we are also part of a little slice of the history of Chile.
I began gathering data over many years, and finally, with the enduring support of friends, family, and colleagues, the book is complete. I hope you will enjoy reading Daughter of Copper, A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Identity, Growing Up on Borrowed Land. And, if you too are a child of copper, I would love to hear from you.