Book Description
Brings together for the first time diverse aspects of caves in northern Thailand with chapters on geology, archaeology and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Complete Caving Manual by Andy Sparrow
I have had personal experience with Mr. Sparrow and find him to be a very competent caving instructor. His book, which I wish I had autographed, is very insightful. Mr. Sparrow has taken me caving several times and have felt completely safe and at ease as a novice. Highly recommend this book and his caving services.
From the start of this book it gives you the very basics you need to know about caves and caving.Don't go caving without at least having this book on hand.What a guide.

An excellent resource for the British caver
Has anyone ever asked you what caving is all about? Give them a copy of this excellent manual and they will soon know. Has anyone ever asked if there is a book that they can read when they are taking their first stepsunderground, or on the end of an SRT rope or trying to photograph thewonder of the subterranenan world? This is the book to point themtowards.

By turns instructional and inspirational, this manual willinstruct you in the basics of all the techniques that you need forunderground exploration in Britain and Europe, while taking time out totell yu how the caves formed in the first place, what creatures you mightencounter underground and why you shouldn't break that straw off! If youcave already you will want it as a reference; if you're just starting outit will help you to get the most out of your next training trip/course; ifyou're introducing someone to caving it will be an invaluable resource ofthe why as well as the what in a clear and consistent style.

Beyond thebasics of clothing, equipment, ropework, ladderwork and moving underground,Andy has included valuable chapters on conservation, speleobiology,digging, photography and an overview of cave-diving (with all theappropriate warnings). He advises you where to go caving, how to find aclub, how to evaluate the flood risk - just how to do it really.

Highlyrecommended for anyone who has ever pulled on a headlamp and doesn't knowit all yet.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description
With a new epilogue revealing additional information about the Floyd Collins story that has come to light since the book was first published!

The sensationalism and hysteria of the rescue attempt in early 1925 generated America's first true media spectacle, making Floyd Collins's story one of the seminal events of the century.

The crowds that gathered outside Sand Cave turned the rescue site into a carnival. Collins's situation was front-page news throughout the country, hourly bulletins interrupted radio programs, and Congress recessed to hear the latest word.

TRAPPED! is both a tense adventure and a brilliant historical recreation of the past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A STORY THAT WILL CONSUME YOU AND A MAN THAT WILL LEAVE A DEEP IMPRESSION ON YOU
After my first trip through one of the sections of Mammoth Cave, I was addicted to this world.My husband turned me on to this man, Floyd Collins, who I have never heard of.We both bought a book from the park store and I couldn't pull myself away from this one. As we drove for hours on our vacation, I would read multiple parts to my husband while he was driving.I couldn't fight the tears as I read so many parts of this book to him.I don't normally get consumed by movies or books, but this book and the story of Floyd Collins has left such an impact on me.It is inevitable the you will find yourself feeling trapped along with Floyd and find a warm level of love and respect for him as his days and conversations are described.I can't even begin to describe feeling as though I was right there beside Homer, Skeets and Johnnie with their dedication to saving this man.I wish there was a movie about this - not a documentary, but a movie.The drama, suspense, characters and events of this story are so realistic and R.K. Murray did a great job on this book.

Definitely a winner.

Trapped: The Story of Floyd Collins
When asked about his earliest childhood memory, my late father would tell of his dad carrying him to his uncle's house to listen to radio news reports of the attempted rescue of Floyd Collins from a cave in nearby Kentucky.This book brings to life those events that captured the nation's attention in Jan.-Feb. 1925. Trapped is a well-written, well-documented account of the tragedy that occured in the central Kentucky hills and before watchful eyes of the nation.Its a gripping account that manages to capture the facts of the event, including great details of America's first modern media circus, while still attending to the many colorful characters who played a role in Collin's life, the rescue attempt, and the aftermath.

Trapped: The Story of Floyd Collins
The best book I've ever read, period.Within the context of a rescue attempt of a Kentucky caver, the authors paint a revealing picture of America in the 1920's.From the glory seeking Louisville fireman to a journalist who won the nobel prize, this story is not to be missed.Just read the 1st five pages, up to the 1st line break, & you'll be hooked.I've never handed this book to anyone who wasn't totally enthralled w/ it.

Cave Country Tragedy
Trapped! the story of Floyd Collins, is a very well written account of one of the first mass media coverages of an American Tragedy.The book itself flows very well and engrosses the reader in the details of the often heroic effort to save Collins who was trapped in a cave near Mammouth Cave in Kentucky.Murray and Brucker do an excellent job in discussing the noted personalities associated with the media frenzy that closely followed the efforts to save Collins.Also dealt with is the exploitation of the entire event by a number of self serving individuals.A great book for those interested in Kentucky History and a noteworthy work for those who prefer casual reading.

A wonderful, well written account.
O.K.- this genre of book is not my usual reading. However- Since seeing the play (musical) and buying the O.B.C. C.D, I had to know more. This fast paced book is highly readable, and contains wonderful but chilling insights into the farce that passed as a rescue attempt as well as many sidelights into the people and events of this tragedy. What had me literally on chair's edge was the author's move by move of his personal trip into the very cave that was to be Collins' first grave. A real nail biter! Buy this book, buy the C.D., and please see the show- you too will be hooked! Good stuff!! ... Read more

Amazon.com
The microbes that caver Michael Ray Taylor calls "dark life" are found deep in the earth, in boiling oceanic vents, Antarctic ice, and lots of other places far from the reach of the sun's energy. These "extremophiles" are energy opportunists, subsisting on chemicals, radioactivity, or the faint light of molten rock. The study of these organisms is quite new, and scientists are learning that examining them may provide hints about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Dark Life is a first-person tour of the places Taylor has looked for archaebacteria and other strange microorganisms--Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, the hot springs of Viterbo in central Italy, NASA laboratories, and the halls of academia. Taylor met with passionate scientists searching for answers about how things can live deep in the earth and if they can survive in the unimaginable cold of outer space while hitchhiking on meteors. Dark Life chronicles the triumphs and disappointments of this new field of science with engaging and personal stories.

The steady but frustrating progress of science is never more apparent than in the passages relating to the rise and fall of ALH84001. The potato-sized meteorite from Mars (and the scientists who analyzed it) enjoyed brief but frenzied attention when it was announced that microscopic forms in the rock may have indicated the presence of nanobacteria. But if you're expecting resolution to this question in Dark Life, be warned: to Taylor, it's the journey that's most exciting. --Therese Littleton Book Description

In a narrative that combines cutting-edge science with intense physical adventure, Dark Life tells the fascinating story of the quest to find life far underground and deep in space.

Able to thrive without sunlight or oxygen, dark life is a mass of subterranean bacteria that would likely tip the scale if weighed against all other living matter combined. Journalist Michael Ray Taylor takes us from Antarctic lakes to Hawaiian volcanoes to the satellites of Jupiter in search of these mysterious underground creatures that are redefining our understanding of evolution.

Taylor serves as a field assistant on several key scientific expeditions. He descends deep into New Mexico's tortuous Lechuguilla Cave and focuses powerful NASA microscopes on never-before-seen life-forms. He accompanies a young NASA intern who unknowingly kicks off a raging international scientific debate when she uncovers traces of dark life in a rock extracted from nearly two miles below Washington State -- traces that appear identical to the "micro-fossils" found in a Martian meteorite. He meets another scientist who has staked his reputation on using dark life to generate a cure for breast cancer. Throughout his adventures, Taylor gains unique insight into a growing controversy about the very definition of life itself -- an issue that scientists had long ago considered settled. Whether he is exploring the structures of a mysterious cell or reconnoitering tropical caves, Michael Ray Taylor is an adventurer for the new millennium. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Politics, personalities, and science of the dark world
_Dark Life_ by Michael Ray Taylor was a very interesting book. The author began it writing as a science journalist - having written a previous book on cave exploration as well has having articles published in such magazines as _Audubon_ - but over the course of the two and a half years he worked on this book went from becoming an observer to an active participant, a point he himself made several times in amazement and wonder. Originally he had set out to chronicle what was known about "dark life," microorganisms that dwell far underground or in the deep sea, organisms that derive their nourishment from sources independent of sunlight. These organisms, which have been found in such varied places as salt domes, Antarctic ice cores, and in highly acidic caves, have continually challenged notions of what life can tolerate, organisms so common that they may outnumber surface organisms (indeed Taylor rejected the commonly used term "extremophile" as he believes the term implies that these organisms are a "rare curiosity"). Taylor wrote of the history of the search for these microbes, the personalities involved, and where current research was in the field (as well as possible applications of this research).

Somewhere along the way he became part of the story, as he became the friend and later colleague of several of the researchers he covered. While not a trained scientist per se, at least not in the field of microbiology, he assisted in and even proposed a number of experiments in the search for controversial nanobacteria (microbes with a size of less than 0.2 micrometers, once thought to be too small to be an independent functioning organism or at least too small for a prokaryotic organism, including known bacteria and archaea; not a virus) in a variety of environments, mostly notably Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. By the end of the book he was regularly exchanging email with researchers, providing samples for them, and even had co-authored a few presentations at various seminars.

Much of the book is focused on personalities - understandable given Taylor's increasing personal involvement in the story himself - though mainly in the context of research on the topic at hand. The main characters (if you will) in the book were Larry Mallory (a scientist who had devoted his career to harvesting and culturing cave microbes in a promising search for a cure for cancer, particularly from microbes from the fascinating Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, an interesting place described in great detail in the book), Bob Folk (a colorful scientist who discovered nanobacteria and their presence in a number of substances and had been in the lead in efforts to prove that microorganisms are vital in the formation of travertine in caves and hot springs as well as in some cases at least entire caves and cave systems), and Anne Taunton (an undergraduate student who as part of a NASA internship became embroiled in the efforts to determine whether or not the famed Martian meteorite ALH 84001 contained fossils of extraterrestrial nanobacteria). Others are followed to lesser degrees, among them Finnish nanobacteria expert E. Olavi Kajander, who had done pioneer work showing that nanobacteria may be the possible agents of many maladies such as kidney stones, Alzheimer's, and Mad Cow Disease that involve mineral precipitation in the body.In large measure these and other personalities faced considerable skepticism, criticism, and worse in their studies, as scientists found it hard to accept (in different instances) what was thought of as "impossibly" small bacteria, biological origins for various types of minerals and mineral formations, and the presence of microfossils in ALH 84001. Mallory had to leave his university because he was essentially denied tenure, the administration not believing his study of cave microorganisms important, Folk faced considerable criticism for suggesting that such substances as travertine owed their origins to bacteria, and Taunton (and the team she worked with) had a very difficult time with several scientists - including even her own undergraduate academic advisor - over efforts to demonstrate that the ALH 84001 microfossils were evidence of Martian life or even life of any kind. Although Taylor did a good job of showing the fact there was sometimes intense and even rather personal criticism in science, I don't know if he always showed why people had such a hard time accepting bold new theories. In particular some of the opposition to ALH 84001 fossils was quite heated.

Though much of the focus was on personalities, politics, and the process of research the microbes were much discussed as well, many with bizarre biologies. Some cold-loving organisms were termed "psychrophiles," capable of growth below freezing, at -5 degrees Celsius, organisms that exhibit slower metabolisms at temperatures above freezing and death at anything approaching human body temperature (organisms that for years - like many other examples of dark life - proved difficult to study and culture in the lab). Some organisms found in apparently solid rock two miles deep, existing only on hydrogen and water, have unbelievably slow metabolisms, appearing to divide cells no more than once per century. Though many caves and indeed individual pools in caves produced unique microorganisms there were also astonishing similarities; the closest relatives to some sulfur-oxidizing thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria from a cave in Kentucky were found to be a sulfur-oxidizing, symbiotic bacterium from a deep sea polychaeta worm, a relationship that has not yet been explained.

At least as far as this reader is concerned Taylor made his case that nanobacteria exist, that they are key in the formation of some minerals and many caves, and I am very open to the idea that ALH 84001 may indeed contain Martian microfossils. I enjoyed reading about the discussions scientists had about whether or not subsurface Antarctic lakes such as Lake Vostok and Jovian moon of Europa might have dark life and hope that both can be analyzed in the not too distant future.

Geology & Biology Intwined
For starters I will never look at my mineral collection quite the same again. Dark Life has shown that nanobacteria (only recently confirmed)is the absolute frontier of a new world. Minerals and "life" coexist and the nanobacteria "feed" upon the chemical compositions of minerals. The scientific world will be turned on its' head in the near future as a whole new science emerges. This book is easy to understand for those of us who aren't scientits but who are interested. As one who also has Multiple Sclerosis the possible connection with nanobacteria and mineral plaques in the brain was astounding as I read it.

Damn interesting, heavy on the human drama
I read this book after buying on a discout shelf in some clearance book seller.It was a pleasant surprise.It, as I wrote in the title, a little heavy on human drama and soap operatic themes.The science behind it is absolutely interesting and has spurred me to read further on the topic of nanobacteria.This is a great starting out book, but not a great book for those reading for the science of it.

Nanobacteria, A New Form of Life and Its Pathology in Humans
Nanobacteria have been researched by many prominent scientists worldwide. This book looks at the findings of scientists with respect to Nanobacteria and the science of Geology. Nanobacteria, specifically Nanobacterium Sanguineum, have been studied by scientists and medical researchers as they pertain to causing human disease or Pathology as well. Nanobacterium Sanguineum is a Nanobacteria that is approximately 10,000 times smaller than regular bacteria. It replicates from 1000 to 10,000 times slower than regular bacteria as well. It grows in the human system in blood, and has been found by various medical researchers and scientists to cause many human problems. Some of the various diseases that it has either been implicated to be involved with or to cause are: Calcification in atherosclerotic plaque, kidney stones, calcification in the lenses of eyes that ultimately causes "cataracts", soft tissue calcification in scleroderma, calcification in tumors, calcification in arthritis or osteoarthritis and other pathological disease states in humans. These Nanobacteria colonize and secrete a "biofilm" over themselves that causes them to be covered by a calcium "shell". These Nanobacteria are implicated to be the cause of all calcification in the human system that you were not born with, that you subsequently develop as you age. These Nanobacteria are also implicated in causing some forms of cancer and "apoptosis" or cell death. Scientists are now working on ways to eradicate Nanobacterium Sanguineum with prescription medications. Please keep your eyes open for further research regarding Nanobacteria. Try surfing on the web for "nanobacteria". Sincerely, Gary S. Mezo, President of the Academy of Medical NanoScience, Tel:813-264-2241.

Space science can still be an adventure - here's your guide.
This book documents journeys of discovery and transformation at several levels.It documents a journalist's personal journey from observer to active participant.It also serves as a chronicle of the journeys beingtaken by scientists all over (and underneath) the Earth and across oursolar system to obtain an understanding of life's amazing ability to existand thrive in the most improbable places.

The author starts out as aspelunking (cave exploring) science journalist and ends up as an activeparticipant in the science he had originally set out to cover.In so doinghe has provided an interesting mix of observer and participantperspectives.Being a seasoned cave explorer, the author is at home andadept at describing the techniques and hazards of natural laboratories suchas Lechuguilla Cave located in New Mexico.

Astrobiologists havefound caves to be excellent laboratories for the extreme environments thatmay be found on other worlds such as Mars.Moreover, the amazingadaptations Earth life has made to these environments also serve asindicators of what is possible in terms of life's ability to adapt - andmay be indicative of what we might find underneath Mars.Getting around inthese caves is not your run of the mill field trip.Sulfurous and causticfumes, anoxic conditions, temperature extremes, risk of injury, and amyriad of other hazards all combine to make these explorations somethingthat only skilled individuals should undertake.In so doing, the rewardsto the risk takers are obvious - and are thoroughly documented by theauthor.

There is much more to this book than crawling around stinkycaves with excited astrobiologists.There is tedious work back at the lab,and the inevitable politics that accompanies academic life andgovernment-sponsored research.Given that the discoveries being made aboutlife in extreme environments are brushing aside long held views aboutbiology, the politics can get rather nasty at times.The author provides acogent description of what happens when the politics and dogma of sciencecollide with new data and ideas.As you read this book you can almost hearthe old paradigms crumbling as life's very definitions get anoverhaul.

In describing some of the research done at NASA on theALH84001 Martian meteorite, Taylor provides a classic description ofparadigm crumbling - and the threat it can represent to the status quo. The events described surround the work of a student involved in acareer-making discovery (possible fossils within a piece of Mars) and anadvisor who disputes the findings and seeks to thwart her education atevery turn.

While not nearly as dramatic, the author describes manyother situations wherein old accepted notions about what life is and whereit can be found are challenged.As you travel around - and under - theworld with Taylor, you learn about life at abyssal ocean depths, withinrocks miles under the Earth's surface, in the cold dry Antarctic, withinvolcanic deposits, and within highly radioactive environments.Such arethe abodes of Earth's so-called "extremophiles".

Ifastrobiologists have learned anything in the past decade or so, it is thatEarth life is capable of existing everywhere that it can theoreticallyexist.Since some of these "extreme environments" may well passfor "normal" elsewhere in the solar system, the chances offinding life elsewhere start to become quite probable.It is that excitingprospect which is woven by the author throughout the fabric of thisbook.

The author has gone to great physical extremes to write thisbook - and it shows.If you want a status report on how astrobiologistsare using the Earth as a laboratory for what life may be possible on otherworlds, this is it.Moreover, if you are looking for proof that sciencecan still be a bona fide adventure in this Internet-shrunken world, thenthis book offers that as well.

... Read more

Book Description
In this exhilarating work, Barbara Hurd explores some of the most extraordinary places on earth, from sacred caves in India to secret caves in Arizona. With passionately informed prose, Hurd makes these strange dark spaces -- with their stalactites and blind cave fish and ancient galleries of white flowstone -- come to light, illuminating the natural history and spiritual territory of caves as powerfully as Kathleen Norris portrayed the Dakotas. Entering the Stone provides an awe-inducing tour through a fragile and beautiful subterranean world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An emotional meditation on life when light is gone
It is a strange blessing that I ran across an excerpt of this book online and sought it out. The local library had a copy. I wondered about the experience of a novice spelunking. What I found was one woman's meditation on sorrow and loss and fear and awareness, and how reason and passion, how space and solid, how dark and light criss-cross and make the liminal experiences telling.

Please don't fault her beforehand if I sound too intellectual about it, too. It's a beautifully written exploration of the meaning of life, but it's sometimes very down-to-earth, too. ... Read more

Product Description
Missouri boasts more than six thousand caves in an unbelievable variety of sizes, lengths, and shapes. This grand tour sheds light on the historical significance of caves, corrects misinformation about them, and describes how people have used and abused them. Weaver tells how caves have enriched our knowledge of extinct animals and early Native Americans. Caves were used for burial sites and moonshine stills, as hideouts for Civil War soldiers and outlaws, and even as venues for underground dance parties in the late nineteenth century. Weaver also relates the history of Missouri's show caves and the resulting expansion in tourism. The book covers all counties with recorded caves and includes photos from the author's collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this fascinating tour
Former show cave operator H. Dwight Weaver presents Missouri Caves in History and Legend, the concentrated essence of a lifetime of history and research into Missouri's caves created by limestone bedrock slowly dissolved by groundwater. Bringing the reader on a tour underground, Missouri Caves in History and Legend reveals what caves have to tell us about extinct species and early Native Americans; how caves were used to mine saltpeter, onyx, and guano; how caves became hideouts for Civil War soldiers and notorious outlaws such as Jesse James; and much more. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this fascinating tour accessible to readers of all backgrounds - the next best thing to visiting Missouri's caves in person!
... Read more

Book Description
Encyclopedia of Caves is a self-contained, beautifully illustrated work dedicated to caves and their unique environments.It includes more than 100 comprehensive articles from leading scholars and explorers in 15 different countries. Each entry is detailed and scientifically sound, yet accessible for students and non-scientists. This large-format reference is enchanced with hundreds of full-color photographs, maps, and drawings from the authors' own work, which provide unique images of the underground environment.

The Encyclopedia of Caves is an essential interdisciplinary resource for scientists, students, and caving enthusiasts.

* Presents a cross-section of contemporary knowledge of caves ranging from biology, geology, and human uses to exploration techniques
* Brings together 107 in-depth articles from respected international authors
* Showcases hundreds of color and black & white photographs, maps, charts, and illustrations
* Highlights many of the great caves of the world
* Makes information easy to find with alphabetical listings, cross references, suggestions for further reading, plus a full glossary and index ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Definitive Reference on Caves
This is a fascinating compilation of serious research articles covering the geology and biology of caves. It is well written and accessible to the non-specialist, and is an invaluable reference for all scientists with an interest in caves. This volume has fewer entries than the excellent Encyclopedia of Caves and Karst edited by Gunn, however, the subjects in this work are discussed in considerable depth. Buy both and you will have the most complete and up-to-date references available on caves and karst. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Want to know more about the globe's caves and karst regions?

As an armchair explorer/enthusiast, finding this book at the local used bookstore was like stumbling upon a goldmine!

Background info first:

The book's full title is "The Underground Atlas:A Gazetteer of the Worlds Cave Regions", by John Middleton & Tony Waltham.It's 239 pages long, including glossary, and has 24 pages of B&W photos.The book hasnumerous (approximately 104) maps of global, regional, national and local caves & karst regions, as well as detailed info and history on important caves and expeditions' maps of their explorations.


Review:

The only down side to this book is its age - it was published in 1986 and again in 1992, so there's a lot of new information that's not included in this book, specifically Mexico's fascinating 'Cueva de Villa Luz', translated to be: "Cave of the Lighted House." ( http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1997/12/971228232315.htm)Also not included is info on Mexico's crystal cave (http://www.geotimes.org/mar01/crystalcave.html)

With that in mind, it's still a VERY good book, particularly if you're planning a caving/archaeological or anthropologicalexpedition and think you'll be needing info on the caves in the area.

If you "just" an 'armchair explorer', like me, it's still a wonderful buy and will help fill in any blank areas left on your exploration map.

Five stars awarded for a book that gives desperately needed (and would LOVE to see revised and updated) info on a very interesting scientific field.

nice overview
This book describes the major karst areas for each country. It includes maps of some specific caves and karst regions, along with interesting photographs. It is not a cave 'look-up' book. You will find only some of the largest caves listed for each country. The book is most useful for suggesting where one can expect to find caves in specific countries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Texas Caves - Great Book except for spine.....
The content of the book was wonderful, as were the pictures.I felt as though I was in the cave.Though I am alittle upset,the spine has already come apart after I read it a couple of times.

Underground Texas
The stunning beauty of Texas caves can be seen in the book's many photographs (both color and black & white).The first part of the book gives a brief overview of the geology of Texas caves and cave biology.Itprovides descriptions of the seven largest "show caves" in thestate (including directions, length of tour, camping, facilities, nearbymotels, etc).State speleological parks which offer wild cave tours(through undeveloped caves) are also mentioned.The second part of thebook includes chapters contributed by well-known Texas cavers.As a Texascaver myself, I was really happy to see a section on "Guide to CavingEtiquette," which can be useful to any reader who wants to know moreabout cave safety, Texas caving organizations, and establishing landownerrelations.Another bonus is a chapter that includes tips for cavephotography. This is a good companion book to "The Caves and Karst ofTexas" which was put out by the National Speleological Society (1994). ... Read more

Amazon.com
If you were to travel to the Amazon, say, or the source of the Nile, you would likely find the people there wearing corporate logo-branded T-shirts and listening to the latest pop hits on the radio. Using a GPS device or satellite photos, you can track your location just about anywhere on the face of the planet. Given globalism and the ease of travel to once-remote places, where is a would-be flag-planting adventurer to go these days?

The answer, writes Michael Ray Taylor in this intriguing book, is inward: inside the earth by way of the millions of caves that pierce its surface. Following an international team of fellow cavers--men and women in peak physical form and apparently without fear--his narrative takes us deep within the ice caves of Greenland; a vast underground labyrinth of rivers and chambers in Mexico's Yucatan; a cave on a cliff wall overlooking the Colorado River near the Grand Canyon, one that no human had ever before entered; and other great caverns of North America. High-quality (and sometimes astounding) full-color images accompany the text, offering views that usher us into a world of blind snakes, bats, strange geological formations, and uncanny sights that few surface-dwellers have been privileged to see.

Caving is not merely adventure for its own sake, Taylor notes. "Over the past decade," he observes, "scientists have been surprised to learn that in the deepest recesses of the Earth are repositories of exotic microbes ... far more varied in types of species and their individual strategies for survival than all the plants of an equatorial rain forest." Some of these microbes, he suggests, may deliver chemicals for fighting disease; they also deliver important evidence about the history of life on the planet.

But, all that said, caving offers plenty of thrills, and Taylor's book does a superb job of capturing both the science and the adventure of a journey to the center of the earth. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Where no large-format camera has gone before...
CAVES: EXPLORING HIDDEN REALMS by Michael Ray Taylor (0792279042, $35.00) provides some outstanding cave shots from caving experiences around the world. The book accompanies a new film 'Journey Into Amazing Caves' which was released in March 2001: many of the hundred-plus photos are from the film and highlight places no large-format camera has gone before.

How would you like to explore the mysteries of caves?
Many of us have probably been very fascinated with caves since we were small children. However, we probably never had the actual experience of exploring caves nor will we ever undertake such a voyage to many of our planet's uncharted regions.

Perhaps, the wisest and safest way to satisfy our curiosity pertaining to the study of caves, or as it is called, Speleology, is to seek out a good reference text. National Geographic Society's coffee-table book entitled CAVES: EXPLORING HIDDEN REALMS, authored by Michael Ray Taylor, would certainly meet the criteria as being one of the most outstanding introductions to the mysteries of the underground.

The tome is the companion text to the McGillivray Freeman Imax film by the same title.
Taylor separates the book into three distinct sections, ice, water and earth in order that we have a general understanding as to where caves are to be located as well as their respective formations. As the author states: "the skin of the world hides many caves. All are profoundly shaped by, and profoundly affect, the nature of the land overhead. Caves are to a surface landscape as veins and capillaries are to a human face-the hidden structure of an inseparable whole."

The ice section introduces us to the caves of the heartland of Greenland where glossy photos provide us with fantastic visual entertainment that convey to us the beauty of these caves as well as the danger constantly prevalent within. Moreover, we are also clued in to the many animal creatures found within these subterranean enclaves such as the tardigrade. It is to be noted that the study of life in caves is known as biospeleology.

Our adventure moves onto to some of the caves discovered beneath the Yucatan or the section dealing with water. One only has to stare at the introductory photos to this chapter and we can appreciate the utterances of the cavers when they assert: "we are amid the wildest scenery we had yet found in Yucatan; and, besides the deep and exciting interest of the ruins themselves, we had around us what we wanted at all other places, the magnificence of nature."

The final stop on our journey delivers us to the caves of the earth where we explore the deepest one in the United States, Lechuguilla located in New Mexico. We also venture into the caves of Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia or as they are termed the TAG region. The spectacular photo of the Lechuguilla certainly reaffirms the statement that "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Enhancing the usefulness of the book are the many articles pertaining to the study of caves that have been contributed by several well-known experts. These short essays also include those of the author, Michael Ray Taylor, who has explored more than 600 caves in expeditions that have taken him around the world.

Bon voyage on your next expedition into the world of caves where all you will need is a good chair and Michael Ray Taylor's brilliant book.

Norm Goldman Editor of Bookpleasures.com

Where in the world to cave
I am always left breatheless at the majestic beauty of every cave I am blessed to enter. This book gives wonderful descriptions of caves and the pictures in this coffeesque style bookare the icing on the cake.

A great guide to caving
This book is very well written with lovingly detailed chapters devoted to the many splendid cave networks dotted around the world. There's a great section on the flora and fauna of the underworld, as well. I went potholing in Kak Canyon once, and saw a couple of chutney ferrets, all thanks to this book. Incredible creatures - and I wouldn't have known they were there until I read this.

Super cave explorers
I really liked this book. It has good pictures for people who want to be a cave explorer. It tells you a good description of the caves these people explored. I really liked the fact that they explored ice, water and earth caves. I think students that are studying caves would really like this book ... Read more

Book Description
Twenty six stories from the twisted mind of Paul Steward takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of hell-filled passages. Paul explores the darkside of caving: from alien encounters under Roswell, to murder and fear in dark, twisting underground passages. Guaranteed to give even the seasoned of cavers the chills. Paul has a story about anything you can possibly imagine that can happen in a cave. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A Great Read for a Dark Night!
In Tales of Dirt, Danger and Darkness, Paul Steward shows us the intensity, the peril, the exhilaration of subterranean exploration.These tales will thrill, amuse, and frighten--in other words, they do exactly what good stories are supposed to do, entertain and inform.

This book is a must-read for cavers and non-cavers alike, and for adventurers in general (including the armchair variety).

Thrills and laughs - A very enjoyable read
Paul Jay Steward's novel of short stories, "Tales of Dirt, Danger, and Darkness," is a variety show of caving macabre. The author is your host as he appears throughout the book as if to say, "Welcome to my nightmare." Every page is filled with wry commentary and twisted wit as Paul guides you through caving anecdotes and tales that will make you paranoid enough to avoid the dark recesses of your own garage. This book not only held my interest, it also gave me the creeps and made me laugh out loud. I heartily recommend this one.

Beauty to Horror - What a lovely trip
Although not a caver myself, I certainly have enjoyed the beauty of caves.They have always seemed to have a life of their own, but now, after reading this collection of stories, I see dark and terrifying things in every corner (which is not a bad thing since I love a good horror tale).

These stories truly reach out and grab your heart and give it a good twist.No matter what your views were on caves before, wonderful or scary...you won't walk away from this book and see them the same ever again.

YIKES!
Mr. Steward's book should come with a sticker like a sign I once saw at a cave entrance. "WARNING, ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!"

I once enjoyed going into caves. Now I think I'll just be content with the IDEA of going into caves.

Seriously, Paul Steward's stories are intriguing and scary. In fact, the next time I'm with friends at a late-night campfire I'm going to pull out Paul's book and read the one about the two guys who make the mistake of trying to convince a landowner to let them explore a cave on his property...

If you think you like caves, you need to read this book. There are some things you should know...

The Darker Side
Outrageous, bizarre and funny, Paul Steward's book, TALES OF DIRT, DANGER AND DARKNESS, transports the reader into realms of terror not often visited. The horrors of the cave world, presented as entrapment and death, remind the reader that, in darkness, the mind is precariously perched between fantasy and reality and between good and evil. The terror of being accountable to the devil is there because of human greed and the desire for fame and power. And Steward often approaches the episodes in this book with subtle humor. We all have our spiritual dark sides, so clearly presented in this book.An electrifying collection of original short stories, and an excellent read! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
What was life like millions of years ago? The answer lies deep underground, in a place once home to a ferocious predator much larger than most animals walking around today. Through photographs and detailed illustrations, readers will learn how the secrets buried in a midwestern hillside helped scientists understand early life on Earth. This book's simple but informative format allows readers to follow along as paleontologist Matt Forir and his team of experts unravel a prehistoric mystery. ... Read more