Underland

This is NOT a book about caves. You might think then that this is a book about something called “The Underland”. This is also not necesarily true. This book is about exactly the thing it says in the title. It is “A deep time journey”, meaning that this book is about one mans specifc personal journey with his exploration of what writer John McPhee calls “Deep Time”, and how exactly he thinks this relates to the anthrocene of earth. The book is seperated into three parts, with a shorter piece before each one, and a final piece after the third section. Almost every single bit of writing in Underland is both equal parts incredibly eloquently written, and explained in a way that makes the subject matters interesting. If you bought this book (please buy it, its worth having a physical copy to mark all your favorite quotes (there will be a lot)) expecting McFarlane to just wax poetic about caves or something, youre in for so so so much more, and its beyond worth it to give it a chance.

I find caves (and nature in general) incredibly boring. That thing you just read that I typed was true on June 17th, 2023. Now it is July 21st, 2023, and that statement is a massive lie. Here is a very real and genuine list of some of the things this book is about, in simple and reductive terms, because a part of the magic of reading this lies in figuring out how McFarlane connects everything to society and what it all means in his world view.
Burial of loved ones and how humans have done it through history
Urban exploration and the exploitation of unavoidable ruin
Our place in the universe and carrying on through uncertainty
How forest communicate within themselves and how humans sort of do this too
The indomitable human spirit and also carrying on throug uncertainty
How war bakes history into the living world and how landscapes are within themselves terrifying storybooks
the intoxicating call of ice maulins and the genuine wonder in seeing things happen in nature
and even how a team of semiotics experts werent even able to figure out how to stop humanity from destroying itself with radioactive waste on purpose

As I read this book over the span of a month I had tons of ideas of things I wanted to talk about, but I decided that this review probably wont help anyone decide whether or not they want to buy this, so instead im gonna wrap this up by talking about how “The Understory” chapter in the first section of this book is one of the most interesting and education things Ive ever read. McFarlane is an extremley talented writer, but a lot of my favorite lines from this entire book are actually quotes he borrows from another writer. These quotes always match the tone and style of writing of Underland pretty perfectly, so they never feel out of place when used, but there are a few specific quotes from The Understory that I absolutley adore. Do yourself a favor and check it out

This astonishing, fascinating book is the first Macfarlane I have read. I don't think it will be the last. A writer of rare power, yet immensely readable, Macfarlane takes on a journey to the world beneath our feet. The book is split into three “chambers” and within each one the author weaves together natural history, myth, superstition, archaeology and an account of his adventures in the underworld.

Macfarlane starts with caving, probably the most familiar underground space to the reader, delving deep into systems that take him far back in geological time. Vast cathedrals of stone full of majesty and loneliness. A deep world, alien and full of dangers. He recounts some of the fatal accidents that have befallen cavers over the years. A hideous death.

The exploration of the catacombs and hidden spaces beneath the city of Paris is truly memorable, and Macfarlane conveys the claustrophobia and wonder brilliantly. Each adventure is taken in the company of seasoned explorers, in this case urban ones, who have mapped the under-city and guard its secrets zealously.

On and on he goes, into ever deeper places, strange netherworlds hidden from sunlight. He tells of underground cities built hundreds of years ago in Turkey; of sinkholes and glaciers hidden within a mountain in the Balkans. Pushing himself to the limit physically, Macfarlane is not afraid to put himself in danger to see what he needs to see. Another memorable adventure is a solo trek in the dead of winter on a remote Norwegian island to see handprints on a cave wall, created thousands of years ago. Some of the earliest art know to man.

Finally he visits the retreating Glaciers on Greenland, dropping down moulins to see deep inside the great ice mountains. And then to modern man-made deep chambers where nuclear waste is to be stored, our own deadly legacy to future generations.

It's a fantastic book, and a great read, that really makes you think about the world, our place in it and the effect we as humans are having upon the planet.

Very highly recommended.