The Underworld

A thrilling picture of the weird creatures in the deepest parts of the ocean – and the adventurers who are plumbing our world’s unexplored depths . . . [Casey] shadows scientists and explorers going where, well, no man has gone before . . . Her account of these dives must be described as immersive – as well as adrenaline inducing. Yet what motivates the book is not shallow excitement but heartfelt wonder . . . The weird deep-sea creatures, especially, inspire fine writing. * The Sunday Times *
Masterful and mesmerizing, Susan Casey's THE UNDERWORLD is an irresistible mix of splendid scholarship, heart-stopping adventure writing, and vivid, visceral prose. Her book about the ocean's deeps is both uplifting and profound in the literal sense. I was riveted to every page. -- Sy Montgomery, author of THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS
Casey’s descriptions of the shimmeringly strange life teeming below the waves capture her wonder and ravishment in prose that morphs into poetry . . . enthralling. * Boston Globe *
Not just a knowledgeable guide, Ms. Casey is also a memorable wordsmith . . . [Casey’s] book has more than enough deep-sea biology and geology to dazzle. * Wall Street Journal *
A fascinating history of mankind's journeys to the depths of the ocean and the intrepid scientists and adventurers who have devoted their lives to the work . . . Casey's book satisfies our greatest curiosities about the mysteries of the ocean. * Time *
Casey proves to be an exceptional adventurer and chronicler but also a member of a community dedicated to exploration and conservation of our least-understood aquatic wild places. * Los Angeles Times *
An awe-inspiring journey. * People *
[The Underworld] is a fine tour of the history and challenges of exploring this most fantastical and forbidding of earthen worlds. * Washington Post *
[An] entertaining account . . . wondrous . . . Casey excels at conjuring the “marvelous weirdos” that glide through submersibles' beam. * Scientific American *
One of the most accurate and vivid portrayals of a deep-sea dive that I have ever read. * Science Magazine *
A thrilling and enlightening exploration of the deepest parts of the world’s oceans, featuring some of the most daring aquanauts using cutting-edge technology to make discoveries that boggle the mind. * The Explorers Journal *
Prepare to submerge. Susan Casey is a reporter in a league of her own. She will go anywhere to get her story. This one is full of astounding news, great characters, wondrous explorations, and a full measure of outrage. Deep-sea mining, you will come to understand, must be stopped. -- William Finnegan, author of Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life