In Underground Worlds, David Farley explores buried places across the globe. "The motivations behind creating subterranean worlds are as diverse as the cultures they come from," writes Farley in the introduction--and indeed, the sites on display here are a reflection of that statement.
Broken into five sections, these geographical locations span the ancient (Istanbul's Basilica Cistern, one of the largest Roman relics on the planet), very old (Biete Amanuel, one of 11 underground churches in Ethiopia) and modern (the Lowline, an underground park in New York City). There are more than 50 places featured here, and they include tunnels and caves, temples and restaurants, hideouts and museums. Each is accompanied by a short essay and full-color photography and is interesting in its own right. Together, they are an invitation to revel in feats of modern and ancient engineering and architecture. Underground Worlds is a reminder to consider what lives beneath the ground as we travel the earth--be it in person or in books. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm