Customer Reviews

Great Caves of the World

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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There are 28 caves in this 112-page book: each has some striking color photographs plus narrative text. Some of the photos are of formations that can be found in many caves, but most will help convey an idea of why a particular cave is included in the book. Every caver will have his/her opinions on why cave X should have been included in preference to cave Y, but the selection of caves from around the world is good. Of particular interest are photos of some immense cave passages, dramatic freefall pits, and the like.

What I and other cavers might miss here are maps--maps showing rough locations, and cave maps (plan or profile). We like to look at such maps to tweak our imagination. Fortunately, however, there are other sources--the Internet, the NSS News, and the superb Atlas of the Great Caves of the World (loaded with maps, but printed 20 years ago). So this is a book that will delight non-cavers and cavers especially--who will appreciate some of the fine caves that not many of them will be able to visit.

The author has selected twenty-eight caves from around the world and, following three pages of introduction to caves in general, devotes one or more pages to each, with at least one large color photograph. Many of the caves are big: Mammoth Cave as the longest cave, Carlsbad Cavern as the largest tourist cave, San Actun as the longest underwater cave, Kazumura Cave as the longest lava tube, caves of Mulu as the largest cave passages, Krubera as the deepest. But some are small caves notable for other reasons: Sterkfontein Cave for paleontology, Grotte Chauvet for paleolithic art, Villa Luz and and the Waitomo Caves for biology. Caves notable for scenery include Lechuguilla, ice caves of Austria, and Skocjanske Jame.

A few of the photos aren't sharp enough to warrant the size they are printed, and some could have used more skillful preparation for printing. The text appears to have been written for children, because the reader is annoyed by constant repetition of dimensions in both metric and English systems, as well as references back to the introduction whenever terms are used that are even slightly technical. Nevertheless it is informative and explains clearly why each cave qualified as one of the author's choices. If you are interested in caves but don't know where all the caves I mentioned are, you should read this color picture book.--Bill Mixon

The author takes us for a journey around the world, presenting several wonderful caves.
Although some more technical caves are missing (some of them really amazing), the books provide a great glimpse about Speleology, allowing the neophyte start thinking about a career (maybe a hobby) on this kind of adventure.

Spectacular -- awe inspiring -- but, no serious discussion of the difficulties explorers face in their efforts.
Read BLIND DESCENT.

From the first time I was taken to see Howe Caverns as a child, I was entranced. Seeing Carlesbad was practically a spiritual experience....it would have been if I weren't one of a tourist group being led thru like curious sheep.
This book has lovely photographs of some of the best caves/caverns in the world. Breathtaking.