Underland: a Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane

Underland: A Deep Time Journey is a profound exploration of the hidden worlds beneath our feet. While blending adventure, history, science, and philosophy, Macfarlane takes readers on a journey through underground landscapes across the globe, from ancient burial sites and ice caves to vast cave systems and nuclear waste storage facilities.

The book is divided into three sections—Seeing, Hiding, and Haunting—each examining how humans have interacted with the underground across time.

Macfarlane ventures into Norwegian glaciers, the catacombs of Paris, underground rivers in Italy, deep caves in England, and remote Arctic landscapes. Along the way, he explores the concept of "deep time", considering how the earth records history far beyond human lifespans.

The author also reflects on the ways humans use the underworld, whether for preserving knowledge, hiding secrets, or confronting mortality. He examines cave paintings, nuclear waste storage, mycorrhizal fungal networks (the "wood wide web"), and the burial of carbon and bodies beneath the earth. His poetic, immersive prose brings a sense of wonder and urgency to the book, as he also touches on climate change and humanity’s impact on the planet.

Questions for this book included:

• Was there a story that stood out to you the most? Which one and why?

• How does the book challenge our understanding of what is "hidden" versus what is "seen" in both nature and human history?

• What is humanity’s impact on the Earth, especially in the Anthropocene?

• How would we communicated with being from the future to warn them of the dangers we have created?

• What pictures or ideas would be the best representations for depicting humanity to beings that don't know us?

• The book touches on burial sites, nuclear waste storage, and ancient cave art. How do these underground spaces shape our understanding of human legacy?

• Did reading Underland make you reconsider the spaces beneath your own feet? Have you ever visited caves, tunnels, or other underground places?

• What do you think our descendants will inherit from us, and how does that make you feel?

• Why is the underground associated with fear and darkness? Can we appreciate more the beauty that is found there?

We further discussed our own relationship to the earth and the spaces beneath our feet. Collectively, most of us were aware of much of the science he referenced: neutrinos, mycorrhizal fungi, roots, caves, etc. So, as a whole, it made for an elaborate discussion that certain members could contribute additional knowledge to. However, the book was challenging for some due to its length, sometimes scientific jargon, and general lack of overall narrative and story arc.

Group mean rating: 6/10