Hi,

I am looking to buy or borrow the above book, it isn't readily available.
Has anyone one read it? Is it worth a read?

Ally

One of the authors gave me a copy to read last year. An excellent read. Ghost written from interviews with all the main protagonists. Unfortunately she didn't bring many copies over to the UK and I don't think Bat Products had any. If you PM me I can let you know Barbara am Ende's email. I keep meaning to contact her to get a copy for myself.

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=3587612

http://www.littlebrown.co.uk/Title/9780446527095

http://www.eruditor.com/books/name/barbara_am_ende.1202228.html.en


Andrew

Many thanks for your replies, I have placed an order with the 3rd link (cheapest) lets hope they have a copy in stock. My digging obviously wasn't deep enough.
Again Many Thanks
Ally

Not problem, An interesting book.

Andrew.

The Huautla Caves system in Mexico has long been the "Holy Grail" of cavers. Fighting floods, cave-ins and Mazatec Indians who believe the caves are holy, caving teams have competed every year to be the first to prove the cave's depth. No-one has gone further than Bill Stone, the world's foremost caver, whose 20-year obsession nearly ended in disaster. He first explored Huautla in 1976 during the frontier days of caving. Over the next 15 years he stayed at the top, inventing clothing and equipment to help in his obsession. Finally, in 1994, after years of preparation, Stone and his 44-member team entered the Sotano de San Augustin sinkhole at Huautla. It was the beginning of a journey that would untimately claim the life of one diver and force every member of the team back - except Bill Stone and team member Barbara am Ende, who forged on alone, with no hope of rescue, to set the record for the deepest cave dive in the Western Hemisphere.

Click to expand...

Does indeed sound like an exciting story, if not maybe a little dramatised by this introduction!

if not maybe a little dramatised by this introduction!

Click to expand...

It is written in what could be describe as an American way (USA) a bit over stated and not as reserved as an English writer would be. Never the less a good read.

Andrew.

I've read it and it is an excellent read and very well written.

Beyond the Deep? Now there's a masterpiece to match the epics of Clive Cussler.....  A few years ago I borrowed a copy and read it whilst on expedition in Austria.  Every night in the bunk room I'd read out a chapter to the rest of the Dachstein crew and the reactions varied from horror to guffaws from the listeners. 

My opinion is this: if you're an experienced expedition caver then you'll be horrified at some of the antics that went on.  If you're interested in the history of exploration in Mexico then you'll find it of value.  If you're a cave diver then it's a must-read.  However, if you get irritated by badly-written books then you'll be ripping your hair out and throwing it at Dirk Pitt (some big mincer of a character in some cheesy novels)..... 

I think that everyone should read this just for a laugh.  It's a shame because it's not really on a par with Beneath the Mountains or the Great Caving Adventure but it is a book about caving so I guess it should be supported at some level.  Doesn't mean to say that I'd want to pay for it, though!

(oops: looks like I'm bored).

Best value is if you've met, or caved with, Bill. At that point a lot of things can be read between the lines because it's all entirely true to character - an entertaining exercise in its own right, although a bit niche.

My concern, as with a lot of American books, is that I'm not sure that Ian's family would be enchanted with some of the detail of the latter part of the book...they get very coy about lurve but have no reserve at all about grisly stuff.

But I'm with Joel - very Dirk Pitt. Reading 'The Great San Agustin Rescue' would be an ideal antidote to all that moral rectitude.

I would agree with the last post that it is more interesting if you have met some of the protagonists. 

Since making my request for information I have discovered on Amazon.co.uk it is possible to read the beginning of the book.
For anyone interested follow the link below.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/0446527092/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link
Ally