A signed copy of Ghar Parah by David Judson

[Pegasus]

The owner of Edge of The World (Adrian North) gave me a signed copy of Ghar Parau by David Judson when I arrived for work yesterday - wasn't expecting that as Adrian's not a caver!

He'd been browsing through the mountaineering section in a second hand book store and came across a book on caving so bought it for me - how lovely 

I have a copy and it's an excellent read so thought I'd pass this second copy on (with Adrian's agreement of course).

So a question:  If you were to recommend 5 books for someone relatively new to caving to read, which would they be??  Some of my favourites, in no particular order are Trapped, One Man One Pan, 10 Years Under The Earth, The Cave Explorers, Beneath The Mountains and Down to a Sunless Sea - oops that 6 already - there are more, we have a shelf full.

Anyhow, one signed copy of Ghar Parau up for grabs - contribute to this thread and I'll choose someone at random - if you have a copy already, you can nominate someone else  :hug:

...and some publicity for Edge Of The World as the boss is such a decent fellow - www.edgeoftheworld.co.uk - take a look 

 

[RobinGriffiths]

These would be mine, in no particular order...

Subterrenaen Climbers
The Caves Beyond
Adventures of Another Pooh
The Cave Explorers - would make it onto any list
Gaping Gill - 150 years of exploration

 

[cap n chris]

David Heap's Potholing beneath the Northern Pennines
Jim Ballard's Spur Book of Caving
Conan Fraser's Dead Man's Cave
Pierre Chevalier's Subterranean Climbers
Rob Taviner's Is that So?

 

[Fulk]

Subterranean Climbers
One Thousand Metres Down
Underground Adventure
Under Plowman's Floor
Radiant Darkness

 

[tamarmole]

Caving Practice and Equipment
Darkness Beckons
Subterranean Climbers
Alpine Caving Techniques and as an interesting contrast to ACT
On Rope.

(Don't need a copy of GP - I have two!)

 

[al]

Casteret, Gemmel and Myers all kindled my interest back in the sixties, but I still dip into Iain Barker's book to read the notes he adds to each of his caves. They really bring an extra dimension to a guide book; I wish he'd write a second volume.

One Thousand Metres Down - Jean Cadoux;
Ten Years Under the Earth - Norbert Casteret;
Underground Adventure - Arthur Gemmell & Jack Myers;
Of Caves and Caving - John Gillett;
Classic Caves of the Peak District - Iain Barker.

 

[Simon Wilson]

Adventures of Another Pooh

Read chapter one for free.

http://www.diadembooks.com/pooh.htm

 

[Fulk]

Of the books that inspired me when a young lad, Subterranean Climbers and One Thousand Metres Down were two of the top three, both being epic tales of adventure in places I could never hope to go to (though in fact, I?ve been to both the Berger and the Trou du Glaz since). Meanwhile, the third title, Underground Adventure, indicated that there were caves to explore and excitement to be had much closer to home, and was, perhaps, more inspiring for that simple fact.

 

[tamarmole]

I found the translation of "1000 Metres Down" a bit clunky, it rather got in the way of my enjoyment of it.

 

[andychapm]

It'd be useful to have a copy of Ghar Parau so I could research it and record an audio interview with Dave Judson.

Anyway, my favourite books:
1) Vertical by Al Warild (Brilliant and under rated book on SRT by one of the World's greatest cavers)
2) Not for the Faint Hearted (for researching these future trips!!)
3) Huautla by Bill Steele (Good read on Mexican caves)
4) ULSA Explorations 2 (One of the best journals written)
5) Any copy of Descent (Always well written and inspiring, brilliant effort by Chris and Judith)

But finally, 'A Spider on a Silver Thread', a compilation by J.M. Boon. Coming very soon.........

 

[ianball11]

I think I've only read 5 caving books (not including journals, magazines, guidebooks or technical books) so I've listed them in the order of how much they inspired an interest of caving which is probably a random judgement on how interested I was in caving at the time more than the quality of the book.

Underground Adventures by Gemmel and Myers
Gaping Gill: 150 years of exploration by Beck
Beneath the Mountains by Rose and Gregson
It's only a game by Eyres
Blind Descent by Tabor

 

[Benfool]

Tails of another Pooh
Alpine caving techniques
Beneath the mountains
Underground Adventures
The last adventure

 

[Les W]

My 5 favourites

Subterranean Climbers - Pierre Chevalier - Probably the greatest caving book ever written 
One Thousand Metres Down - Jean Cadoux
The Cave Explorers - Jim Eyre
The Longest Cave - Roger Brucker and Richard Watson
Race Against Time - Jim Eyre and John Frankland

 

[Mark Wright]

The Caves Beyond - Lawrence / Brucker
Subterranean Climbers - Chevalier
Memoires of a Speleologist - De Joly
Spur Book of Caving - Ballard

& obviously,

Gouffre Berger - Wright / Shone & Others 

 

[steviet_scg]

5 books to recommend to a newcomer ...

Start with lots of pictures ...

1. Gouffre Berger - Wright et al
2. Secrets of the Moors and Dales - Forder x2

then, move onto adventure

3. Subterranean Climbers - Chevalier

then, how to go caving

4. Caving Practice and Equipment

then, tales of it all going wrong

5. Race against time - Eyre and Frankland

 

[Antwan]

I've only read Subterranean Climbers - Chevalier, and Caves and Karst of the Yorkshire Dales so I guess I'd have to add northen caves 1, 2 and 3 to complete to line up

 

[nickwilliams]

The Darkness Beckons - Martyn Farr: - great stories and pictures

Beneath The Mountains - Rose and Gregson: - the best account of student expeditions in English literature

Caves of Adventure - Haroun Tazieff: - riveting account of early exploration of the PSM

Northern Caves, Vol 3, Ingleborough - Brook, Davies and Long: - who could resist a cave whose description begins "A magnificent, classic pot with fine situations"

Swildon's Hole - 100 years of exploration - Irwin, Moody and Farrant: - a uniquely detailed guidebook and historical account of one of the most significant caves in the UK.

 

[rhychydwr1]

I could not do without;

THE CONCISE CAVES OF DEVON

THE CAVES OF CORNWALL

THE CAVES AND MINES OF ANGLESEY

THE CONCISE CAVES OF NORTH WALES

THREE BELOW GOWER UK.

 

[Pegasus]

It'd be useful to have a copy of Ghar Parau so I could research it and record an audio interview with Dave Judson.

Anyway, my favourite books:
1) Vertical by Al Warild (Brilliant and under rated book on SRT by one of the World's greatest cavers)
2) Not for the Faint Hearted (for researching these future trips!!)
3) Huautla by Bill Steele (Good read on Mexican caves)
4) ULSA Explorations 2 (One of the best journals written)
5) Any copy of Descent (Always well written and inspiring, brilliant effort by Chris and Judith)

But finally, 'A Spider on a Silver Thread', a compilation by J.M. Boon. Coming very soon.........

Does anyone who's posted on this thread have any objections to me giving the book to Andy (see quote above)?

Thanks, Pegasus

 

[ianball11]

not me