Subterranean Twin Cities Paperback – Illustrated, April 6, 2009

Fantastic read. I always knew they were caves and sewers in and around Saint Paul and Minneapolis but I never really knew the extent of them. The author does a great job of taking you there and allowing you to experience the true nature of the subterranean Twin Cities.Only thing that I would have liked to seen is more pictures and maps.

I actually heard about this book by 'overhearing' a conversation near Minnehaha Falls park. Not too long after that I had it in my hand and read it just about as quickly. I will go back and re-read chapters every now and then and I show it my kid and his friends when they ask about 'exploring'. I love to see how excited they get. I was fascinated by everything on every page. This book is one that won't collect dust on a shelf and really kept me interested.

I became aware of this book by reading a short, positive review in a local magazine. The online reviews seemed to have a decidedly different take, which piqued my curiosity even more. It's clear that the author has rubbed some people the wrong way, and I decided to simply discount the perplexing and harshly negative reviews here (which oddly all seem to contain the same exact criticisms) and find out for myself what this book is all about.I'm happy to say that it's a delightful read on a fascinating subject. Basically, I couldn't put it down.Brick's prose is a little tortured at times, but that somehow matches the mental image the reader gets of a guy covered to his waist in waste (raw sewage) most of the time. (What must the inside of his car be like...?)He wisely splits his time between his own adventures and detailed histories of the features he explores. As a Twin Cities history buff, I have to admit that I've never encountered more comprehensive histories of many of these caves -- not even close. If I had to guess, I'd say that about 60% of the text is historical background, and 40% is personal exploration stories. It's a good balance, but I would have been even more pleased to have those numbers reversed. His tales are frequently gripping.There are times, however, when his storytelling approach lets down the reader after prolonged teases. He often writes more about the process for finding something than what was actually found. I suspect this reflects his clear joy in the searches, but it occasionally leaves the reader all built up for a payoff which never comes (or is anticlimactic).The book also represents an unintentional but fascinating peak into a weird subculture to which I've never before been exposed: cavers. Clearly they are highly competitive, secretive, combative, daring, and not above sabotaging a rival's efforts. Conversely, in at least one story the rivals completed work that the author and his friends had begun. Like an extension to the book, the reviews and comments seem to also show this community at work. (For clarity, I am not -- nor will I ever be -- a caver. I'm way too chicken.)Two things would make this book even better: photos and maps. I'm not talking about maps on how to find the various caves and tunnels (which Brick is keen on protecting), but historical maps which are referenced as starting points for many adventures, or just old maps of the areas discussed -- especially in the section on underground rivers. And while he mentions taking photos or video in various stories, it's perplexing and disappointing that more of his own images are not included.Since he readily admits that many of his adventures involve trespassing, it's possible that he is just trying to protect himself. But at the same time, a number of the stories are about officially sanctioned activities (such as bat-counting) that led him into caves, and it seems reasonable that images from those excursions would not represent any risk. The same could be said for caves which either no longer exist or have been permanently and successfully sealed or filled. Even photos of former cave entrances, or those which have since changed beyond recognition, would be welcome.And though his budget may not have allowed it, there are plenty of historical photos available (beyond those few which are included) which would add greatly to his lengthy histories. The book is somewhere around 95% text, but with the addition of images it would make a wonderful, large-format coffee-table-style book (along the lines of ).In all, this book makes a terrific addition to my Twin Cities shelf, and I found myself sad when it ended. I'll put it away to happily read again in a couple of years, and I'll certainly keep my eyes open for a revised and expanded edition.

I read this when I have insomnia.

Can't fault the writing. I really wasn't sure what to expect. Had no idea there is such an underground exploration culture in the cities! There are some pictures, but I wish there were more. Glad I bought it.

As discribed

I don't remember when I heard about the caves of the Twin Cities but it was before the internet. Places like the Wabasha Street Caves stick out as probably the first cave in the Metro area I heard about, due to its infamous history.As a big fan of underground caverns, I have been in several include some of the area's show caves as well as Carlsbad Caverns. However, these caves are all on the beaten path and easily found. The caves that are described in Brick's book are not.If you are into underground adventuring the Twin Cities, this book is a "must have". I have been following Brick's work for over two decades and I assure you, he is the "real deal". As a student of history, geology, and cartography, just to name a few, Brick has been to places very few men have (or in some cases, shouldn't have) gone before. To even know where to begin looking for the numerous underground caverns, one needs to understand when and how everything developed from the natural erosion caused by the Mississippi River to the way St. Paul and Minneapolis were founded and their growth. They are all interconnected. Some can be reached with relative ease while others are virtually impossible without an experienced support team.I was aware of some the places in the book he describes but there are many others that I have not. Some of his descriptions of where exactly some of these places are is intentional. Caves are dangerous places for the unexperienced and the Twin Cities has had more than its share of cave related deaths. Plus, to get to some of these places one must be able to deal with raw sewage.I enjoyed this book thoroughly as it provided me a great description of what lies beneath the city streets without having to leave the comfort of my armchair