{"product_id":"9780809390380","title":"Beyond Mammoth Cave: A Tale of Obsession in the World's Longest Cave","description":"In \u003ci\u003eBeyond Mammoth Cave: A Tale of Obsession in the World’ s Longest Cave\u003c\/i\u003e, James D. Borden and Roger W. Brucker provide gripping first-person accounts of the discoveries, including Roppel Cave, that made Kentucky’ s Mammoth Cave three times longer than any other cave in the world.\u003cbr\u003e            \u003cbr\u003e Borden, a relative newcomer, and Brucker, a veteran explorer, bring a personal and sometimes conflicting view of their roles as adversaries in a race that lasted from 1972 through 1983 to find “ big cave.” They describe hazardous adventures, precarious climbs, and close calls from falling rocks. The perils are many and the trek arduous as they squirm through muddy tubes, wade in neck-deep cold water, and crawl over sharp rocks and gritty sand. Theirs is a tale of agonizing endurance spiced by spectacular discoveries.\u003cbr\u003e            \u003cbr\u003e But the cave was not the sole obstacle. The explorations were complicated by political intrigue and the rivalry between the Kentucky-based Cave Research Foundation and the Central Kentucky Karst Coalition, each seeking to make discoveries and hide secrets. Extreme stress, of course, evoked extreme behavior, ranging from selfishness to sacrifice, from outrageous humor to the deadly serious response.\u003cbr\u003e            \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eBeyond Mammoth Cave\u003c\/i\u003e includes maps by Patricia Kambesis that show the progression of cave discoveries in relation to the topography. Original line drawings by well-known illustrator Linda Heslop capture the dark mystery of the exploration. The book features five black and white photographs as a color gallery of photographs.\u003cbr\u003e            \u003cbr\u003e A sequel to \u003ci\u003eThe Longest Cave\u003c\/i\u003e by Brucker and Richard A. Watson, this book is a comprehensive update of the speleological investigations in the Mammoth Cave region. Brucker’ s involvement provides continuity to the investigation.  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Southern Illinois University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47118486831344,"sku":"9780809390380","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780809390380_p0.jpg?v=1763738812","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780809390380","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}