“Into the Planet” is a memoir about the dangerous field of cave diving and is written by a woman — often the only woman on her expeditions. The book discusses the beauty and danger in diving deep into caves, along with the challenges of sexism and maintaining healthy relationships while pursuing your dreams. There’s also a theme of the importance of learning about the environment we live in and our impact on it, particularly related to our drinking water, but also the myriad ways our actions impact others personally, professionally, and in ways we cannot imagine, such as the way the cave divers influence space exploration. I read the audiobook, which was narrated by the author, and I often found myself holding my breath while listening to her brushes with the limits of what the human body can endure. My favorite part was when Heinerth traveled to Antarctica to dive into a iceberg(!), although the book was interesting throughout as she conveyed the language and science of cave diving in a way someone with no real prior knowledge of the subject could understand and enjoy.
Three words that describe this book: Breathtaking, Claustrophobic, Educational
You might want to pick this book up if: You would never actually don a wet-suit, but want a firsthand telling of diving deep into the planet.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
