Mankind’s use of caves and rock shelters is as old as humanity itself. Caves have been mined for their geologic and biologic treasures, used for shelter against harsh climatic conditions, as sites of ritualized ceremony, and, of course, for recreation and tourism. Since the dawn of man, they have also been used for untold numbers of unspeakable acts of human cruelty and barbarism. In True Tales of Terror in the Caves of the World, Paul Steward takes us on a grisly tour of some of the more gruesome aspects of spelean history.

True Tales of Terror is divided into five main sections: 1) Murder and Mayhem, 2) Cowboys and Indians, 3) The Spoils of War, 4) Suicides and Accidents, and 5) Weirdness and the Unexplained. Each section contains a representative collection of concise tales—global in scope and often vivid in their depiction of gory detail—affording readers a brief glimpse into a nightmare world of caving history. Most of the narratives chronicled by the author are based on well-documented historical information and supported by undisputed physical evidence. However, some of the accounts have their roots in fantasy, superstition, or biblical teachings. Others remain an unproven part of regional folklore, awaiting only a stalwart caver to stumble upon the ghastly discovery that will raise the story out of the province of local legend

True Tales of Terror is sort of a cross between the NSS Accident Analysis Files and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. If your taste runs to the macabre, this is the book for you. After reading through some of these interesting snippets of spelean lore, you may never again glance around that next corner of an unexplored passageway with quite the same sense of wanton abandon. Or, if you are particularly impressionable, you might even think twice about that lights-out, listen-to-the-sounds-of-the-cave ritual, so commonly included as part of beginner caving trips. Certainly, Steward’s True Tales of Terror in the Caves of the World will leave you wondering about the unwritten history of some of your own favorite caving haunts and maybe even make you think twice about a late-night caving trip when a glance into the forest reveals an unexpected light in the distance.