Into the Planet
One Woman's Journey to Find Herself
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4.7 • 13 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Taking you to places no one has ever gone before, and blending memoir, adventure, and science, Into the Planet is a riveting account of one of the most dangerous yet exhilarating pursuits in the world: diving to the centre of the earth.
"If I die, it will be in the most glorious place that nobody has ever seen."
As one of the most celebrated cave divers in the world, Jill Heinerth has seen the planet in a way almost no one has. In a workday, she might swim below your home, through conduits in volcanoes or cracks in the world's largest iceberg. She's an explorer, a scientist's eyes and hands underwater—discovering new species and examining our finite freshwater reserves—and a filmmaker documenting the wonders of underwater life. Often the lone woman in a male-dominated domain, she tests the limits of human endurance at every tight turn, risking her life with each mission. To not only survive in this world but excel, Jill has had to learn how to master self-doubt like no other.
With gripping storytelling that radiates intimacy, Into the Planet will transport you deep into the most exquisite, untouched corners of the earth, where fear must be reconciled and the innermost parts of the human condition are revealed.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Most of us aren’t willing to risk our lives in the interest of conquering Earth’s final frontier, so thank goodness for the Jill Heinerths of the world. As a cave diver, Heinerth scoffs at danger, and she relates her experiences in a way that’ll make you feel like you’re right there—we acutely felt the conflict between determination and pain when a pair of too-small dive boots turned her toenails blue. You don’t need to be a scientist or a thrill seeker to appreciate Heinerth’s courage and the way she, as a rare woman in her field, proves that strength has nothing to do with gender. Trust us, you want in on this book.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Underwater explorer and documentary filmmaker Heinerth vividly depicts the extraordinary aquatic vistas she's discovered in this immersive memoir. Blending sport, science, education, and adventure, Heinerth balances technical information on the challenges of cave diving with her personal story of grit and determination. Hoping to "face challenges with fierce will and optimism," Heinerth left a high-paying job in Toronto for the Cayman Islands to work as a diving instructor. She earned her certification as a cave diver and, in 1995, joined an expedition to Huautla, Mexico, to explore one of the world's deepest caves. From there, she participated in a 1998 project in Wakulla Springs, Fla., where she was part of a team that mapped 42,000 feet of passages. As part of a National Geographic trip, she led a 2001 expedition to Antarctica, becoming a member of the first dive team to swim and film the caves of an iceberg. Throughout, Heinerth powerfully recreates the exhilaration of staking out "the longest underwater cave system in the world," in the Yucatan, and living with the fear of equipment malfunctions and the constant threat of death. Heinert's well-paced, informative memoir provides a thrill ride into unfamiliar worlds.
