Robert Macfarlane and Steve Silberman / Underland

Robert Macfarlane, who has been called the “greatest nature writer of his generation,” makes a rare West coast visit to celebrate the publication of his masterpiece, Underland. He’ll be joined in conversation by science writer and author Steve Silberman.

Please note: This is a ticketed event — tickets can be purchased in advance here. The price of admission is equal to the cost of Underland, which is included with each ticket.

Hailed as “the great nature writer of this generation” (Wall Street Journal), Robert Macfarlane is the celebrated author of prize-winning books about the intersection between the human and the natural world. In Underland, he delivers his masterwork: an epic exploration of Earth’s vast subterranean landscape in myth, literature, memory, and the land itself.

Delving into what is known as “deep time,” the dizzying expanses of geologic time that stretch away from the present, Macfarlane takes us on an exhilarating journey to Arctic sea caves, Bronze Age burial chambers, the catacombs of Paris, the underground fungal networks through which trees communicate, a dark matter research lab searching for the origins of the universe, and a deep-sunk “hiding place” designed to store nuclear waste for 100,000 years to come.

Global in its geography, contemporary in its concerns, and written with great lyricism and power, Underland uncovers our complex, crucial relationship with the worlds beneath our feet.

Robert Macfarlane is the author of the prize-winning booksMountains of the Mind, Wild Places, and The Old Ways. He has contributed to Harper’s, Granta, The Observer, The Times Literary Supplement, and the London Review of Books. He is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Author photo by Bryan Appleyard.

Steve Silberman is an award-winning science writer and the author ofNeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, which Oliver Sacks called “a sweeping and penetrating history presented with a rare sympathy and sensitivity.” The book became a widely-praised bestseller in the United States and the United Kingdom. His TED talk, The Forgotten History of Autism, has been viewed more than a million times and translated into 35 languages. He lives with his husband Keith in San Francisco. Author photo by Tanya Rosen-Jones.

** Please note **

– This is an all-ages event.

– The duration of this event is up to the authors.

– Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.

– 1 ticket = 1 book, no exceptions. The book must be purchased from Booksmith. If you already have a copy of Underland, please remember that books make great gifts! If you’ve already gifted Underland to all of your friends, it’s ok to buy a different book from Booksmith instead — in that case, please write events AT booksmith DOT com.

– If you cannot attend the event but would like to request a signed copy of any of Rob’s books, order here and be sure to put your request in the comments field; for signed copies of Steve’s book, order here and be sure to include your request.