Wildfire lands Fitch underground atlas

Wildfire has landed an atlas of underground spaces by Chris Fitch, providing a “gorgeously-illustrated chronicle of the world we rarely see”.

Commissioning editor Shoaib Rokadiya acquired world rights for Subterranea direct from the author. Featuring full colour maps, graphs and images, it will be published in autumn 2020.

The synopsis explains: “From the cave cities of Cappadocia to smuggling tunnels on the US-Mexico border and a seed vault located 1300km inside the Arctic circle, and with dozens of natural wonders in between, Subterranea is the extraordinary story of our planet below the surface.”

Fitch’s first book Atlas of Untamed Places (Aurum Press) was nominated for a 2018 Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award.

He said: “Subterranea is where the world’s remaining mysteries are yet to be found, including unexplored caves and cavities in the earth full of strange creatures and incredible geological formations. But it’s also where we humans stash both our most sacred treasures and our darkest secrets. It’s where we find evidence of our past, and potentially will prepare for an uncertain future. I for one am looking forward to diving headfirst into the underground world.”