The pulse of great cities may be most palpable above ground, but it is below the busy streets where we can observe their rich archaeological history and the infrastructure that keeps them running. In Beneath the Metropolis journalist Alex Marshall investigates how geological features, archaeological remnants of past civilizations, and layered networks transporting water, electricity, and people, have shaped these cities through centuries of political turbulence and advancements in engineering — and how they are determining the course of the cities' future. From the first-century catacombs of Rome, the New York subway system, and the swamps and ancient quays beneath London, to San Francisco's fault lines, the depleted aquifer below Mexico City, and Mao Tse-tung's extensive network of secret tunnels under Beijing, these subterranean environments offer a unique cross-section of a city's history and future. Stunningly illustrated with colorful photographs, drawings, and maps, Beneath the Metropolis reveals the hidden worlds beneath our feet, and charts the cities' development through centuries of forgotten history, political change, and technological innovation.

亚历克斯·马歇尔（Alex Marshall），美国《纽约城市》杂志的独立撰稿人，匹兹堡卡由基梅隆大学政治经济学和西班牙语双科学士，纽约哥伦比亚大学新闻学硕士。他是《纽约城市》杂志地区规划委员会的资深会员，他的工作曾被《纽约时代杂志》、《大都市》、《沙龙》等众多媒体报道。