"Writing in a style that reads like fiction, Griffith takes readers into heart-stopping action alongside caver John Ackerman, who found unexplored Goliath Cave in southeastern Minnesota." St. Paul Pioneer Press"For the great silent majority who prefer to cheat death by staying aboveground--in other words, for those who don't suffer from that peculiar mental affliction called caving--Griffith provides a safe and sane way of exploring the underground realm."Natural History Magazine "In nonfiction that reads like a fast-paced thriller, Cary J. Griffith explores the incredible beauty and danger of Minnesota's caves, along with the personalities of those driven to enter the unknown, whatever the risks. But beyond the drama of exploration, Griffith presents the very human conflict that results when a newfound cave system becomes a public trust--and a political football, bounced between bureaucracies, well-meaning experts, and the recreational cavers who discovered the labyrinthine passages, all of whom claim to know the 'best' way to protect fragile underground wilderness. A great read and an insightful look at the politics of conservation, Opening Goliath is destined to become a classic among cavers and noncavers alike." Michael Ray Taylor, author of Cave Passages: Roaming the Underground Wilderness and Caves: Exploring Hidden Realms"In Opening Goliath, Cary Griffith throws light on the hitherto dark world of Minnesota caving and the politics behind it.

This fascinating story features danger, adventure, and an intriguing glimpse at the conflicts and personalities involved in discovering the big caves of Minnesota." Gregory Brick, author of Subterranean Twin Cities"As captivating as it is informative, Opening Goliath leads the reader to and through a largely unknown world just beneath our feet, illuminating not only crawlways through the rock but a very human drama created by our reactions to the forces of geology." Jeffrey A. Dorale, Assistant Professor, Department of Geoscience, University of Iowa.