Grand, Gloomy, and Peculiar: Stephen Bishop at Mammoth Cave;

Like most slaves in early America, Stephen Bishop dreamed of freedom. But when his master brought him to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky in 1838, he found a new obsession-- exploring the vast reaches of what would one day be the world's longest cave. Grand, Gloomy, and Peculiar: Stephen Bishop at Mammoth Cave is based on the true story of America's first great cave explorer, whose magnificent discoveries helped pave the way for Mammoth Cave to become a national park a century later. As a guide, Stephen was extraordinarily popular with tourists, and his reputation spread throughout the United States and Europe. Written from the perspective of his wife, Charlotte, this carefully researched novel combines adventure, history, humor, and romance. Indeed, it is a fascinating tale of two unforgettable slaves whose passion for each other, and for the cave below, made it possible for them to endure an otherwise intolerable existence.