Though the title is intriguing this book wasnt really what I was expecting. I thought it would be more a travel guide to the different "hells" in different religions and mythologies, what I got was a travel guide to places on earth that either resemble, or have some affiliation with different "hells". Which was great dont get me wrong, just not what I wanted.
All that to say that it was a good book, well researched and informative. It was easy to read and all the locations definitely made sense. The pictures used were well chosen and quite stunning. So if what your're looking for is a travel guide to Hell on earth, this is the book for you.

Fun travel inspo book. There is more emphasis on why the locations are cool than the nitty-gritty of visiting, which makes it a perfect first step to dream of hellish vacations.

Go to Hell was an interesting look at the concept of hell across cultures. I found it to be a nice departure from all of the other books I was reading. It's not often you read a book with the word "Hell" in the title and make a list of travel destinations based on it. I wish it had been organized by place instead of by genre (for lack of a better word).

Go To Hell by Erica Engelhaupt, In the book we learn about different cultures versions of hell and there’s even pictures. This book had a plethora of stories in it it was not only informative entertaining educational but all also interesting. From Ireland to Africa to South America in Mexico everyone has a version of hell and the author did a brilliant job telling us all about it. I am blind and I can honestly say this is the first book that I read where I wished I could see the pictures but alas I could not instill absolutely loved this fun and informative read. #NationalGeographic, #NetGalley, #GoToHell, #ErikaEngelhaupt,

Thank you Netgalley and Nat Geo for access to this arc.

A lovely coffee book sponsored by National Geographic (and the photos are as gorgeous as you'd expect). Engelhaupt has divided the locations into three main "types": places that have, over the eons, been traditionally associated with various world versions of the underworld/hell (such as the Acheron river, Pluto's Gate), places that could easily have been associated with traditional underworld/hell but weren't (Yellowstone National Park, Gates of Hell [Turkmenistan]), and "otherworldly" places (Lake Maracaibo, Bracken Cave).

An interesting thing the author notes is that most civilizations around the world have some version of where they think spirits/souls go after death (with some it doesn't matter whether or not these spirits/souls are kind or evil) and many of these are eerily similar linking us back to our shared humanity. Most are dark, sulfurous, steamy, you-don't-wanna-end-up-there places while a few are actually friendly paradises.


As I said, the included photos are lovely but, should you be interested in visiting them, Engelhaupt has helpful information about the locations including making sure (and how to check to make sure) that lava lakes are currently there (they have a tendency to periodically vanish) before you go, places you need to make reservations, if you need/must hire guides and/or buy tickets, best times of the year to see the attractions, and that certain locations are subject to civil unrest to check the current status before you go. At the end, destinations are grouped by location (e.g. Australia - Cape York, Skull Rock, Mexico - Cave of the Crystals, Maya Cenotes) and there's a selected bibliography. So read this and plan your next vacation in hell. B

The premise of this book really appealed to me and I am glad I read it. I can imagine that to see this book in print would be truly visually stunning, as even having it as an eARC was wonderful.
My favorite thing about this book was that most of the places were places I had never heard of, and it gave me a whole list of places I would want to visit (and some I probably wouldn’t, even if I think they sound interesting). Some of the places are pretty close to home, too, like the Cave of the Moon in Idaho or Hell, Michigan!
The author handled each location with respect and often gave really good advice for tourists on how to visit without harming the ecosystem or disrupting the environment and to avoid getting hurt! This book gave me a lot of fun facts I can’t wait to trot out at parties, and made me sort of desperate to visit New Zealand and Antarctica!

This book was so good and super informative! It was not only that, but a very fun read too, which I expected from the start haha. I enjoyed it and learning about all of these locations! I kinda wish there were more in the U.S., but completely understand why there isn’t, haha.

Thank you to Erika Engelhaupt, National Geographic, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will be the first to say that this type of travel-esqueNational Geographic book is not my usual genre. And I am just so glad I took a chance to expand my horizons.

With a name like Go To Hell I was expecting something a bit more gimmicky, however, I was pleasantly surprised to read the well-informed knowledge filled between the pages. Through a blend of mythology, science, and world history, Engelhaupt successfully paints more than several pictures of the places deemed entrances to Hell, is inspired by Hell, or other Otherworldly destinations adjacent to Hell. She is extremely well versed in the subject content matter and so much fun information is packed into this relatively short and small package. Overall this was a fun read that I will definitely purchase for myself once published so I can hope to visit some of the places mentioned in the future.

This was such a fun look into places I know I'll never visit. It was also an interesting look into the way that the idea of an afterlife has connected us throughout the centuries. My only negative takeaway was that there were not enough photos. Thanks Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was fun, although not quite what I expected when downloading this. Very niche topic, would be interested to pick up as a reference guide in the future.

This book was really nicely laid out, filled with fascinating information, and contained wonderful images. Reading this book, I added quite a few places to my bucket list for visiting. This is a perfect coffee table book for the goth in your life, or eve your travel enthusiast.

Thank you to National Geographic and NetGalley for the DRC :)

I like that Engelhaupt uses science and history to explain the context of Hell, the underworld, and creates a book based on places. I also like that she mentions the dead, and this book reveres the cultural lore and science and marries them into a travel guide that reads realistically. One does not need to travel to the places to get a sense of what it's like, and why those cultures viewed these natural places as portals to the underworld. I also love the beautiful photography accompanying the book, which makes me wish I had a hard copy of it. When she gets to the section of actual hells on earth, it gets strange, infernal and the science and background of each place is explained-- she also finds a strange fascination with them and her enthusiasm reads well for us. I loved reading more about the wonderful places Engelhaupt writes about in this book.
Recommended!

4.5 stars

This is such a fun travel book. The theme of hellish travel is well researched, and laid out. Each entry is only a few pages long, making this book a very quick and easy read. While the entries are short, they give all the details needed to understand why the location is considered hellish, and how one might be able to see them if it is possible. It is also a beautiful book. Judging by the digital version I imagine this being a great coffee table, and conversation staring piece. There aren't photos for every entry, but the ones that have them truly give the reader a sense of the location and its otherworldly features. This is definitely an interesting read, and has given me some locations I would love to see in person.

I really enjoyed this book! It was fun to page through and make a “bucket” list of cool places to see.. I enjoyed reading all the bits of history and trivia about each place. It prompted many hours of internet perusing. Ha! plan to purchase this in hard copy when it is released. Thank you to National Geographic and NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and National Geographic for the ARC.

I thought the writing sounded familiar, and it was! I didn't realize that Erika wrote Gory Details, which I read about two years ago. This is just as enjoyable in a morbid sort of way. It covers a wide variety of cultures and beliefs, as well as any sort of permits needed to visit some of these places. The pictures chosen are gorgeous, and it makes me really sad that I'm too broke to leave the states and see them in person.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6711922384

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/d125729d-41ec-4135-b5d9-58fbf65d4636

Check out this review of Go to Hell: A Traveler's Guide to Earth's Most Otherworldly Destinations on Fable. https://fable.co/review/df80833d-9722-48c3-a583-876c2fb0cdbb/share

This book is hysterical. The title alone drew me in b/c I was very curious. It covers not only mythical places that are believed to be be gateways or portals to hell but real places as well.

You’ll visit caves, caverns, lakes, small towns, volcanoes even islands in search of hell on earth. All of these places are stunningly beautiful and some are incredibly dangerous and cannot be visited by just anyone. Others are small tourist towns that thrive on the kitschy and make for a fun vacation stop.

No matter which hell you decide to visit, you’re sure to be delighted. They all offer something unique and different and are all worth a trip to hell and back.

I was given this ARC for free in return for my honest opinion.

An intriguing travel book with a unique premise. I enjoyed all the mythology and religious context scattered throughout to acclimate the reader to the culture of each destination. I read this without the intention of actually traveling to any of these places, but as a person interested in the unknown of the world. However, it would also work as a travel guide, since nearly each chapter has "Know Before You Go" sections.

I am obsessed with this book I kept having to stop to add places to my bucket list or tell my partner about places that I want to go and the history behind them. I love how thorough this book is too, not only explaining the place but its cultural and historical significance. Then also going on to explain how and if you can visit these places and what you will need to do to experience them. I cannot wait to have a copy of this for my house so that my family and I can start out journey of seeing some of these amazing places.

This was such a cool book. I have been a fan of National Geographic since I was a small child (my grandfather bought me a subscription every year up until he died twenty years ago) so this made me think of him on top providing really cool visuals and info. This really is the perfect book for people that love geography, mythology/folklore, travel, photography, or just have a really inquisitive mind. I was drawn to it initially because the cover art caught my eye and I was quite amused by the title, so I needed to know more. Because I’m a nerd that is super into how different cultures view death/the afterlife/hell, etc. I was actually familiar with a lot of these locations already, but I did learn new, interesting facts about them all too. This really is just a super cool book. The pictures are really nice and I would definitely recommend this as a physical book over an ebook to get the full effect though. I plan on buying a physical copy when it comes out.

This isn't a book to read cover to cover, it's one to peruse and look back on over and over. It's the kind of book that I would have pored over for years as a kid. I love to travel and learning about interesting places is always fun. That said, not every place should be overrun with tourists - that's what books like this are for!