Free author event for all ages! Susan Casey will discuss her book The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean on Thursday, Aug. 22, at 7 p.m. at Civic Center Library Storytime Room, 1188 S. Livermore Ave. Registration is not required to attend. Books will be available for purchase from Towne Center Books at this reading and signing event.

For The Underworld, Susan Casey traversed the globe, joining scientists and explorers on dives to the deepest places on the planet, interviewing the marine geologists, marine biologists, and oceanographers who are searching for knowledge in this vast unseen realm. She takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of deep-sea exploration, from the myths and legends of the ancient world to the scientists who are just beginning to understand the mind-blowing complexity and ecological importance of the quadrillions of creatures who live in realms long thought to be devoid of life.

Susan Casey is the author of The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean and The Devil’s Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America’s Great White Sharks. From 2009–2013, Casey served as the editor in chief of O, The Oprah Magazine. While reporting, Casey has lived among great white sharks, faced 70-foot waves off Maui’s north shore, ventured into the heart of the Gulf oil spill, trained as a sharpshooter, and performed as a mermaid in a giant tank, among other adventures. Her writing has appeared in Esquire, National Geographic, Fortune, Time, and Sports Illustrated. From 2000 to 2009, Casey was the development editor of Time Inc.; the editor in chief of Sports Illustrated Women; and an editor at large for Time Inc.’s magazine titles. From 1994–1999, she was the creative director of Outside magazine, where she was part of the editorial team that published the original stories behind the bestselling books Into Thin Air and The Perfect Storm as well as the movie Blue Crush. Casey has made frequent TV and radio appearances, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Good Morning America, and The CBS Morning Show.