Gates - Hidden Cities

Praise for Hidden Cities

Hidden Cities offers a thrilling glimpse into the secret worlds that surround us. Moses Gates has crafted an endlessly absorbing book that succeeds on many levelsas a compelling travelogue, a nuts-and-bolts how-to manual, and a deep-feeling and highly relatable personal memoir. Anybody who reads it will emerge invigorated by possibility.

Davy Rothbart, creator of Found Magazine, author of My Heart Is an Idiot, and frequent contributor to NPRs This American Life

Hidden Cities is long anticipated by those of us who have spent the last five years enjoying Moses Gatess wild dispatchesposts from below, above, and inside quarters of cities that we never would have dreamed of visiting and probably did not know were even there. This book is a measured and heartfelt look at some wild times in some crazy places, but it is most of all a paean to curiosity and where it takes you.

Robert Sullivan, author of Rats and My American Revolution

An intrepid urban sherpas impassioned salute to the joy of trespassing. Part guidebook, part social history, part coming-of-age story. Dig in: youll never look at cities the same way again.

Robert Neuwirth, author of Stealth of Nations and Shadow Cities

I am a yellow-livered coward. I have also never been in shape: I have never seen my absI dont believe I have any. Thats why when it comes to true urban exploration, you need intrepid individuals such as Moses Gates and Steve Duncan, who have the intestinal fortitude to invade places like the catacombs of Paris, the tops of New York Citys great bridges, the sewers of Rome, and the underground rivers of Moscowand the savoir faire and aplomb to talk their way out of prosecution from the local authorities. Follow Moses, Steve, and others as they truly experience the worlds great cities in ways far removed from how Frommers, Fodors, or any Michelin guide would encourage you to do. Hidden Cities is a rollicking travelogue packed with secrets of the worlds metropoli that the local constabulary would rather you not discover.

Kevin Walsh, author of Forgotten New York

The strongest human desires, we might agree, are for love, food, a warm place to stay, sex, and the like. These obvious requirements for living a good life are joined, in the case of serious urban explorers, with the NEED to explore. A great city at night is a massive playground, a wonderland imprinted by the dreams, desires, and accomplishments of those millions who have lived and do yet live there. Moses Gates knows this and has beautifully described that yearning some humans have to explore the built environment. Whether you are an armchair adventurer or the most accomplished climber/explorer in the world, you will find the stories in this book charming, inspirational, and filled with examples of that most human of needs: the need to see and know.

John Law, coauthor of Tales of the San Francisco Cacophony Society, Suicide Club member emeritus, and cofounder of the Burning Man Festival

JEREMY P. TARCHER/PENGUIN

Published by the Penguin Group

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Copyright 2013 by Moses Gates

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Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gates, Moses.

Hidden cities : travels to the secret corners of the worlds great metropolisesa memoir of urban exploration / Moses Gates.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-101-60276-8

1. Voyages and travels. 2. Gates, MosesTravel. 3. Cities and towns. 4. City and town life. 5. Adventure and adventurers. I. Title.

G465.G38 2013 2012039954

910.9173'2dc23

Some names and identifying characteristics have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers, Internet addresses, and other contact information at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Penguin is committed to publishing works of quality and integrity. In that spirit, we are proud to offer this book to our readers; however, the story, the experiences, and the words are the authors alone.

For my Grandmother Ethel,
who is the coolest person I know