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The Underground Storyteller
What would happen if the London Underground ceased to exist? When Alex Day visited Wales to find the oldest passenger train in existence, he discovered it wasn't there. Faced with the idea that this could happen to the tube, he set off to visit every station - all 270 of them - to see what stories they had to share and preserve them forever. Funny, fascinating and touching, this is a tale of one man's obsession, adventure and the human stories that are only a train ride away.
- GenresNonfictionTravel
290 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
26 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
About the author
Alex Day
2 books135 followersAlex Day is a twenty-nine year old student of the Open University, currently studying French and Chinese. He has written and released five albums and two books, including his memoir Living and Dying on the Internet which documents his life as a YouTube personality. Since he believes in the concept of interbeing — which suggests all things exist as one without the dualistic separation of self — he is an eighty-nine year old Vietnamese zen master who lives in the south of France and founded a Buddhist monastery where he lives and works to promote and cultivate mindfulness. He is also Elton John.
Sign up to Alex’s mailing list at alexday.ninja for a brief once-a-month email about latest projects and recommended books.
Sign up to Alex’s mailing list at alexday.ninja for a brief once-a-month email about latest projects and recommended books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 25, 2014
The author repeatably tries to be witty , and fails miserably every time. The only reason this book ever got a publishing deal was because this author had quite a large Youtube following. However, once the publishing company found out about the author, Alex Day's, rape and sexual abuse they rightfully retracted the deal. Why? Because , first of all, he is a vile and disgusting human being. And, his diminishing internet popularity (created only by mind-numbing, mediocre videos) would mean a lot less sold copies. And god knows, this book is awful, so it's not as though it could or does stand on it's own. Thus, the reason why the book got postponed and, is self-published.
The people who like this book, like it purely for the reason of supporting Alex Day. The poor, wronged fuck-boy crybaby whom claims he did nothing wrong and thought it sucked if what he did caused anyone to '''''feel weird'''''. A fun term for, long lasting psychological damage thanks to emotional and sexual manipulation. Don't buy this book. Unfollow Alex Day on all social media sites. And never allow him the chance to come within a 5 mile radius of yourself.
The people who like this book, like it purely for the reason of supporting Alex Day. The poor, wronged fuck-boy crybaby whom claims he did nothing wrong and thought it sucked if what he did caused anyone to '''''feel weird'''''. A fun term for, long lasting psychological damage thanks to emotional and sexual manipulation. Don't buy this book. Unfollow Alex Day on all social media sites. And never allow him the chance to come within a 5 mile radius of yourself.
July 6, 2016
The premise sounds weirdly interesting - a book about some British guy travelling to each Tube station and writing down his thoughts on what he sees. It sounds weird, but it totally works.
That is what YouTuber Alex Day's The Underground Storyteller is - a book with a weird premise that works and makes a great read. I admit, I only bought the book because I'm a huge fan of Alex, but, now that I've read it, I'm sure I would have found it interesting had I seen it in a bookstore and not known who Alex was.
What makes The Underground Storyteller different from other non-fiction books is that is combines the history of London and the Tube with Alex's own history and musings, and going off on tangents that Alex manages to somehow relate back to trains. It's literally as if Alex is talking to you about his day on the Tube, telling you about the people he's seen and the sites he's come across.
Those familiar with Alex day and his videos will completely understand his train (pun intended) of thought and how he can be talking about trains one minute and Pokemon the next, and how all this relates to the point he was making about a Tube station. It sounds weird I know, but it just seems to flow and make complete sense.
Alex set out to ride each of the elven Tube lines and stop at each of the 270 station, taking in the sites, delving into Underground history, and sharing his own anecdotes about the area. We are really reading his train diary. Each chapter focuses on one line, as Alex tries to make every station before the day is out (which he succeeds for all but two lines).
Pros: Alex's anecdotes combine history, trivia, philosophy, social commentary, general musings and words of wisdom, which provide a very interesting read about British culture, life on the Underground and living in the 21st century.
Cons: As someone who watches Alex's videos, I have become accustomed to his mannerisms, way of thinking, sarcasm and storytelling, so I understand his style of writing and storytelling within the book. However, I feel that someone who hasn't seen Alex's work may have trouble following Alex through the numerous tangents he goes off on, and how he describes his experiences. In saying that, I feel that if they push through and finish the book, they will come out the other side with a sense of understanding and enjoyment with what they have read - stick with it and it will be great.
This book definitely takes you on a journey, making you feel by the end that you have travelled alongside Alex and witnessed everything he has.
Overall, I highly recommend people checking this book out and giving it a go. You can read the first chapter over on Alex's website to get a taste of what it's all about.
{Published on My Books Are Me: http://mybooksareme.weebly.com/}
That is what YouTuber Alex Day's The Underground Storyteller is - a book with a weird premise that works and makes a great read. I admit, I only bought the book because I'm a huge fan of Alex, but, now that I've read it, I'm sure I would have found it interesting had I seen it in a bookstore and not known who Alex was.
What makes The Underground Storyteller different from other non-fiction books is that is combines the history of London and the Tube with Alex's own history and musings, and going off on tangents that Alex manages to somehow relate back to trains. It's literally as if Alex is talking to you about his day on the Tube, telling you about the people he's seen and the sites he's come across.
Those familiar with Alex day and his videos will completely understand his train (pun intended) of thought and how he can be talking about trains one minute and Pokemon the next, and how all this relates to the point he was making about a Tube station. It sounds weird I know, but it just seems to flow and make complete sense.
Alex set out to ride each of the elven Tube lines and stop at each of the 270 station, taking in the sites, delving into Underground history, and sharing his own anecdotes about the area. We are really reading his train diary. Each chapter focuses on one line, as Alex tries to make every station before the day is out (which he succeeds for all but two lines).
Pros: Alex's anecdotes combine history, trivia, philosophy, social commentary, general musings and words of wisdom, which provide a very interesting read about British culture, life on the Underground and living in the 21st century.
Cons: As someone who watches Alex's videos, I have become accustomed to his mannerisms, way of thinking, sarcasm and storytelling, so I understand his style of writing and storytelling within the book. However, I feel that someone who hasn't seen Alex's work may have trouble following Alex through the numerous tangents he goes off on, and how he describes his experiences. In saying that, I feel that if they push through and finish the book, they will come out the other side with a sense of understanding and enjoyment with what they have read - stick with it and it will be great.
This book definitely takes you on a journey, making you feel by the end that you have travelled alongside Alex and witnessed everything he has.
Overall, I highly recommend people checking this book out and giving it a go. You can read the first chapter over on Alex's website to get a taste of what it's all about.
{Published on My Books Are Me: http://mybooksareme.weebly.com/}
March 7, 2015
Quite well written, especially for the author's first book. Those criticizing it for lacking a plot don't seem to realize that it is a nonfiction book and does not necessarily need a plot. That being said, it has considerably more plot than many similar informational books.
Day is a talented writer and has put together a very entertaining book and informative book. My only gripe with this book is that it does contain a few syntactical errors that probably would not have existed had his publishing deal not been revoked.
Day is a talented writer and has put together a very entertaining book and informative book. My only gripe with this book is that it does contain a few syntactical errors that probably would not have existed had his publishing deal not been revoked.
December 12, 2019
Overall, I believe this was a worthwhile read. There were times I laughed aloud and times I had deeply introspective moments. There were beautiful endings to each of the chapters on this book and the structure was good. Each line having its own chapter and each stop talked about in some respect kept the book in good order. It's also a very unique book. It mixes the history of the Tube in with the author's own thoughts and experiences.
The reason I only gave it 3 stars is because it still feels as though it needs polishing. There are times when the flow is off and the story hard to follow. Also, the writing is not the best. It just needs a few more edits to be really polished. It's also difficult that there are no maps (I pulled one up for each line on my phone/iPad) and the author doesn't mention that he will be skipping the stops he has already visited. Once you get used to this, though, the book is quite enjoyable.
This book is good as a cleanser after a more difficult or heavy book as it keeps a pretty light pace and is easy to get through. I would recommend giving it a try.
The reason I only gave it 3 stars is because it still feels as though it needs polishing. There are times when the flow is off and the story hard to follow. Also, the writing is not the best. It just needs a few more edits to be really polished. It's also difficult that there are no maps (I pulled one up for each line on my phone/iPad) and the author doesn't mention that he will be skipping the stops he has already visited. Once you get used to this, though, the book is quite enjoyable.
This book is good as a cleanser after a more difficult or heavy book as it keeps a pretty light pace and is easy to get through. I would recommend giving it a try.
April 1, 2016
I was actually really surprised by this. I was already a fan of Alex, but i read the first chapter online to make sure i would actually like the book before i bought it. It ended up being really interesting to read how somebody else experienced things, plus it was well written but not too serious or simple. I think Alex's way of writing is really charismatic, though can be slightly repetitive at times (but what can you expect from a book made up entirely of somebody's time at train stations). The footnotes were an added fun bonus. Overall it's not a book i'd read over and over but I did find it really enjoyable.
January 15, 2015
If you like Alex Day and his wonderful personality and are looking to learn interesting facts and tidbits about the Underground and trains, this book was great. Admittedly, at times the writing style was scattered and had trouble staying on topic, but overall a very interesting first novel. The concluding chapter was very well written and allowed for great reflection at the end of the read. I am interested to see if Alex has any more books planned for the future.
September 10, 2015
The Underground Storyteller is a very well written story filled with fascinating history, funny tales, and spot-on observations. Alex Day writes in a way that is like a vlog, it's rambling that's directed straight at you. I loved it from start to finish. All change please!!
March 2, 2015
Upon finishing this books, I realised 2 things:
1-I enjoyed it quiet a lot.
2-Because of the scandal on YouTube involving the author, Alex Day ended up publishing the book by himself, resulting in no proper reviews from book critics, quotes from which could be placed on the cover, so I might as well write one myself.
Let's take a moment to forget about the accusations made against Alex Day and concentrate on a what matters the most in this case: the book. From the very beginning it already made me highly engaged in the journey of a young man, who decided to visit every single London Underground station there is. It is true that the author sometimes tries to be wittier than he is, however it does not stand on the way of a pleasant and informative read while sipping on a cup of tea along with milk chocolate Digestives cookies.
I'm not British originally. And I'd moved to live in the UK only this past September. I don't know whether that fact affected my excitement whilst reading this book, since I genuinely enjoy learning and I'm also interested in the history of this country, but it helped me to discover a lot of new and interesting things about this weirdly-brilliant-and-bizarre-but-nevertheless-heartwarming place and its people.
I'm happy to let you know that as I was learning new facts about stations and the city of London itself, I decided to conduct a little experiment, if you will, on some of my friends who were either born here or lived for a reasonable amount of time to know some of those facts. What I ended up doing was asking them simple questions, like whether they knew what was the actual name of Big Ben (both the building and the bell), and watched EACH of them fail miserably at trying to come up with an answer. Made me somewhat proud that I've managed to learn much more than them in less than a year already.
I recommend British people to read this book just as much as foreigners interested in trains and history. The Underground Storyteller is written in an easily-read, funny and engaging way, which helps you to indulge in the history of this great, beautiful city and one of the most iconic underground networks in the world.
1-I enjoyed it quiet a lot.
2-Because of the scandal on YouTube involving the author, Alex Day ended up publishing the book by himself, resulting in no proper reviews from book critics, quotes from which could be placed on the cover, so I might as well write one myself.
Let's take a moment to forget about the accusations made against Alex Day and concentrate on a what matters the most in this case: the book. From the very beginning it already made me highly engaged in the journey of a young man, who decided to visit every single London Underground station there is. It is true that the author sometimes tries to be wittier than he is, however it does not stand on the way of a pleasant and informative read while sipping on a cup of tea along with milk chocolate Digestives cookies.
I'm not British originally. And I'd moved to live in the UK only this past September. I don't know whether that fact affected my excitement whilst reading this book, since I genuinely enjoy learning and I'm also interested in the history of this country, but it helped me to discover a lot of new and interesting things about this weirdly-brilliant-and-bizarre-but-nevertheless-heartwarming place and its people.
I'm happy to let you know that as I was learning new facts about stations and the city of London itself, I decided to conduct a little experiment, if you will, on some of my friends who were either born here or lived for a reasonable amount of time to know some of those facts. What I ended up doing was asking them simple questions, like whether they knew what was the actual name of Big Ben (both the building and the bell), and watched EACH of them fail miserably at trying to come up with an answer. Made me somewhat proud that I've managed to learn much more than them in less than a year already.
I recommend British people to read this book just as much as foreigners interested in trains and history. The Underground Storyteller is written in an easily-read, funny and engaging way, which helps you to indulge in the history of this great, beautiful city and one of the most iconic underground networks in the world.
December 1, 2014
The Underground Storyteller by Alex Day is a book about the London Underground, the transportation system that connects millions of people in the United Kingdom. In the book, Alex Day writes of his experiences riding each of the lines that make up the London Underground and the often untold history behind them.
One of the things I loved about the book was that it was authentic and interesting. I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy a book about a guy who rides on underground trains all day, but I actually found it quite enjoyable because the author made the experience feel authentic. He didn’t go on tours or recite the history of each stop out of a text book. Alex would just hop on one of the lines and write, making the reader feel as though they are part of the experience. The story is about exploration and finding brilliance in seemingly normal things.
However, even though I loved the feeling of authenticity, the book lacked cohesive writing. Often times the writer would jump from one subject to another. This resulted in a lack of flow and made it hard at times to pay close attention. It should be noted though that the author does not write for a living and this was the first book he ever wrote, but the problem still stands.
Overall, I liked The Underground Storyteller. The book was creative and always felt really authentic, even if it lacked cohesion at times.
One of the things I loved about the book was that it was authentic and interesting. I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy a book about a guy who rides on underground trains all day, but I actually found it quite enjoyable because the author made the experience feel authentic. He didn’t go on tours or recite the history of each stop out of a text book. Alex would just hop on one of the lines and write, making the reader feel as though they are part of the experience. The story is about exploration and finding brilliance in seemingly normal things.
However, even though I loved the feeling of authenticity, the book lacked cohesive writing. Often times the writer would jump from one subject to another. This resulted in a lack of flow and made it hard at times to pay close attention. It should be noted though that the author does not write for a living and this was the first book he ever wrote, but the problem still stands.
Overall, I liked The Underground Storyteller. The book was creative and always felt really authentic, even if it lacked cohesion at times.
December 1, 2014
It was really good, interesting historical facts mixed in with contemporary modern anecdotes and real life experiences. I read it really quickly it was hard to put down and have now lent my copy to other people I want them to read it too so we can talk about all the cool bits. I will never see the Underground in the same way again and am looking forwards to the next time I do so that I can see the Stations again myself and compare them to what he said/happened to him that day.
December 17, 2014
Witty and thoughtful, I enjoyed this book start to finish. I've seen Alex Day's videos on YouTube and when I heard he was writing a book about the London Underground I rushed to buy it as I enjoy his sense of humour and I always want to learn more about London. I was not disappointed. I laughed a lot and learned a lot of interesting facts. Loved it!
November 23, 2014
For fans of Alex Day this is a great book, its funny and it very true of Alex's style. Some of the parts were engaging yet the topic seemed to drag on as the book neared the end. But the pages are of an exquisite quality.
June 20, 2018
I really enjoyed this book because I'm a big fan of his videos, and it was written perfectly in his voice. I was excited about this ever since he announced he was writing it, and it was well worth the wait. And it was like he said; it was just like a long video of his.
December 16, 2014
I wouldn't say I'm interested in trains at all, but I actually really enjoyed this book. Alex has a way of making the most simplest of things seem interesting and important. It's a good book that I would recommend for anyone looking for a funny and interesting read.
March 29, 2015
A bit like Bill Bryson, Alex writes with a mix of anecdote and researched fact. Interesting, informative and entertaining.
January 31, 2021
About 90 pages in, I gave up. Too conversational, too much off-topic nonsense, too chaotic. The author can't choose between footnotes and in-line comments between brackets, so uses both. Expects you to know and understand London of 7 years ago without explaining it. Has some awful pacing issues. Lost interest.
July 25, 2018
ideas are both unoriginal and uninteresting. would not recommend to anyone.
unfinished
December 2, 2020very long
July 27, 2022
My favorite book to read on plane rides.
June 3, 2025
Funny but it would be far cooler if I would have lived in London, to be able to recognize places more.
January 25, 2017
This book started off quite dull. When I started to read, I thought it was childishly written. However, once I got past the Mumbles part, I really started to enjoy this book. Yes, the book is written in a basic way. However, it has you gripped as you visualise the author visiting all the Underground Stations. This book really is written with a personal touch based on the author's Underground and life experiences. He describes life situation as he sees passengers which are brilliant. I didn't like the footnotes at first as I thought they were unnecessary but they are really good and part of the book. The biggest charm of this books is that it mentions a large amount of little known facts about both the Underground and London which are fascinating. As a fan of the Underground, I have learned a lot while reading this book. I have also learned a lot about London that I didn't know. Another similar book please Alex Day.
July 11, 2017
Separating the art from the artist here, I LOVED this book. Many people point out that Day’s writing is jumbly and disorganized. He does jump abruptly from topic to topic, however, everything he writes about is relevant to the message of the book. Plus, with 270 Tube stations, it's impossible to have something original to say about every single one; many of them are bound to be uninteresting. The author must embellish and stray off-topic at times, or else the book would be extremely dull. And Alex Day is just the man for this job. His humor is spot-on when it comes to making witty observations about his surroundings...
Full review on Rose Read!
Full review on Rose Read!
June 1, 2022
This is the book I wish I'd read before I went to London for the first time. You can tell so much about a city or country just from using its public transportation, and London is no exception. It's a world within a world. If you don't get this then this book isn't for you.
The book is filled with observations and facts and a bit of history here and there, oh and you'll have a few laughs along the way. I think I now know more about London's underground than my own city's subway. Alex, you do ramble a bit (the casino story comes to mind) but overall it's good.
The only reason I'd rate it 4 stars is because it's lacking a map. But I'm still leaving it 5 stars. Good job!
The book is filled with observations and facts and a bit of history here and there, oh and you'll have a few laughs along the way. I think I now know more about London's underground than my own city's subway. Alex, you do ramble a bit (the casino story comes to mind) but overall it's good.
The only reason I'd rate it 4 stars is because it's lacking a map. But I'm still leaving it 5 stars. Good job!
July 7, 2017
Had this book recommended to me and was on the hunt for it almost a year when I finally found it for a reasonable sum of money. The first half was really good. Thought this would turn out to be one of my favourite books. But the last half was not that good for various of reasons. The author does put himself on a pedestal at times and tries a little too hard in places as well, but I don't regret reading it though by any means!
Plan on rereading it before visiting London again and this time mark the tourist-y parts of the book, and skip a few sections of the last half. Looking forward to reading it on the tube, as it should be.
Plan on rereading it before visiting London again and this time mark the tourist-y parts of the book, and skip a few sections of the last half. Looking forward to reading it on the tube, as it should be.
March 8, 2015
I was really into this book at first, and then completely lost interest. What was missing for me was a more methodical approach to talking about each station. Some stations barely got a mention, while he went on for ages telling an anecdotal story about another. He didn't always mention that he'd left out a station because it was on another line, which I sometimes found confusing. I think this book is really only appealing if you're a big fan of Alex Day, and even then it wasn't enough to make me enjoy it.
December 28, 2015
I feel like this book is better in theory. I was really excited to read this but halfway through I'd find myself skimming or having to reread a paragraph three times to really read it. Some of Alex's personal stories and encounters were hilarious, and other times I couldn't figure out why a particular anecdote was included. When he was on it, he was //on//, but when he was off...it was pretty awful. Two stars seems a bit harsh but three is much too generous. I'd only recommend this book if you have an immense fascination with a firsthand experience with the tube line, 50% of the time.
August 13, 2015
I've been anticipating this release from Alex Day since it's announcement last year, and he has delivered!
The book serves as part memoir, part companion as the author recounts his multiple journeys on all London Underground lines. Giving us detailed and rather witty analogies along the way. As a train enthusiast I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy of the information. The style and composure, of the writing is strong and drew me into the journeys the author made further and further.
Highly recommend this to all!
The book serves as part memoir, part companion as the author recounts his multiple journeys on all London Underground lines. Giving us detailed and rather witty analogies along the way. As a train enthusiast I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy of the information. The style and composure, of the writing is strong and drew me into the journeys the author made further and further.
Highly recommend this to all!
October 21, 2014
If you like his youtube videos then you will probably love the audiobook. It's great listening to Alex himself reading it. I enjoyed it tremendously! It's funny, thought provoking and you will even learn a thing or two about the London Underground.
But it does have a flaw or two. It tends to get a bit repetitive stylistically. Something that felt interesting the first time gets a bit boring the 15th time..
But anyway, I still loved it and I really recommend the audiobook!
But it does have a flaw or two. It tends to get a bit repetitive stylistically. Something that felt interesting the first time gets a bit boring the 15th time..
But anyway, I still loved it and I really recommend the audiobook!
April 4, 2016
As much as I enjoyed this book I found I took a lot longer to read it then I usually would. However that being said I thought it was great and very easy to pick back up. I would read a chapter get distracted by another book and then come back to this one. It is well written and a fun and informative read. I got to say I was surprised that I enjoyed this book with it being about the tube but that is just the surface. All in all a great book
May 27, 2015
I have been watching Alex's YouTube videos for some years now, so when I heard he'd be releasing a book I decided to be supportive. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book despite knowing very little about the London Underground. I would definitely recommend this book for the interesting stories and anecdotes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews