Tunnel Visions: Journeys of an Underground Philosopher

by Christopher Ross

Christopherr Ross, philosopher and traveller, decided to cease his journeyings and go underground, quite literally. Seeking an antidote to incurable restlessness he chose to work for a year as a Station Assistant on Platform 6 (northbound Victoria Line) at Oxford Circus Station. After Training School, where he is taught how not to electrocute himself and always to look in the eye a member of the public as they are assaulting you, he faces up to his new duties with a mixture of curiosity and foreboding. What, exactly, will he find deep under the surface of London? "Tunnel Visions" is a mixture of lived experience in the surreal world of London's Underground and the more elevated ideas, thoughts and imaginings that experience provokes. Oxford Circus Station, complete with its weeping wall, its streakers, buskers, onanists and cupboard containing one employee whose ideal working day was to sleep soundly 100 feet below ground, is a Plato's Cave of reflection and human comedy.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, London, Transport, Autobiography, Biography

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Christopher Ross travelled to Japan in 1991 and ended up staying for nearly five years. Here he studied Japanese language and contemporary literature, and took up aikido. He also worked as an English teacher, model and television actor, appearing in numerous commercials and in a popular Japanese historical soap opera.

Ross is the author of Tunnel Visions (2002), a bestseller, and Mishima’s Sword: Travels in Search of a Samurai Legend (2005). Christopher Ross is now a full-time author and lives in Paris.

Reviews

[F.E. Beyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happened to Christopher Ross? 'Tunnel Visions: Journeys of an Underground Philosopher', his debut, was published twenty years ago by The Fourth Estate and featured on BBC radio. I got a hardcover copy out from the library - no ebook is available. In 2005 he put out 'Mishima's Sword', which I read in 2007. Both books are similar - there is a central subject but Christopher Ross -philosopher - wanders around as he feels like it. The result? Both books lack focus but are pleasant reads.

In Tunnel Visions, Ross, in his late thirties, returns to England after a long time overseas and takes a part-time job on the platform of a London Underground station offering customer service and maintaining order. The book contains observations of his humdrum job and memories of more inspiring years of living in Japan. I had a similar experience to Ross: I came back to NZ to work in the post office after years away. Like him, I've struggled to be 'career orientated'. Has he continued to defy societal pressure to identify himself with his job? Few people manage that.

In Mishima's Sword, he uses his time as an English teacher in Japan to do martial arts and research a book. Similarly here, his undemanding job allows him time to think...and, well, a successful book was a good result. He also seems to have gained a zenlike control of his emotions. Ross is about sixty now - the last info on him from over a decade ago said he was living in Paris as a full-time author. Why no more books I wonder?

[Neil Fulwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

In which Ross, having spent a chunk of his life in the East and become deeply interested in philosophy, finds himself back in England and takes a part time job as Station Assistant on the London Underground, an occupation which requires no real intellectual effort and puts him at the centre of a bustling cross-section of humankind; gradually, his observations and experiences begin to inform the structure of a specific framework of philosophical enquiry. ‘Tunnel Visions’ is a short, sometimes aphoristic, book but unexpectedly engaging and occasionally quite delightful. I picked up a second hand copy on a whim and I can’t help thinking that the universe knowingly steered this one into my path.

[Christopher Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly enjoyable. The tale of a philosopher back in London and deciding he has to do a part time job to pay the bills and ending up as a Station Assistant for London Underground at Oxford Circus tube station.
Told in paragraphs of varying lengths and very funny at times.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it helped that I'd read Mishima's Sword, his later book on Japan, first, otherwise I don't think I would've appreciated where he was coming from here. Basically, he's a globe-trotting intellectual who takes a job as a platform worker with the London Underground, though he's waaaaaaay overqualified. I found it interesting when he stuck to the job itself, but towards the end he veers away from that, and I had trouble keeping fully invested in the book.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to be more like Christopher Ross. A great, quick read.

[Joe Downie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and quirky enough but not blown away - not as profound or thought-provoking as I'd hoped and certainly not the modern classic the reviews suggested.

[Alex Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and humorous read that is stuffed full of interesting anecdotes, musings and tangents. It takes a little dip in the third part where it becomes a sudden critique of education systems (which still is interesting and quite short) but this does not ruin the rest of the read. Ross has clearly experienced a lot, and I find it fascinating how he ties these experiences to the world of working for TFL.

[Lisa Pryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not often I read a book more than once but this one I do!

[Elmer Gomez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite good.

[Dorothee Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the books that i keep returning to:

Christopher Ross wrote this book while working part-time for the London Subway after a longer time of journeys. Actually the book is a reflection on life, inspired by his encounters and observations in the "tunnels". The subtitle is: "Journeys of an Underground Philosopher". Best place to read: while taking the subway. Here's a quote:

"My adventures Underground ... were a different kind of study. A real life class. ... Do we run on rails or are we free? This, for me, was an obsession. Am I a train? Who decided where the tracks lead? Can I get about under my own locomotion, my own steam?"

--
PS: this is part of a longer review on reading books in the place they relate to. here's more: http://virtual-notes.blogspot.de/2012...

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only recently finished this book and have already started quoting it and passing on some of its wisdom. It's another one of those that teaches you never to judge a person by first impressions. You have no idea who's behind that apparently remedial job, like working as an assistant in the London tube. You don't know how smart they are, what they've been through in life or where they're heading. Everyone is complex, and the journey through Christopher Ross's mind was a fascinating and entertaining one. Easy read on some deep topics. Highly recommend it.

[Venelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It resembles a diary of a man in searching for himself and the meaning of his life. Love some of the ideas and events - like these for responsibility for self-actions; sense of purpose for living; happiness etc. Actually it is pretty realistic book and that's the thing I like the most.

[Lucie · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Sophia Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed it the first read- have read it several times since- Thoroughly recommend it.