Underground
Underground by David Macaulayby David Macaulay
Ranked 5 of 5 illustrated books by recommenders
A few readers recommend it as a vivid, well-liked read. The quotes are unclear, and one praises Yugoslav atmosphere in a way that suggests a different Underground.
A few readers recommend it as a vivid, well-liked read. The quotes are unclear, and one praises Yugoslav atmosphere in a way that suggests a different Underground.
3 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 3
- criticize it
- 0
- approval share
- 100%
Recommended in 2 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 3 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- Nobody criticizes itNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 2 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Captures Yugoslav atmosphere vividly
“captures the Yugoslav vibe quite vividly, highly recommend”
Comment from 27 Mar 2026 in “21,864 Yugoslavian .yu Domains” One of the better books read
“one of the better books I've read”
Comment from 23 Aug 2026 in “My favorite nonfiction books about cults, scams, and schemes” Loved alongside Castle
“_Castle_ and _Umderground_, though I love.”
Comment from 15 Aug 2026 in “Seven books I keep close because I love them”
Other illustrated books people recommend
The four most recommended other illustrated books, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Way Things Workby David Macaulay | 14 | 1 | 93% | 4 | — | Approved |
| Codex Seraphinianusby Luigi Serafini | 7 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| Castleby David Macaulay | 4 | 1 | 80% | 4 | — | — |
| Tool book of a Nuremberg knight from 1505 | 4 | 4 | 50% | 1 | — | — |
| Undergroundby David MacaulayThis page | 3 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
What people said
All 3 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“one of the better books I've read”
“_Castle_ and _Umderground_, though I love.”
“captures the Yugoslav vibe quite vividly, highly recommend”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.