In 1991, acting on a tip from a local fisherman, two recreational scuba divers discovered a sunken German U-boat 60 miles off the New Jersey coast. The wreck lay in 230 feet of ocean water, too deep and dangerous for all but the most accomplished scuba divers. The submarine's crew perhaps 60 men lay dead inside. No historian, expert or government had a clue as to which U-boat the divers had found.
I think it may be realy interesting book for men.Subject let's autor to put many adventures inside this book
Thanks for possibility to read parts of this book. Have a nice day everyone.
I just finished this book. I loved it. I grew up only a few miles away from Brielle, New Jersey. I've actually been to the 'Horrible Inn' in my younger days. Maybe that doesn't say much about my character or my ability to review a book!
I found this book facinating. I knew little of the Germans patrolling the eastern seaboard during WWII. The information on the submarine and it's crew was interesting and heartbreaking at the same time.
I was amazed at the risks the divers took, their courage and perseverance.
I was going to pass on the book, Patty, because I have tons of other stuff to read and I wasn't sure this book was going to be interesting. You made the book sound worth reading, so I am going to get it from the library and put it at the top of my "MUST READ" list. Hope it's as good as you say it is.
If you count the NPR performance of this book on "Radio Reader with Dick Estelle" then I have read this book twice over the past year. It is a fantastic read. The mystery of the sunken U-boat's identity and what happened during her voyage (and especially her final hours) is well told and will keep you turning the pages.
It has a special appeal to anyone interested in WWII and/or mystery stories (but I think a woman could be interested in it as easily as a man could...providing she's interested in this kind of story).
Overall a pretty engaging read so long as the subject matter sparks your interest (but then, isn't that always the way?).
I finished this book nearly a month ago after discovering it at my local library. I learned more about deep sea diving and it's risks than I had ever realized. Few men can accomplish what these guys did and they did it all on their own time and dime.
This book is also a History Channel episode titled "Hitler's Lost Sub."
I have a cousin who was an EO on a sub during WWII. I will buy this for him for next Christmas. If I can't find it at the library, I will buy it early in order to read it before I send it to him. The book certainly has an intreguing beginning. During '41 thru '43 I was in prep school near Middletown, DE. We took turns spending 3 hour tours on the roof of the school tower at night trying to spot and identify all aircraft. Later in '43 I volunteered for the Army Air Corps.
Even though I'm just starting to read this book, I'm already interested. My husband used to scuba dive and now he's in the Navy, so there's already a tie there. Also, I found the book immediately engaging.
I think I will enjoy this adventure! Just listened to some divers on a CBC radio show the other day, they are looking for a specific wreck off the coast of Nova Scotia but that same sense of adventure was evident. Am going to request this from the library. I think my husband will like this one too with its military history component.
As a diver, I find the subject fascinating. The one wreck dive that I have experienced (tame as it was, comparitively speaking) haunts me still. There is something very eerie about all that twisted metal and the hundreds of untold stories that went down with it. I will certainly seek this book out in my library.
Thanks - it is great to read with friends.
I guess I was pretty naive about the training and experience needed to properly salvage a sunken ship.
There were moments when I had to take a deep breath and fenjoy the fact I was above water.
A good read from both a historical and an adventure perspective.
Pam - am not reading the selections yet (have company of dtr. and 2 active gr.children) but I do take time to check the forum responses and I am for Nick Nolte for Anything - did you or anyone read or see "The prince of tides"? -
Yes Doris, I did see Prince of Tides, a very powerful movie. Have fun with the grandkids! You'll have a nice bit of reading piled up for you when you have time to relax.
Today's reading was so interesting. I like finding out new things...never would have dreamt about fishing wreck sites.
I'm not even a member of the non-fiction group, but noticed how many posts this selection was garnering on the forum and came to see what the excitement was about. I requested it from my library based on your ravings and it came in yesterday. As soon as I finish the book I'm reading I'll be DIVING into this one. Thank you all so much for leading me to what looks to be a great story.
Dani
PS: When I picked it up at the library, they also had for me "Bringing down the House" which I learned about the same way. I've got some excellent non-fiction reading ahead of me thanks to all of you and Suzanne.
My husband picked this book up before I got started in it and finds it very well down with a good development of characters plus a fascinating read. Good Pick
It is a rare thing when I find a nonfiction book that captures me to the point where I cannot put the book down. Night after night I annoyed my husband and son toting the book with me all over the house. They'd be watching TV, and even though I was in the room with them, my head was at the bottom of the Atlantic with John and Richie.
"Shadow Divers" is superbly written after obviously exhaustive research; Mr. Kurson gives credit and details of his painstaking research at the end of the book.
I am not a scuba diver, nor do I entertain thoughts of becoming one. This book, even with the detailed descriptions of diving, decompression, breathing apparatus, and other dive lingo kept me glued to every detail.
I am in awe of John and Richie, who, after years of diving the U boat, finally discover the one artifact that identifies the U boat - against colossal odds that would cause even the bravest among them to give up the search.
John and Richie weren't just wreck divers; they were devoted to their craft, and to the men of the U boat; their quest to indentify the U boat wasn't for glory or gain. Their quest was to give the families of the fallen sailors closure and peace.
A great read that I am recommending to any divers that I know, as well as to others like me who just love well-written historical nonfiction.
finally got a copy of this book and am almost finished. Highly recommend it. Exciting, interesting characters, learning lots of new things...good book.
