Product Description

February 1945 - The war is almost over and Britain and America rule the waves. To enlist for a German U-boat is suicidal. But sixty young Nazi soldiers choose to enter the cramped underwater conditions of the U-869 for the most difficult mission of all - to reach and then bomb the coast of America. Several weeks later the boat barely has enough fuel to make it home and radio links with Germany are broken. The commander, Neuerberg, must make a tough decision: to carry on to America and risk death in the pursuit of glory, or to admit defeat and return home. Driven by pride, patriotism and determination, he decides to risk it.

June 1991 - A group of deep-sea divers hear about the wreck of a U-boat 260 feet beneath the sea. There are virtually no records of the Nazi submarine, and an on-location investigation is extremely dangerous. But twelve divers decide to take the risk. Over the next six years they eventually piece together an incredible story. In the process three of the divers die, marriages collapse, and history is made. Deep water wreck diving is the world’s deadliest sport, and John Chatterton and Richie Kohler pushed its limits.

This is a beautifully written, dramatic book about one of the greatest of human traits – the resolve people find in moments of deepest peril.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40996 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Publishers Weekly
'Superlative .... If the publishers are dreaming of another Perfect Storm, they may get their wish.'

Review
'His research is meticulous, his characters are skilfully drawn and the narrative is so well paced and constructed that it develops a hypnotic, almost suffocating tension. But far more than adventure, this is also a haunting, painful story of obsession. The comparisons with THE PERFECT STORM are not out of place; this is a memorable story, beautifully told.' (The Sunday Times )

'Undersea thrills, a gripping mystery, incredible discoveries...written with great you-are-there intensity and dynamic verve. A pulse-quickening real-life thriller.' (New York Times )

‘[A] pulse-quickening account of the attempt to explore and identify the mystery sub . . . [a] fantastic yarn that happens to be true.’ (Newsweek )

'An irresistible sea yarn...Sometimes writers, like divers, stumble on treasure.' (Time )

'Describes all the anguish, exhilaration and danger if deep-sea wreck diving in vivid detail...one of the best pieces of dive-related non-fiction I have read.' (Sport Diver )

'Superlative .... If the publishers are dreaming of another PERFECT STORM, they may get their wish.' (Publishers Weekly )

'A tremendously suspenseful story of discovery that comes as close as any book could to providing the reader with approximate sensations of deep sea diving and of life on a submarine at war, and that leaves us with a hell of an impression of the grit, guts, and compassion of a U-boat crew and the two American divers who risked everything to solve the mystery of their last mission.' (John McCain, author of FAITH OF MY FATHERS )

About the Author
Robert Kurson is a freelance journalist who writes for Esquire, Chicago and the Sunday Times. He is writing this book with cooperation from Chatterton and Kohler, and from the sole survivor of the U-boat.

Customer Reviews

Real life adventure!
My reading tastes have always been fiction: action, adventure, thrillers, and since going away to college two years ago I have not had time for any fun reading, But started this book last week and then could not put it down. It is TRUE action adventure!This is the story of two deep sea wreck divers who dive into a long lost wreck in over 200 feet of water, which they identify as a German U-boat. The book follows the lives of these two men as they attempt to discover the identity of the U-boat and discover things about themselfs. There lives are greatly changed by the discovery, Jobs changed, marriages lost, diving companions killed on the wreck, and lost to the bottle.The story is more than just about the men's dives on the wreck and there attempt to discover its identity, and the adventure involved in such an endeavor, but also about the characters (which are rich in this story) involved, the history behind the boat and Hitlers 3rd Riech. there is so much to learn on every page. In the end though it is the under water action that kept me enthralled. If you read this book you will gain an appreciation of the wonders and dangers of deep water diving.

I could almost feel the nitrogen bubbling!
One of the best diving books I have read. Very exciting, well written, portrays a sense of adventure, human tradgedy, competitive spirit and eventually common purpose. As a diver I can't understand why they took the risks that they did, it was simply not worth it, but I know my limits and it was great reading about guys who were pushing theirs. The risks taken in the final push was just amazing, totally crazy and breathtaking, by this time my own pulse had risen, my breathing rate had increased and I could almost feel the nitrogen bubbling!

You can taste the fear...
I don't write reviews for books, but I will for this one. As a diver this book is fascinating. As someone disinterested in history, this has changed my mind.
This is a book you won't want to put down until the mystery is solved. And even then you'll want to carry on reading it just to find out what happens to the divers. Along the way you'll feel cold and claustrophobic just as the divers did, you'll share their disappointment and sorrow for comrades lost.You'll even yearn to know more about the German submariners.
This book is expertly written with a very vivid writing style. The experiences of the divers are shared ones and the WWII background fascinating. I have not read a book like it, but hope to find more.