Robert Kurson
Shadow Divers (2004)
Author: Robert Kurson
Genre: History (Rescued history/True Adventure)
Book Summary:
Bill Nagle is given the longitude and latitude for what may be an unexplored wreck at the bottom of the ocean. He heads out with a group of twelve deep sea divers to explore the site. To their amazement, they find what appears to be the remains of a World War II German U-boat. John Chatterton and Richie Kohler quickly become obsessed with identifying the wreck. Unfortunately, nothing they find on the wreck bears any sort of identification. All the history books and experts tell them the same thing... No U-boat was ever sunk in that location. Year after year, the men continue diving the wreck and exploring the records. They always come up empty handed. Three experienced divers die while exploring the site. It soon becomes known as a death trap, and even the most experienced divers won't touch it. But John and Richie won't give up. They don't just want the prestige that will come with giving the wreck a name, they want to give some answers to
the families who never knew what happened to their loved ones. SPOILER: Six years after the original find of the U-boat, John and Richie manage to find a tag naming the sub the U-869. However, the dive nearly costs John his life. Richie travels to Germany to speak to the families of those who were lost on the sub and put some of his own demons to rest.
Geographical Setting: The New Jersey Coast
Time Period: 1991-1997
Appeal Characteristics:
This was the 2005 winner of the Book Sense Book Award for Non-Fiction. The central theme to this story is that of exploration. The plot focuses on discovering the unknown, and the constant action brings this story to life. The setting works to add an element of danger. The rough seas and freezing weather found off the New Jersey coast amplify the already inherent dangers in deep sea diving. The combination of the plot and the setting keep the story moving at a very fast pace despite the military history that is interwoven in the story. The tone of the story is dark and bleak at times. However, the well-developed characterization of John and Richie add an element of hope to the story. Their determination to discover the truth brings keeps the story feeling hopeful and makes the reader believe that the impossible is possible. The characters seem superhuman some times, but their faults and failures make them easy to relate to.
Read-alikes: Anyone who was intrigued by Shadow Divers should read Shadow Divers Exposed: The Real Saga of the U-869 by Gary Gentile. This book claims that the conclusions drawn in Shadow Divers were incorrect and takes a different look at the same story. Another excellent novel is The Last Dive: A Father and Son's Fatal Descent into the Ocean's Depths by Bernie Chowdhury. This novel deals with the lives of the father and son who died while trying to explore the U-869 wreck. Anyone who is interested in diving adventure stories will want to read Submerged: Adventures of America's Most Elite Underwater Archeology Team by Daniel Lenihan. It deals with his job for the U.S. National Park Service of recovering bodies, exploring shipwrecks, and protecting national treasures. They will also want to read The Rapture of the Deep: And Other Dive Stories You Probably Shouldn't Know by Michael G. Zinsley. This is a humorously raunch
y look at the life a diver, with descriptions of underwater diving during the day and nights spent in bars in exotic locals. Those who enjoy nautical adventure stories will want to read Peter Nichols' A Voyage for Madmen, the tale of nine men who try to what's never been done before: a solo, non-stop sailing trip around the world. Those who enjoyed the World War II elements in this book should look at Iron Coffins: A Personal Account of the German U-Boat Battles of World War II by Herbert A. Werner. This is a survivor's description of what it was like to live on a German U-boat.
Red Flags: Some strong language and depictions of death
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