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Shadow Divers

The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II

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About this listen

 In 1991, acting on a tip from a local fisherman, two scuba divers discovered a sunken German U-boat–complete with its crew of 60 men–not too far off the New Jersey coast. The divers, realizing the momentousness of their discovery, began probing the mystery. Over the next six years, they became expert and well-traveled researchers, taught themselves German, hunted for clues in Germany, and constructed theories corrective of the history books, all in an effort to identify this sunken U-boat and its crew. During that time, three of their colleagues died exploring the wreck, including a father and son team. In 1997, when it all seemed in vain, the two divers came up with a final plan, so dangerous that the book ends with this last dive. Armed Forces Europe Germany Military Naval Forces

Critic reviews

“An engrossing saga of the suspenseful, intriguing, and dangerous underwater investigation of a Mystery U-boat.”—Clive Cussler

“Robert Kurson’s Shadow Divers, about the divers exploring a sunken shipwreck off the New Jersey coast, is a gripping account of real-life adventurers and a real-life mystery. In addition to being compellingly readable on every page, the book offers a unique window on the deep, almost reckless nature of the human quest to know.”—Scott Turow, author of Reversible Errors

“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 and Why Courage Matters

“Robert Kurson’s status as an undiscovered pleasure among Chicago readers is about to change, I suspect, in a hurry. Shadow Divers is so culturally astute and terrifyingly suspenseful that it should reach the sort of audience John Berendt, Susan Orlean, Jon Krakauer and Laura Hillenbrand have recently earned. Kurson’s new focus is the larger historical world--a world of U-Boats, forensics and lung-crushing pressure—and his prose is, as always, plain gorgeous.”—James McManus, author of Positively Fifth Street

“A winning tale exceedingly well told, Shadow Divers takes us on a dangerous and seemingly quixotic descent into the murk–and then, in a fog of nitrogen narcosis, brings us back to the surface with a richer, fuller fathoming of a history we only thought we knew.”—Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II’s Greatest Rescue Mission
All stars
Most relevant
I am a girlie girl who is terrified of the sea and I loved this book, it took a while for me to get into it and I had to speed up the narrator to cope with the accent but it didn't matter because the story is so good. I got mixed up with the names of the characters too, but again it didn't matter. A great big thumbs up and highly recommend to listen, I'm gutted it's finished!

non-diving girlie

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Being a diver myself, this book was an absolute masterpiece. I Can't wait for the film.

Absolute masterpiece

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This is a great listen, another one of those I struggled to switch off when I should have been sleeping, working or being sociable! This story ticks lots of boxes for me; history, exploration, mystery, suspense, drama, human tragedy and endeavour and it's all true! One note of caution: If you suffer from claustrophobia as I do, you might have a few troubled nights of sleep.

A unique and dangerous discovery.

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This is probably the best book I've ever listened to on audible, the narration is fantastic and the book is totally gripping, I couldn't put it down. The book is much more that the summary says. The interview with the divers and the author at the end of the book is a fantastic addition.

One of the best audio books I've ever listened to

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This title provides a fascinating insight into the world of deep wreck diving. It describes the dangers they encountered particularly in the early years when they breathed oxygen and narcosis was a constant and dangerous presence on their dives. Also the dedication of the divers as they risked their lives time and time again to find another piece of the puzzle.

I've never dived and never really considered just how dangerous diving can be but this story makes you appreciate the bravery, sometimes the foolhardiness but always the dedication to their sport of the early pioneers of deep wreck diving.

Truly rivetting.

Excellent

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