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Title: Beyond the Deep: The Deadly Descent Into the World's Most Treacherous Cave by Monte Paulsen, William Stone, Barbara am Ende ISBN: 0-446-52709-2 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: July, 2002 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $26.96 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.31 (16 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Gripping and Accurate Account
Comment: As a personal friend of both Bill & Barb, as well as several of the key players in this story, my original reason for purchasing this book was more as a token of friendship, than anything else. Although I have been a test-diver and active user of the rebreather technology it describes since 1994, I'd never had much of an interest in exploring caves. I had expected to skim through the pages, read a few paragraphs here and there, then add it to my bookshelf alongside other books of a similar vein. Boy, was I in for a surprise!
Even though I already knew most of the details of the expedition, and knew full-well in advanced how the story begins, develops, and ends...I was nevertheless held captive by it from the time I opened its cover and began reading, until I completed its last page. The motivation behind cave exploration never seemed to make much sense to me before, but now it all seems crystal clear. This is TRUE exploration at its most extreme -- something often boasted about, but seldom genuinely so. This one is as genuine as it gets.
Because it would be easy to discount my endorsement as merely a kind gesture to my friends, I leave you to make your own interpretations based on the comments of other reviewers having less direct associations with the authors and expedition participants. However, as somewhat of an insider, I would like to take this opportunity to vouch for the authenticity of the events as they are described. I have had many long (multi-hour) discussions with Bill, Barb, and Noel Sloan about what happened during this expedition, and have also had conversations with Kenny Broad and Jim Brown, as well as a number of other people directly associated with the events described in the book. Most of these discussions took place very soon after the expedition ended, when memories and emotions were still fresh. It's also fair to say that I have as intimate an understanding of the inner workings of these particular rebreathers and how to use them as just about anyone else. Thus, it is not without some measure of validation when I say that I was extraordinarily impressed with how precisely the details of these events as described in the book coincide with the facts as explained to me by many and varied sources.
The Authors' Note confesses to reconstructed dialog (which is understandable, as memories begin to fade), but it also correctly defends its fairness in describing those portions where memories and interpretations do not coincide in every detail. Virtually all such details are trivial in the context of the broader story - the most significant events of which are not in dispute by anyone, to my knowledge.
Each and every participant on this expedition - whether I know them personally or not - has earned my highest respect and admiration. This book has impacted my perception of cave exploration much more so than I had ever expected it to. For those who decide to read it (and I doubt you will regret such a decision), you should do so with the realization that these are very real, flesh & blood people, embroiled in a very real and harrowing situation. I am confident that they will earn your respect as admiration as well.
Rating: 4
Summary: DIVING INTO DISASTER
Comment: Fascinating book about the ultimate 'adventure' junkies-- who explore the world's most treacherous cave in Mexico. An amazing crew of people. What's so unusual is that these are divers-- deep see divers, not just guys and gals who go down into the cave on ropes or climb rocks. They call themselves CAVERS -- details make the true-life adventure come alive. What's disturbing though is that lives were lost on this expedition and the authors tend to gloss over those lost in their quest for the ultimate experiences. Cinematic and even outrageous tale of diving into disaster.
Rating: 3
Summary: I Really Wanted to Like This Book...
Comment: I really wanted to like this book but I found myself struggling to finish it. No doubt, the experience itself was immeasurably exciting / interesting, but the book was, well, kind of boring.
It could have easily been half the length and not lost much, and as another reviewer indicated, I never really got a feel for what is so great about crawling though caves. I'm sure it IS great, at least to those who are as into it as these people are, but I didn't get why or how from the book. I also found the third-person writing style a bit contrived, somehow.
If you DID like this book, I would highly recommend 'The Last Dive' which is in a similar vein but I found very exciting and extremely well written.
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Title: Fatal Depth: Deep Sea Diving, China Fever, and the Wreck of the Andrea Doria by Joe Haberstroh ISBN: 1585744573 Publisher: The Lyons Press Pub. Date: February, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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Title: Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria by Kevin F. McMurray ISBN: 0743400623 Publisher: Atria Books Pub. Date: July, 2001 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Submerged: Adventures of America's Most Elite Underwater Archeology Team by Daniel Lenihan ISBN: 1557045054 Publisher: Newmarket Press Pub. Date: February, 2002 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: The Cave Divers by Robert F. Burgess ISBN: 1881652114 Publisher: Aqua Quest Pubn Pub. Date: 12 June, 1999 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Last Dive : A Father and Son's Fatal Descent into the Ocean's Depths by Bernie Chowdhury ISBN: 0060932597 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 19 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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