Buy the hardback

This is a book that needs to be read not listened to. The Author has a fascinating story to tell, but I can keep my eyes open listening to his monotonous drone. Please keep writing, leave the narrations to others. I will be buying the paper copy.

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Brutally honest and eye opening

I liked everytbing, it’s given me a wonderful and brutal picture of what there submariners live through. They suffer in silence for the rest of us mortals, day in day out. True it must take one hell of a special person to be able to do this, I have more admiration than even I had before.

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A Fascinating And Brutally Honest Account

I had always harboured a desire to become a submariner in my youth. Had things been different for me, I may well have attempted to realize that ambition. Having never had any personal contact with someone who has actually worked aboard a Royal navy submarine, I had very little idea of what life, real life and not the sanitized version of it, would be like. This book has to be, to date for me, by far the most honest and viscerally detailed account of what life working aboard a nuclear submarine during the Cold War was really like.

The book takes us through the career of Richard Humphreys, a fresh faced eighteen year old recruit on the start of his journey to becoming a qualified submariner. We follow him as he undergoes the rigours of training as it was back then, complete with all the shouting and name calling that wouldn't likely be "allowed" in today's hyper sensitive society.

I had wanted to know for a long time exactly how people felt and coped with that menacing 100 foot tall water tower used to practice escapes from and the author tells us exactly how he felt. No retrospective bravado here, no, just refreshing honesty.

There was more than one occasion where i laughed out loud at some of the choice terms or names used here. The military have a special knack for coming up with humiliating and funny turns of phrase.

His description of his first boarding a nuclear submarine and the cramped nature of the environment were a real eye opener. For those interested in the subject matter that have read books on submarines before, we have all heard the stories of cramped conditions, but Humphreys goes further and describes the noxious odours, heat and the safety hazards that also are part and parcel of this environment. I can't recall reading anywhere else the visceral descriptions of what it was really like to live on one of these underwater vessels.

Humphreys also goes into detail about things most never talk about. How you can't flush a toilet under some circumstances and the nasty situations that causes when you have over a hundred men aboard. The havoc the changing and non twenty-four hour cycles the watch rotations have on your body and the mind numbing tiredness that causes. The distinct class structure of Royal Navy officers and crew at that time. The total lack of any privacy, although well-known about, rarely discussed in such unalloyed detail here. The infrequently talked about phenomenon that many experience referred to as 'Coffin Dreams'. I think that any unasked question I may have had about living aboard a submarine were answered in this book and with, as mentioned, direct and brutal honesty.

The author himself narrates this book and although he is by no means the best reader out there, his tone and delivery sometimes rather stilted, this isn't a concern with me given the subject matter. Sure, had a professional narrator been used, then it would've been a somewhat more slick presentation, but it would lack the simple honesty of the man and his story in my opinion. Self narrated books provide an air of gritty authenticity to a story, even if not the most polished performance, so I am not marking that aspect harshly here. There have been other books I've read that were narrated by the author that were also less than perfect readings of their stories, but felt all the more genuine for it.

There are some funny incidents recounted here, but my favourite has to be the one involving the Prime Minister herself at that time, Margaret Thatcher. The telling of this incident is most appreciated when being read by the author himself and will have your mouth sagging open in shock as well as laughing.

In addition to the life onboard, we are also privy to the raucous recreational adventures and the hard drinking that sailors are renown for. Nope, the stories of bawdy all night drinking isn't a fable, it's true!

If you're interested in submarines, then this is a must read book. Even if you're just interested in the military in general, then this is a worthwhile book. If nothing else, it will give readers a flavour of the hardships these men endured in the name of service to their country and the cause of freedom in general.

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Under pressure

I enjoyed this book and would recommend others to listen to it. I do like it when the authors read their own books but feel that the author in this case didn’t do a brilliant job but still well worth listening to.

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Brilliantly informative

I loved the detail, really understanding what being on board is like. It was well written, structured, and the use of language was excellent. Would definitely recommend for anyone interested in the service. Being read by the author made it genuine and authentic, albeit it was rather monotone. Overall I really enjoyed it and now feel well informed

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great idea, average writing, poorly read

As above, great idea and fascinating subject, clichéd imagery amidst average writing, haltingly read and overly concerned with representing his sense of being an everyman Billy Bragg whilst not seeming entirely aware of the irony of his having gone to boarding school

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3 people found this helpful

Monotone but enthralling!

If only the narrator showed some enthusiasm or passion this would be a gem, however, the content and insight makes up for it. Worthy investment and recommended.

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Why did Richard choose to narrate?

I found the subject quite interesting, but I’m sorry to say Richard should not have done the narrative. The tone was flat and it really did feel as if he was reading the book for the first time! A very odd experience

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Depressing and Inspiring

A very insightful view into the silent service that most of us will never know.

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Great listen !

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I recommend it if you ar interested in the topic.

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