A Thrift Store Treasure

Graf Paper · 04-06-08, 01:22 PM

One thing I like is shopping at thrift stores, whenever I get the chance. You never know what tarnished treasures you might find at better than bargain bin prices!

I especially love combing through the books. I've found many old, out-of-print gems both in hardback and paperback.

Case in point:

I just purchased, for 99 cents, a 1973 reprint of "U-Boat 977" by Heinz Schaeffer, commander of the titular u-boat. It was originally published in 1952.

According to the jacket blurb and flyleaf teaser, it is a true account of Schaeffer's career, from his enlistment into Officer's Training to the four years spent in the Ubootwaffe during World War II. Instead of surrendering his u-boat immediately upon Donitz's last orders as WWII ended, he instead spent 66 days submerged, hunted by the Allies, as he made his way to Argentina to surrender there and live out his life. U-977 became infamous among conspiracy theorists as the "escape boat" that carried Adolf Hitler to exile in Argentina.

It certainly seems like it will be an interesting read but it also looks to be too short, at only 148 pages. I suppose you can't expect a "Das Boot" epic from someone who was more used to writing terse patrol logs.

04-06-08, 01:22 PM	#1
Graf Paper Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pacific Northwest United States Posts: 1,146 Downloads: 41 Uploads: 2	A Thrift Store Treasure One thing I like is shopping at thrift stores, whenever I get the chance. You never know what tarnished treasures you might find at better than bargain bin prices! I especially love combing through the books. I've found many old, out-of-print gems both in hardback and paperback. Case in point: I just purchased, for 99 cents, a 1973 reprint of "U-Boat 977" by Heinz Schaeffer, commander of the titular u-boat. It was originally published in 1952. According to the jacket blurb and flyleaf teaser, it is a true account of Schaeffer's career, from his enlistment into Officer's Training to the four years spent in the Ubootwaffe during World War II. Instead of surrendering his u-boat immediately upon Donitz's last orders as WWII ended, he instead spent 66 days submerged, hunted by the Allies, as he made his way to Argentina to surrender there and live out his life. U-977 became infamous among conspiracy theorists as the "escape boat" that carried Adolf Hitler to exile in Argentina. It certainly seems like it will be an interesting read but it also looks to be too short, at only 148 pages. I suppose you can't expect a "Das Boot" epic from someone who was more used to writing terse patrol logs. __________________ Still sailing the high seas, hunting convoys with those who join me.