Looking for a good WW2 sub book!

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I'm tempted Dan....would you say it is as good as Silent Victory?

Anything by O'Kane is worth reading. Blair's books provide an overview, O'Kane is a very good writer and he was there.

[elanaiba]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Blair's books provide an overview, O'Kane is a very good writer and he was there.

Agree with Steve. O'Kane is very analytical and good on technical and tactical details. You get to read a lot of what went through his head in planning for an attack or a section of his patrol, and not much was left to chance.

Somehow, after reading Clair's book I got a bad feeling about US submarines: basically the first part of the war they were poorly used strategically, were not aggressive enough and had lots of technical troubles. And then they wipe out the Japs merchant fleet in one year - it felt like something was missing.

Reading O'Kane and the "Wolfpack - the American submarine strategy that helped defeat Japan" opened my eyes in that the first clearly illustrates how good a sub captain can be and the 2nd tells the history of "getting there" and how much the Americans were trying, while maybe failing.

I never lacked respect for the US Submarine Service, but now its double

[Jimbuna]

Rgr that guys....I'll have a gander for the book

[Neptunus Rex]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Anything by O'Kane is worth reading. Blair's books provide an overview, O'Kane is a very good writer and he was there.

O'Kane is a favorite. A few years ago the wife found a first edition hard cover signed by Rear Admiral O'Kane.

[Zoomer96]

If you are looking for fiction, here are some good Fleetboat books:

Run Silent, Run Deep
Dust on the Sea
Cold is the Sea

Final Harbor
Silent Sea
O God of Battles

Pride Runs Deep
Sink the Shigure

Bacalao

If you like Uboats:

Das Boot
An Honorable German
With Honour in Battle


As you can see, I am more of a Fleet Boat reader! But these are all very good books.

[Jimbuna]

Here are two I got for a song whilst on holiday last week from a bookshop in The Lake District of all places.

The first one I wasn't sure if I already had but thankfully I didn't.

U-Boat War Patrol-The Hidden Photographic Diary of U-564 by Lawrence Paterson

http://www.amazon.co.uk/U-boat-War-P...3869551&sr=8-2

The Golden Horseshoe-The Story Of Otto Kretschmer by Terence Robertson

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-lis...&condition=all

Pay little attention to the price, I paid £4.99 for a brand new copy.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Here are two I got for a song whilst on holiday last week from a bookshop in The Lake District of all places.

The first one I wasn't sure if I already had but thankfully I didn't.

U-Boat War Patrol-The Hidden Photographic Diary of U-564 by Lawrence Paterson

http://www.amazon.co.uk/U-boat-War-P...3869551&sr=8-2

The Golden Horseshoe-The Story Of Otto Kretschmer by Terence Robertson

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-lis...&condition=all

Pay little attention to the price, I paid £4.99 for a brand new copy.

I can also recommend the first one - a great read plus all the pictures really make the narrative come alive. IIRC these are the pics that someone found in one of the French u-boat bases after the Allies retook them, and whoever found them kept them packed away for several decades before they ever saw the light of day again. Just the story of how they were identified and the book came to be, is a pretty interesting tale.

Still haven't read the Kretschmer bio, but I'm sure it's on my wish list.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

I can also recommend the first one - a great read plus all the pictures really make the narrative come alive. IIRC these are the pics that someone found in one of the French u-boat bases after the Allies retook them, and whoever found them kept them packed away for several decades before they ever saw the light of day again. Just the story of how they were identified and the book came to be, is a pretty interesting tale.

Still haven't read the Kretschmer bio, but I'm sure it's on my wish list.

Keep this post of yours in the back of your mind because I'll be posing a small trivia question in a day or two

[Zoomer96]

Good Lord! The price at Amazon for that book ranges from $124.50 used to $498.00 new! I'll have to wait for that one to come down a bit. It looks like a very good read though!!

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Zoomer96

Good Lord! The price at Amazon for that book ranges from $124.50 used to $498.00 new! I'll have to wait for that one to come down a bit. It looks like a very good read though!!

Which one, the Kretschmer bio? I seem to remember it being pretty pricey when I first looked at it... prolly why I don't have it yet.

I'm still hoping to get Erich Topp's book - last time I checked it was just over $100 US. Maybe I'll buy it for myself for Christmas.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Zoomer96

Good Lord! The price at Amazon for that book ranges from $124.50 used to $498.00 new! I'll have to wait for that one to come down a bit. It looks like a very good read though!!

Someone is obviously out to get rich quick...as you can see I paid £4.99, the original UK price being £7.99 and the US being $12.99.

[Penguin]

Topp's book could be a bit of a disappointment if you want to read about his time in WW2, most of the book covers the years after the war. I also don't like his self-righteous style of writing, but that's my personal opinion.
I am astonished that nobody mentioned Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren's memories: http://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Suhren-M...4033687&sr=8-1
I only read it in German, so I can't tell how the translation is, but I think it's definitely worth reading (and cheaper than Topp's book too)

So do all people agree that Blair's book is the best to get an overview about the Pacific theatre? IMO his books about the Battle of the Atlantic are one of the best books which give an detailed and well researched overwiew. As I remember he was also a submariner, but "Silent Victory" covers the whole pacific war not his own experiences, right?

I will definitely check out O'Kane, as I always like memoirs from people who present their personal experiences.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Penguin

So do all people agree that Blair's book is the best to get an overview about the Pacific theatre? IMO his books about the Battle of the Atlantic are one of the best books which give an detailed and well researched overwiew. As I remember he was also a submariner, but "Silent Victory" covers the whole pacific war not his own experiences, right?

I agree with you on Blairs Battle of the Atlantic and yes, Ilent Victory is about the PTO and not of his own personal experiences.

I have all three books.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Someone is obviously out to get rich quick...as you can see I paid £4.99, the original UK price being £7.99 and the US being $12.99.

Amazon.com has it listed now for anywhere from less than $1 US (used) to around $55 US (new). All from third party sellers though, I guess it's out of print?

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Topp's book could be a bit of a disappointment if you want to read about his time in WW2, most of the book covers the years after the war. I also don't like his self-righteous style of writing, but that's my personal opinion.

I'm aware that it's not just a "WWII memoir" so no worries there.

I am astonished that nobody mentioned Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren's memories: http://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Suhren-M...4033687&sr=8-1
I only read it in German, so I can't tell how the translation is, but I think it's definitely worth reading

I have it, it's okay but the style (at least in the English translation) took a little getting used to for me personally. I didn't find it as thoughtful or memorable as, say, Ali Cremer's autobiography but it probably does give one a pretty good feel for Suhren's personality.