Hood, J: Submarine An Anthology of First-hand Accounts of the War Under the Sea, 1939-45

First person accounts of submarine warfare and anthologies recounting aspects of the war at sea are easy to find, and many are very interesting, but Submarine edited by Jean Hood knocked my socks off. The editor has woven first-hand accounts to give unique threads for different nations, for different types of experiences, for different viewpoints. The reader is regaled with plenty of the gut-wrenching claustrophobia one associates with submarine warfarethere are accounts where the depth gauge is creeping to the right past the boat's maximum designed limits, the crew is gasping in an atmosphere poisoned with diesel fumes, chlorine gas and fear, braced against the shock of exploding depth chargesbut this wouldn't be such an interesting book if that was all there was. Variety is the key. I enjoyed the mundane accounts of training; the humorous accounts such as, for example, one where an American air force passenger kept knocking his head against the same obstruction while navigating the confined passages of an Italian sub used for training; the details of housekeeping, of cooking, of entertainment, ashore and afloat. The subs that rescued survivors from their victims who went on to become unofficial members of the crew, the submariners rescued in their turn after falling victim to a sustained counter-attack delivered by an escortthere is a taste of everything. This is a long book, but there is not an ounce of filler. The editor mixes in short accounts with longer ones; the chronological format convoys a sense of building tension and, in the case of the Axis submariners, of frustration and defeat. Submarine works as history and it works as a fast-paced reading experience. It is also moving book. I came away with a deep respect for those who, for whatever reason, served in the submarine forces during World War II. I recommend Submarine without reservation. Vincent P. O'Hara