This book DIVER by English Navy and Commercial diver Tony Groom, is a great read. There are 83 reviews on Amazon.co.uk 81 of which are 5 star!
Check them out here: Diver: Amazon.co.uk: Tony Groom: Books
Admiral Sir Jonathon Band KCB ADC. First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
Throughout my career in the Royal Navy I have had the privilege and honour to work with a number of Mine Clearance Divers, and each time I have been struck by their supreme levels of professionalism and dedication. Underwater bomb disposal, often in the cold waters and zero visibility of the seas and ports around the UK, is not for the faint-hearted and often requires levels of courage, stamina and sure-footedness that exceeds that expected in other military disciplines.
Such a hazardous lifestyle creates bonds amongst its proponents that are exceptionally close, along with a unique and highly developed sense of humour (you have been warned!).
The demands of commercial saturation diving are no less rigorous. In this book Tony Groom provides a fascinating, no-holds-barred account of his remarkable life and of the world of professional naval and civilian divers.
His story is gripping, humbling and highly amusing in equal measure - all the more so for the matter-of-fact manner in which he tells it.
From clearing unexploded bombs lodged in ships during the Falklands war, to hair-raising exploits in the oil fields of the North Sea, he shines a light on a calling that demands the coolest of heads and extreme courage.
I strongly commend it to anyone with an interest in extraordinary human endeavour or the sea.
A tale of a man who truly loves what he does, February 7, 2009
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
This review is from: Diver (Paperback)
While some people see scuba divers as some sort of crazies, at least they aren't handling explosives. "Diver" is the story of Tony Groom, a man who enlisted at the age of seventeen to become a diver for the Royal Navy. Serving countless years under extremely dangerous conditions, he speaks on his past career and his current career as a commercial diver. A tale of a man who truly loves what he does when no one else would think of doing it, "Diver" is an enthusiastically recommended tale.
By P. Harris (Bucks, UK)
I have just finished reading this book and can honestly say it was one of the best books I have ever read.
Tony Groom tells you about his experiences from his career as a Clearance Diver in the Royal Navy and the Falklands war, to diving around the world as a Commercial Diver. The Falklands section gives you an in depth account of the war and what it was like to be a Royal Navy Clearance Diver during the conflict.
To dive in dark or deep water is scary enough, but to dive and deal with unexploded bombs while under attack must have been something else. The Clearance Divers really are the unsung heroes of the Falklands War. Tony then speaks of his career as a Commercial Diver, giving you an interesting behind the scenes account of air diving and saturation diving. The book also contains some very interesting photos covering his career.
I thought this book was interesting, educational, funny and sometimes sad and my only disappointment is that I have now finished it.
Looking forward to the next one.
By Michael Barnes (uk)
If you want to know what Saturation Diving is like, buy this book. I can personally vouch for the fact that this is an entirely honest, unembelished account of the highly specialised deep diving work done on mixed gas in the North Sea and elsewhere. Other reviews have described it as a "warts and all" account and that pretty much hits the nail on the head.
The men that do this work do not consider themselves to be in any way brave and the way they discharge their everyday work, lacks any complexion of bravado, simply because it is their normal stock in trade. What they do on a daily basis however, in comparison to the average working day in todays safety obsessed environment at home, would scare most normal people rigid.
It also takes a particular mental ability to live for 28 days (or more) in the closed confines of a decompression chamber the size of a council house bathroom, with 3 other men and still maintain a sense of humour. This book beautifully conveys the particular vein of trench humour that makes that existence durable. Scuba divers beware, this is what it's really like.
By maddog130280 (somerset, uk)
this is an amazing read not only is it an intresting account of a career that i now wished i had pursued, but is funny as hell this book spoilt my holiday as couldn't put it down!!!!!!!!!!! please write some more.
Diver - it's amazing, 18 Jun 2009
By Jelly H "Jenny" (Isle of Wight)
I don't usually write reviews after I have read a book but really felt I had to on this occasion.
I felt I almost knew Tony Groom, as sitting reading the book I felt as though it was being told to me personally. Almost like sitting with a friend who is telling you stories that one minute can make you sad, or amazed and have you laughing out loud the next. I was really moved and having family that have served in the forces understood more about what you in particular, but also others, have to go through. It is hard to put into words how much I enjoyed his book, surfice to say not much housework got done. I look forward to reading more of his work.
A Spot-On Read, 27 Nov 2008
By David Devereux (London, England)
This leapt up to the top of my 'to-read' pile entirely unexpectedly, but after a couple of paragraphs I was hooked. Less than twelve hours later (which included a dinner of pizza in one hand and this book in the other) I was left with that curious mix of sadness and delight that comes after a really good read - it was great, it was as long as it needed to be, it was structured, written and delivered well, yet why does it have to be over?
Given that I've only had that feeling a couple of times this year (and not from a first-timer in too long) that has to say something for the writing as well as the subject matter.
Check them out here: Diver: Amazon.co.uk: Tony Groom: Books
Admiral Sir Jonathon Band KCB ADC. First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
Throughout my career in the Royal Navy I have had the privilege and honour to work with a number of Mine Clearance Divers, and each time I have been struck by their supreme levels of professionalism and dedication. Underwater bomb disposal, often in the cold waters and zero visibility of the seas and ports around the UK, is not for the faint-hearted and often requires levels of courage, stamina and sure-footedness that exceeds that expected in other military disciplines.
Such a hazardous lifestyle creates bonds amongst its proponents that are exceptionally close, along with a unique and highly developed sense of humour (you have been warned!).
The demands of commercial saturation diving are no less rigorous. In this book Tony Groom provides a fascinating, no-holds-barred account of his remarkable life and of the world of professional naval and civilian divers.
His story is gripping, humbling and highly amusing in equal measure - all the more so for the matter-of-fact manner in which he tells it.
From clearing unexploded bombs lodged in ships during the Falklands war, to hair-raising exploits in the oil fields of the North Sea, he shines a light on a calling that demands the coolest of heads and extreme courage.
I strongly commend it to anyone with an interest in extraordinary human endeavour or the sea.
A tale of a man who truly loves what he does, February 7, 2009
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
This review is from: Diver (Paperback)
While some people see scuba divers as some sort of crazies, at least they aren't handling explosives. "Diver" is the story of Tony Groom, a man who enlisted at the age of seventeen to become a diver for the Royal Navy. Serving countless years under extremely dangerous conditions, he speaks on his past career and his current career as a commercial diver. A tale of a man who truly loves what he does when no one else would think of doing it, "Diver" is an enthusiastically recommended tale.
By P. Harris (Bucks, UK)
I have just finished reading this book and can honestly say it was one of the best books I have ever read.
Tony Groom tells you about his experiences from his career as a Clearance Diver in the Royal Navy and the Falklands war, to diving around the world as a Commercial Diver. The Falklands section gives you an in depth account of the war and what it was like to be a Royal Navy Clearance Diver during the conflict.
To dive in dark or deep water is scary enough, but to dive and deal with unexploded bombs while under attack must have been something else. The Clearance Divers really are the unsung heroes of the Falklands War. Tony then speaks of his career as a Commercial Diver, giving you an interesting behind the scenes account of air diving and saturation diving. The book also contains some very interesting photos covering his career.
I thought this book was interesting, educational, funny and sometimes sad and my only disappointment is that I have now finished it.
Looking forward to the next one.
By Michael Barnes (uk)
If you want to know what Saturation Diving is like, buy this book. I can personally vouch for the fact that this is an entirely honest, unembelished account of the highly specialised deep diving work done on mixed gas in the North Sea and elsewhere. Other reviews have described it as a "warts and all" account and that pretty much hits the nail on the head.
The men that do this work do not consider themselves to be in any way brave and the way they discharge their everyday work, lacks any complexion of bravado, simply because it is their normal stock in trade. What they do on a daily basis however, in comparison to the average working day in todays safety obsessed environment at home, would scare most normal people rigid.
It also takes a particular mental ability to live for 28 days (or more) in the closed confines of a decompression chamber the size of a council house bathroom, with 3 other men and still maintain a sense of humour. This book beautifully conveys the particular vein of trench humour that makes that existence durable. Scuba divers beware, this is what it's really like.
By maddog130280 (somerset, uk)
this is an amazing read not only is it an intresting account of a career that i now wished i had pursued, but is funny as hell this book spoilt my holiday as couldn't put it down!!!!!!!!!!! please write some more.
Diver - it's amazing, 18 Jun 2009
By Jelly H "Jenny" (Isle of Wight)
I don't usually write reviews after I have read a book but really felt I had to on this occasion.
I felt I almost knew Tony Groom, as sitting reading the book I felt as though it was being told to me personally. Almost like sitting with a friend who is telling you stories that one minute can make you sad, or amazed and have you laughing out loud the next. I was really moved and having family that have served in the forces understood more about what you in particular, but also others, have to go through. It is hard to put into words how much I enjoyed his book, surfice to say not much housework got done. I look forward to reading more of his work.
A Spot-On Read, 27 Nov 2008
By David Devereux (London, England)
This leapt up to the top of my 'to-read' pile entirely unexpectedly, but after a couple of paragraphs I was hooked. Less than twelve hours later (which included a dinner of pizza in one hand and this book in the other) I was left with that curious mix of sadness and delight that comes after a really good read - it was great, it was as long as it needed to be, it was structured, written and delivered well, yet why does it have to be over?
Given that I've only had that feeling a couple of times this year (and not from a first-timer in too long) that has to say something for the writing as well as the subject matter.
