Good diving books

[DaMaDo]

Dive Manuals
Deco for Divers
The best single source for deco theory specifically written for scuba divers

It is very good, but maybe a bit hard core for someone with less than 24 lifetime dives.

I read Deco for Divers(amazon link) before I had 20 dives and I got a lot out of it. It's really interesting. I think even those who don't dive, but are interested in the physics and physiology of diving would really appreciate that book. It's a high quality print job too.

I also enjoyed Diver Down...lots of good recommendations in this thread, hopefully I can get some more dive reading done this semester.

 

[old8oy]

SHADOW DIVERS is a must. My Dad's a holiday diver, whereas I'm a wreck freak. Took him ages to pick it up, but then he couldn't put it down.

DIVER by Tony Groom, an ex-Royal Navy diver's career story, from bomb-disposal in the Pacific to the bars of South England. Very funny.

Don't read THE DIVE by Pipin Ferreras. Arrogant man whose ego, lack of safety and pushing led to his wife being killed. So many dive-related errors in that book, too. Apparently trimix is used below 50m because it is thinner than normal air, and having less nitrogen in it stops you getting narked on the way up, one of the classic symptms of the bends. I started skim-reading after he said him and a friend too his late wife ona training dive to 90m. On air. Yeah, right! And his safety divers on her fatal dive were using air at the same depth. Errr...don't think so, Pip? Wasted a few hours of my life on that piece of ****.

 

[Rich Keller]

Commercial Oil-Field Diving by Nicholas B Zinkowski

The US Navy Diving Manual
http://www.supsalv.org/pdf/Diveman.pdf

Guidance for diving in contaminated waters
http://www.supsalv.org/pdf/Contaminated Water Div Man.pdf

 

[DivemasterDennis]

On the fun side, combining humor and good dive tips applied in funny stories, a book that came out last summer is great. The Scuba Snobs Guide to Diving Etiquette is available on amazon or barnes and noble as both an ebook or a paperback. There are lots of reviews here on scuba board. It really is fun and informative. I know the book real well, I co-authored it with my wife Debbie, the scuba diva. You can also buy it through undercurrent.com, who donates their profit to reef conservation!
DivemasterDennis

 

[Deeps47]

Have a look at these two from the same diver. One factual, one a novel. I loved em both....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...=stripbooks&field-keywords=tony+groom&x=0&y=0

 

[Akimbo]

I would say that if I could only read one book about diving, it would Cousteau's Silent World….

One thing the reading the Silent World can do is help you understand what is really important for a diver to know and what has been piled-on by training agency liability lawyers. The perspective is interesting and will help you appreciate what it was like to invent the gear and teach yourself to use it. The perspective can be invaluable.

 

[john triggerfish]

232 Bars is a good tale about becoming a PADI DM in Thailand, and the follow up Produce Another Dumb Instructor is a comedy about doing the IE in Mexico. Previews available on Amazon, Barnes and noble and Lulu.

 

[Wingy]

Cousteaus Silent world and because diving IS fun and should be fun not just theory theory theory and what could/may/did go wrong I found a little e book (I believe it may be available in hc) called Lost Wife, Saw Barracuda by John Kean. Excellent amusing but informative little read that doesnt feel like you are studying for an exam.
Lost wife, saw barracuda - Divernet

 

[abies]

I'll add another vote for diving into darkness, I was told about the story and couldn't see myself enjoying the story but it is really well told.

Thanks for the tread and recommendations looks like I have lots of books to buy.

Anyone else notice how many of these books are about accidents in some form?

Ben

 

[matt_w]

Caverns Measureless to Man, Sheck Exley

This is a great book. Particularly if you have any interest in cave diving. I think anyone interested in diving will find many of his stories interesting.

Steve Lewis's The Six Skills and Other Discussions is a great book on technical diving skills and procedures. Steve is Dopler on these forums (and others).