The Last Dive-Bernie Chowdhary

[slugdiver]

Just read this book and loved it. Not, of course, because of the end result, but because the book is a complete history of diving.
Want to know who created the algorithms used in our computers? It is in there. Who invented the Edge computer(my first)? Dive tables, heli-ox tables, tri-mix.
While the book is a sad commentary on what not to do, it is at the same time a great history book.

 

[covediver]

Just read this book and loved it. Not, of course, because of the end result, but because the book is a complete history of diving.
Want to know who created the algorithms used in our computers? It is in there. Who invented the Edge computer(my first)? Dive tables, heli-ox tables, tri-mix.
While the book is a sad commentary on what not to do, it is at the same time a great history book.

I recall reading the book when it first came out. Fascinating story. then I passed it around to all the others divers I knew at NPS and they had pretty much the same reaction you did. You may find the Sealab book mentioned in this forum to be interested. I just finished the chapter that describes how the tables for deep diving were initially established by trial and error by a dedicated group of medical personnel and others. Pretty interesting stuff.

I am sorry Choudry never followed up this book. When I had seen him at the LA scuba show way back when, he said he had something in the idea bin but never saw a follow up.

 

[lowviz]

On top of everything else, Bernie Chowdhury is a really decent sort. He would be happy to autograph that book if you ask...

 

[cascas]

Someone I lent the book to liked it so much, he never returned it..

I liked it as well...

 

[faze]

Fantastic book and very well authored - I've heard some negatives about the "antics" of the people involved but always point out that these were the pioneers of what we now accept as Tech diving - they pushed the boundaries, knew they were pushing the boundaries but were overwhelmingly important in furthering our sport.

My copy suffered the same fate as cascas...

 

[electrix]

I think that was the first book about diving I read and could hardly put it down, and I don't think I got my copy back either.

 

[tracydr]

I loved the book, too.
Recently read a good book called Descent Into Darkness. If you like history and diving, this one's good too. It's about Navy salvage divers at Pearl Harbor. Another true story.

 

[faze]

Maybe there is only one copy of The Last Dive ever printed and we've all been reading and then losing the same one?

 

[Sleepdr]

You may have a point. My copy was purchased at a used book store. Now it is somewhere on one of my coworker's shelves, never to be seen again.

 

[JamesK]

I still have "my" copy!