Diving Books

Book SynopsisJohn Volanthen is a legendary British cave-diver and one of the two-man team who discovered and rescued the Wild Boars soccer team from the sunken cave in Tham Luang, Thailand. Thirteen Lessons that Saved Thirteen Lives is the deeply revealing and nail-biting account of that incredible rescue.Trade Review ‘Thirteen Lives is a case study in courage and volunteerism – the courage of those who were trapped, of the divers, of the officials and of the locals who all came together to overcome insurmountable odds while the world watched.’ ‘John’s involvement in one of the most Herculean rescue efforts ever makes him a perfect guide for readers. His insights are riveting. The suspense and emotion are palpable. It’s a powerful story written by a hero who lived it.’ -- Ron Howard, Oscar-winning director of "Apollo 13"‘In his new book, Thirteen Lessons That Saved Thirteen Lives, John reveals the nail-biting moments that left him preparing for the worst – from sedating the boys with ketamine to the exhausting swim for survival…He tells of the operation in heart-stopping detail, while also sharing the coping techniques he employed which can be used in everyday life.’ * Daily Mirror *Table of ContentsIntroduction Lesson 1: Start with Why Not? Lesson 2: Listen to the Quiet Voice Lesson 3: Zoom In, Zoom Out Lesson 4: Rest and Decompress Lesson 5: One Breath at a Time Lesson 6: Expect the Unexpected Lesson 7: Step Up and Step Back Lesson 8: Harnessing Teamwork and Trust Lesson 9: Hurry Up and Do . . . Nothing Lesson 10: Keep it Simple Lesson 11: Rehearse. Then Repeat Lesson 12: Make Success a Habit Lesson 13: Define Your Own Happiness End Note: Full Circle The Thirteen Lessons Acknowledgements Glossary John Volanthen Index

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Book Synopsis'One of the best accounts ever written of deep-water diving and its staggering, haunting dangers' Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow DiversDeep underwater lurks a mysterious man-made illness. It has gone by many names over the years – Satan’s disease, diver’s palsy, the chokes – but today, medics call it decompression sickness. You know it as the bends.That’s the devil British diver Martin Robson faces each time he plunges beneath the surface. In the winter of 2012, Robson was part of an expedition to Blue Lake, southern Russia, which sought to find a submerged cave system never seen by the human eye. On the final day of the expedition, as Robson returned from diving deeper into the lake than anyone had before, disaster struck: just seventy-five feet down, he was ambushed by the bends.Robson knew that if he continued up to the surface he would probably die before help arrived. Instead, he sank back into the water, gambling on an underwater practice most doctors believe is a suicidal act. Soon the only hope he had of saving his life would rest in the hands of a dramatic mercy mission organised at the highest levels of the Russian government.Between the Devil and the Deep is the first book to tell the terrifying true story of what it feels like to get the bends, taking you inside the body and mind of a man who suffered the unthinkable. Writer Mark Cowan also explores the grimly fascinating history of decompression sickness, the science behind what causes the disease, and the stories of the forgotten divers who pushed the limits of physical endurance to help find a solution.Trade Review'One of the best accounts ever written of deep-water diving and its staggering, haunting dangers' Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow Divers

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Book SynopsisThe Diver's Tale is an unvarnished account of real British diving, based on the author's 40+ year experience. Britain is an island nation so, unsurprisingly, scuba diving is a popular British pastime enjoyed by thousands of keen participants and just as many of the armchair variety. A carefully-structured programme of training ensures that UK divers are well-prepared for the challenging conditions which may be encountered beneath our seas. Or does it? How many trainee divers were taught about the perils of high-speed testicular trauma during descent? Or the dangers of having sex in a tent with a deaf person? Why bacon should be in your first aid kit. How to build a space shuttle using salvaged ammunition? Or why the name Valerie is so very special? During a 40-year plus odyssey through the strange and exotic world of British diving, Nick Lyon and his disparate collection of buddies have answered all these questions from personal experience, and many more besides. It may not be pretty, it may not be painless, but it is real British diving. The Diver's Tale is not a diving manual - quite the opposite. How not to do it, why not to do it, when not to do it and who not to do it with.Trade Review`[The Diver's Tale] offers an insightful view of British scuba-diving. More importantly, it's that rare thing in diving - a very funny book. I'd go so far as to say it's the most amusing book about the sub-aqua scene I've read since the heyday of Andy Blackford, and I know that because I kept laughing out loud as I turned the pages... And before you get the impression that The Diver's Tale is just a succession of gags, this book also has, like all the best comic works, a more serious side. I'll let you find out about that when, as I'm sure you will, you get to read it... If you haven't already, treat yourself.'- Steve Weinmann, Diver magazine; 'Over the years I have read a lot of diving-related books. And I mean a lot. I have to say, The Diver's Tale is definitely up in the top ten. Why, you may ask, what makes it such a stellar read? Well, that is down to Mr Lyon and his writing style. He manages to write in a very accessible fashion about a wide variety of incidents, issues, situations and more that we, as divers - particularly UK divers - can all identify with and, in many circumstances, sagely nod to ourselves and think "yep, I've done that", or "hmmm, I've been there". It is this innate ability to zero in on all of the foibles that make the British diving scene so unlike anything else on the planet that makes The Diver's Tale such an enjoyable read. Even more impressive is the fact that Nick also manages to include some genuinely insightful and useful observations in among the disparate tales of diving derring-do for readers to be able to tuck away into their mindset which will aid them in their future diving endeavours, and he doesn't shy away from stories with sadly tragic outcomes.'- Mark Evans, Scuba Diver magazine; `A brilliant book... The Diver's Tale cuts to the essence of diving, the rough and the smooth, the charm, the adventure, the romance, the pitfalls and the tragedies. It looks at the hard truths, the sheer fun and a few of the scary bits too.'- Scubaverse.com; `A bit like building a rebreather out of old washing machine parts... it should be a mess but somehow it works... It's a brilliantly British book, full of heart and humour, and well worth reading'- BritishDiver.co.uk; `When it comes to celebrating the depressive/compulsive nature of the British diving condition, there is no writer like the talented Mr Lyon... I cannot recommend it highly enough'- SCUBA magazine.Table of ContentsForeword by Andy Torbet; An Introduction; Glossary; 1.In the Beginning; 2.Those in Peril on the Sea; 3.The Anatomy of a Diving Expedition; 4.One for the Album; 5....Those Who Can't, Teach...; 6.Sick of Diving; 7.Unleash your Inner Neanderthal; 8.Madness in Malta; 9.The Mother of Invention; 10.The White Heat of Technology; 11.The Spidge Hunters; 12.The Underwater Internet; 13.Paul; 14.Return to the Sea; 15.Epilogue; Acknowledgements; Index.

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