Rating: 
Summary: Easy to Fathom
Review: 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Submarines' is a well-researched book filled with information and advice. Michael DiMercurio explains technical terms with non-technical language, allowing the novice reader to comprehend. Underwater routine is detailed, and while the safe functioning of submarines is dependent upon a complex series of procedures being followed, DiMercurio focuses on a basic tenet. As he says on page 12; 'There's really only one rule to remember. When the captain says, "What's our position?", every submariner's primary impulse is to open the lid to find out. Resist it.'If that isn't good advice, then I'm the Governor of California.
Rating:
Summary: Clean only no education required (CONER) Go NUKES!
Review: Can niether confirm nor deny, but damn fine story for us bubbleheads. Finally, us NUKE's get a mention longer than a sentence.
Rating:
Summary: Puts you right in the heart of the action!
Review: Even though I am not engineering-qualified, I understood every bit. As usual, DiMercurio succeeds in humanizing an area of technology (submarines) so everyone can understand. A nice stop-gap til the next novel. Which can't come a moment too soon!
Rating:
Summary: Puts you right in the heart of the action!
Review: Even though I am not engineering-qualified, I understood every bit. As usual, DiMercurio succeeds in humanizing an area of technology (submarines) so everyone can understand. A nice stop-gap til the next novel. Which can't come a moment too soon!
Rating:
Summary: Fun and interesting
Review: For anyone who fondly remembers first seeing classic sub movies like Run Silent, Run Deep, Torpedo Alley, The Enemy Below, Das Boot, and the Hunt for Red October, and who's always wanted to understand in more detail how a real submarine operates, this is the book for you. It covers in fascinating detail many aspects of nuclear subs and pre-nuclear age subs.
The author compares WWII era subs to modern subs, explaining how WWII subs were really surface boats in tems of hull and prow design that could submerge, while modern nuclear subs are really true underwater boats. WWII era subs were faster on the surface and usually travelled that way, only diving to attack or avoid detection. Nuclear subs were the first boats designed from the ground up for underwater running and they are faster underwater as a result than on the surface.
The author gives detailed accounts of many of the main systems and operational details of subs, including design and construction of the hull to withstand the pressures of dives, seawater and freshwater safety and shutdown systems, especially for the nuclear reactors, navigation and steerage, electrical and hydraulic systems, and especially those related to compensating for leaks at depth and "scramming" or emergency shutdown of the reactor, a lot of discussion about the nuclear reactor and related systems itself, and even on living quarters, the galley, food, and even creature comforts.
For example, there is an interesting account of Admiral Rickover's development of the first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus. Although state of the art technologically in many ways and the first nuclear ship ever, and the one that ushered in the nuclear navy, the boat was in many ways a product of the 50s in having an old-fashioned brass tube internal commmunication system, vending machines, a nickle-operated jukebox, and a movie room. It also had good air-conditioning.
The author worked for the legendary, brilliant and eccentric Rickover and tells many stories about him, and about the development of the Nautilus, as well as the Albacore, the research sub that contained no armament but which tested and pioneered dozens of important concepts and innovations that were implemented on later boats, such as the Skipjack, the first sub designed from the ground up to be faster underwater than on the surface. Rickover's nuclear program became the most elite area of the Navy and recruits often found that Rickover was assigning them 20-40 hours of extra study and homework outside of normal duties to bring them up to speed on the systems and technology if he didn't think they were already good enough.
The author even discussed Rickover's high-pressure interviews and idiosyncracies about accepting or rejecting candidates, which are interesting and entertaining by themselves, although they probably weren't to the poor, beleaguered candidates, who Rickover would glower at, ask them difficult engineering questions in rapid-fire style, rail at them if they couldn't measure up, lock them up in a cubicle all by themselves to try to rattle them if they didn't answer fast enough and so they could resonsider their answers, then tell them to get the hell out of his office. The author recounts his harrowing experience of being interviewed by Rickover. He was accepted although Rickover decided he didn't know enough about Shakespeare (the questions weren't limited to science and engineering) and to write him a book report every month on a play.
Another interesting section is the one on the Thresher incident. There has never been an official report released on the accident but the author discussed the one that he heard that was passed on by word of mouth. It appears to have been the result of a pressure leak that damaged the reactor when the sub went down to test depth and could not withstand the pressure. There are several other accounts of the disasters that befell Russian nuclear submarines, such as the Komsomolets and others, that often sank as a result of electrical and other fires (electrical fires being more common on Russian than U.S. boats, where they were almost unheard of).
One thing I liked about the book is the author discusses how much knowledge it really takes to operate a nuclear submarine, and what the many hazards and dangers are. For example, the engineering officer of the watch must know exactly which section of the hydraulic piping to shut down during a serious pressure leak or the sub could be lost right then if he makes a wrong decision. Some of the nuclear reactor disasters and incidents that illustrate the problems and dangers of operating a nuclear reactor are discussed also, such as the Chernobyl incident.
Overall, a very fun, interesting, and detailed book on many aspects of submarine operations, history, technology, including many details on the dangers and hazards of submarine operations from the pre-nuclear to the nuclear era. You'll also learn a lot of submarine style slang, and not all of it related to the technology of submarines. (For example, "sliders" are the hamburgers from the galley that slide down your throat as a result of the grease they're cooked in :-)).
Rating:
Summary: As close as you'll get without joining the Navy
Review: I know,you're not an idiot, so the title puts you off. My advice, though, is to swallow your pride and get this book! This is the ultimate in publicly available technical information on modern US submarines. In addition to a bit of sub history and a tour through the boat, there are extremely detailed chapters on weapons systems, sensors, and two incredible chapters on nuclear propulsion, with such detailed sub-headings as control rods, end of life cores, moderators, ship service turbogenerator, main condenser, main seawater system, thrust bearing, shaft seals and a whole lot more. He has additional detailed chapters on reactor startup, getting underway, emergencies, submarine missile systems, and a day in the life of the crew underway. As an example, in the reactor startup chapter he describes what the crew would do, and then, in considerable detail, what the effect is on the reactor. A look ahead at newer submarine classes such as Seawolf and Virginia SSNs is also included. This book includes an extensive glossary, bibliography and index. DiMercurio is a graduate of the Naval Academy and MIT, and was an officer on board the Sturgeon class SSN, USS Hammerhead. He went right up to the edge on classified material to bring readers a real appreciation of the intricate technology and skilled people involved in modern submarine operations. This book way outclasses the Clancy book on modern submarines, and is a real bargain at under $20!
Rating:
Summary: As close as you'll get without joining the Navy
Review: I know,you're not an idiot, so the title puts you off. My advice, though, is to swallow your pride and get this book! This is the ultimate in publicly available technical information on modern US submarines. In addition to a bit of sub history and a tour through the boat, there are extremely detailed chapters on weapons systems, sensors, and two incredible chapters on nuclear propulsion, with such detailed sub-headings as control rods, end of life cores, moderators, ship service turbogenerator, main condenser, main seawater system, thrust bearing, shaft seals and a whole lot more. He has additional detailed chapters on reactor startup, getting underway, emergencies, submarine missile systems, and a day in the life of the crew underway. As an example, in the reactor startup chapter he describes what the crew would do, and then, in considerable detail, what the effect is on the reactor. A look ahead at newer submarine classes such as Seawolf and Virginia SSNs is also included. This book includes an extensive glossary, bibliography and index. DiMercurio is a graduate of the Naval Academy and MIT, and was an officer on board the Sturgeon class SSN, USS Hammerhead. He went right up to the edge on classified material to bring readers a real appreciation of the intricate technology and skilled people involved in modern submarine operations. This book way outclasses the Clancy book on modern submarines, and is a real bargain at under $20!
Rating:
Summary: Candy for Submariners
Review: I read this one in 4 nights. Chocked full of stuff I had forgotten from 40 years ago. The verbiage is excellent and if that isn't good enough the authors throw boxes with meanings of other terms right on the page and a Glossary in the back of some 20 pages. Also throughout the book are boxes with humorous insertions by the authors (Mike's Corner), Beneath the Surface boxes which are insights or additional information, Secrets of the Deep boxes with unexpected facts and the above mentioned Subtalk box which helps with the terminology. I was shocked to see the detail that is included about the nuclear plant. For you ex-submarine "nukes" out there, I am talking about Tave, Green Band, Pressurizer pressure and other readings and capacities. The explanations of reactor operations is really a lesson in Pressurized Water Reactors. An example is the detailed explanation of the procedures and language used when the CO sneaks back and scrams the reactor. Other system descriptions that I've never seen before include a lot on the Sonar systems, Weapons, Radio and Periscope systems. Even the Garbage Ejector is explained as is the Hovering System, Interior Communications, Atmosphere Contol and many other of the ships control features, procedures and devices. Emergency procedures are covered in depth and that includes all the "reactor" plant problems and steam leaks. Perhaps the reactor theory and emergencies are covered in more detail than most will have some difficulty with, I found it candy because I have been through the training and assisted in reactor operatons for 4 years. Creature comforts was the only chapter that could have been expanded. The movies, games, library, exercise equipment, CDs, DVDs, all night card games, email home, and those much desired family-grams from home. Also, eating and cooking were gone over a little too quickly. But this book has just shut the door on Clancy's "Submarine." No comparison. This is "THE" book to read to help you explain newer submarines to civilians who may be asking more than the usual type of "where are windows" type questions. From the author's jocular use of terms like "sonar girls", "S... Pump", "Nukes" to calling the Electricians the smartest in the entire crew, I found the book a pleasure and a welcome read in the wonderful world of the Silent Service. Other interesting features include a history of submarining of some 51 pages, interesting stories about Admiral Rickover and the authors feelings and remembrances while he was a rider.
Rating: 
Summary: Misleading marketing!
Review: I was searching for a book that would explain the basics of just what a submarine is and how it works. This book is not it. I was extremely disappointed that there were next to none pictures or diagrams of the workings of a sumarines innards. I wanted to learn how a submarine is designed, the mechanics of it. This offered little tidbits, and some interesting first person experiences, but nothing that would have made me purchase this book had I the chance to have a look at it in a store before purchasing it.
I often felt that it skirted the real subject because of security issues as it spends most of its explinations on nuclear submarines. But what I really wanted to know was nowhere to be found within the pages of this book.
After one read through I am donating to my College Library. Maybe somebody else will find solace in it.
Rating: 
Summary: 32 inches in daimeter?
Review: I've read the excerpt "Water in the people tank" and it seems to be very well written and informative with one exception. A submarine hull is not 32 inches in diameter (that equates to 2 feet 8 inches, pretty small) it is 32 FEET in diameter, to allow for the 3 decks of living/operational and engineering space inside the submarine.
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