Raiders of the Deep (Classics of Naval Literature) [Hardcover]

Lowell Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1995 | Series: Classics of Naval Literature

This 1928 best seller offers a sympathetic, behind-the-scenes look at the men who prowled the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and English Channel in U-boats.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lowell Thomas was a newscaster, journalist, and author of more than fifty books on travel, commentary, and adventure. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 363 pages
• Publisher: Naval Inst Pr (February 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557507228
• ISBN-13: 978-1557507228
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,497,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars U-boat Aces Tell Their Stories, November 9, 2004

By 

George Coppedge (Czech Republic) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raiders of the Deep (Classics of Naval Literature) (Hardcover)

Llowell Thomas, the American reporter commissioned to cover WWI by President Woodrow Wilson, gathered material for this book in the mid-1920s from face-to-face interviews with the Kriegsmarine U-boat commanders. These were men who, despite the terrible odds of against them, were lucky enough to survive the war. The book is divided into 36 chapters, each of which is usually a fascinating submarine combat story as recalled by the actual U-boat commander or one of his officers. But this is not a comprehensive history of WWI submarines. Most of the interviewees were Germany's leading submarine aces during the war - Hersing, Weddigen, Speiss, Arnauld de la Pierre, Hartwig, Hashagen, Spiegel, and Schweiger - or of their immediate surviving subordinates.

The book relates how 10 years' after the war Thomas interviewed each korvettenkapitan (the rank of most U-boat commanders) at their offices, pubs, hotels, homes, and even in the very Naval Club where the U-boat commanders met during the war (p. 133). Many famous sinkings (including the liners Lusitania and Arabic, the battleships Triumph and Majestic, the old armored cruisers Hogue, Cressy and Aboukir), submarine activity off the American coast, and countless forgotten stories are recounted.

Most of the stories are gripping in their detail of the truly dangerous life aboard one of Wilhelmine Germany's early 'iron coffins'. Engine failure, erratic diving behavior, asphyxiation, ramming attacks, minefields, depth charges, Q-ships, and even enemy submarines were just some of the everyday risks intrepid U-boat crews continually faced. Despite all the risks, some U-boat commanders, notably Arnauld de la Pierre, still adhered to the chivalrous prize rules in theatres where they could such as the Mediterranean. But even the most dangerous of enterprises also has it's share of unbelievably ridiculous and humorous situations - 'baby on board', searches for fresh vegetables, sailors' superstitions, etc.

This is a popular history book - very few notes, no bibliography or confirmation of the witness' stories - written by a contemporarily popular reporter in 1928. So, don't expect any academic features except an index. But that's not the point of this book anyway. The reason Thomas wrote the book was to finally tell the story from the Germans' perspective, which of course was absolutely impossible during the war itself. After tempers had cooled 10 years on, this book and other ones like it giving the German version of events were greedily consumed by the British and American publics.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars World War I U-boat skippers tell their stories, June 4, 1998

By 

Kris Sundberg (Mercer Island, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raiders of the Deep (Classics of Naval Literature) (Hardcover)

Lowell Thomas, in 1928, did the remarkable. He scoured Germany to interview its top, surviving U-boat commanders from World War I. This book is their story in their own words, as told to Thomas.

It's a remarkable collection of sea tales from a time of both extraordinary bravery and chivalry. Yes, chivalry. Contrary to the poplular tales, the U-boat commanders did not machine gun life boats. More often than not, they showed a degree of kindness and humaneness to their enemy that is long since forgotten in warfare.

Of particular interest are the long distance forays by the U-boats into U.S. waters near the end of the war. This is a part of the war that gets very little attention. But these guys really took it to the enemy homeland in a way that got huge results for the small number of ships that actually made the trip across the Atlantic.

A first rate work in every way. A glimpse into a past that will never again exist. Could not put it down.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Effective Weapon, March 25, 2000

By 

Raymond Tierney ENC(SS) USN (Ret) (Little Egg Harbor, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raiders of the Deep (Classics of Naval Literature) (Hardcover)

As a former submariner I enjoyed this book immensely. I could not put it down until I finished it and want to thank my friend and son in law, Stan Myers for giving me this book. In addition to it's publication year 1928 concendincal to my birth year, it's history regarding the use of this weapon of war was astonishing. Having served with shipmates who remember the loss of world war two shipmates because of faulty torpedoes, I am at a loss to understand why this country, after defeating the Germans in world war one, did not research the German torpedoes design in 1928. It was without a doubt, according to this book, a very effective weapon. At the start of WW2 our submarine force was at a very sever disadvantage because of faulty weapons. Im at a loss to understand this and I will make every effort possible to have this book read by current and past submariners.