Das Boot: The Boat

Rating:
Summary: A Paragon of its Kind
Review: Das Boot is a must-read for anyone remotely interested in sub warfare, WWII, or--most importantly--the psychological impact of war on men. With meticulous detail and great pacing, Buchheim does a superb job transporting you to one of Dönitz's "iron coffins," where life was cramped, dirty, fearful, and usually very short. Be sure to check out the acclaimed film adaptation, too; it's one of the very best war movies.

(Note: I read this book in the original German, so I can't comment on this particular translation.)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent War Novel
Review: Das Boot is one amazing book. From the grudges, toils, and rough world of sailors, Herr Buchheim has produced a novel with gut wrentching action and detailed sorrow. From the pre-cast off bar room orgies of saliors, to the maddening world of depth charge bombing, Das Boot will send you on one heck of a ride. The novel is able to capture the emotions of its reader and fully allow them to expreience the druggering perform by the U-Boat men of WW2. This book is written in a personal memoir style and will not appeal to all people. However, if one is intersted about reading the battle of the atlantic by the saliors who fought in it, then this is your book. Undoubly one of the best written descriptions of warfare that I have ever read.

Rating:
Summary: A salute to those brave, brave men!
Review: Lother-Guenther Buchheim has provided us with a unique insight into an aspect of the Second World War that has been highly misrepresented in the modern "Hollywood" film industry. Disasters such as U-571 have unfortunately reached our screens, and as such, cloud our perspective as to how the Battle of the Atlantic was truly fought by men on both sides. The Germans are *always* the brutal bunglers given nothing but bad press, well, read this book and that view goes out the window along with the rest of the trash! These are ordinary men, from various backgrounds, called upon by their nation to serve in a time of war. As sailors in arguably the most dangerous naval profession (of the 40,000 servicemen who entered the U-Boat Arm, 30,000 became casualties) they are more than worthy of such a deep, thought-provoking appraisal. One cannot avoid sympathising with the crew as they toil through hostile waters on a hazardous voyage.

The book is technically a novel, but it is by no means a work of fiction. The author served as a naval war correspondant to the Kriegsmarine in the war, and this book is his recollection and interpretation of his own experiences. Although the characters are fictional, the experiences described are not.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in military history, especially if you wish to experience the war as the "other side" saw it. In effect, no different to ourselves.

Rating:
Summary: A salute to those brave, brave men!
Review: Lother-Guenther Buchheim has provided us with a unique insight into an aspect of the Second World War that has been highly misrepresented in the modern "Hollywood" film industry. Disasters such as U-571 have unfortunately reached our screens, and as such, cloud our perspective as to how the Battle of the Atlantic was truly fought by men on both sides. The Germans are *always* the brutal bunglers given nothing but bad press, well, read this book and that view goes out the window along with the rest of the trash! These are ordinary men, from various backgrounds, called upon by their nation to serve in a time of war. As sailors in arguably the most dangerous naval profession (of the 40,000 servicemen who entered the U-Boat Arm, 30,000 became casualties) they are more than worthy of such a deep, thought-provoking appraisal. One cannot avoid sympathising with the crew as they toil through hostile waters on a hazardous voyage.

The book is technically a novel, but it is by no means a work of fiction. The author served as a naval war correspondant to the Kriegsmarine in the war, and this book is his recollection and interpretation of his own experiences. Although the characters are fictional, the experiences described are not.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in military history, especially if you wish to experience the war as the "other side" saw it. In effect, no different to ourselves.