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Book Review of Trapped Under the Sea: One Engineering Marvel, Five Men, and a Disaster Ten Miles Into the Darkness

Trapped Under the Sea: One Engineering Marvel, Five Men, and a Disaster Ten Miles Into the Darkness
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Helpful Score: 3


In July 1999, Americans attention was focused on the sudden death of JFK, Jr., his wife and a family member in a plane accident. Few news stories reported on the equally sudden deaths of deep sea divers who perished in a totally preventable tragedy 420 feet down under Bostons harbor and nine and a half miles out during that same month. This is the focus of author Neil Swideys book, Trapped Under the Sea which is a thorough examination of the tragedy, the events leading up to it, and the people whose lives were forever changed by it. In this book, Swidey explains the reasons for the building of a tunnel ten miles under Boston Harbor and the engineering required for such a project and does so in such a language that the casual reader with no engineering background can understand. He also explains the science of deep sea diving and the risks taken by those people who put their lives on the line everyday as part of their job. Swidey writes in a manner that is logical and understandable without going on so long that he bores or talks down to the reader. This book is highly readable and as intriguing as any thriller on the market. At some point the book became so real to me that I had difficulty putting it down, the sure mark of a well written book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, particularly anyone who has an interest in the Boston area or deep sea diving. I received this book for free from Blogging For Books for this review