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Between the Devil and the Deep: One Man's Battle to Beat the Bends
“ 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
Deep 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, doctors 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 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 organized 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.
Deep 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, doctors 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 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 organized 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.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published July 12, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 27, 2023
A very enjoyable book that weaves together a compelling story and interesting historical background. Despite being a "technical" diver myself some of the historical background presented in this book was new to me.
This book is probably too heavily invested into the scuba and technical diving realm to be of interest to people not already interested in those topics, but for those are that are it's a very enjoyable read.
This book is probably too heavily invested into the scuba and technical diving realm to be of interest to people not already interested in those topics, but for those are that are it's a very enjoyable read.
January 7, 2024
As an occasional diver, I found the content very interesting but the writing a bit clunky.
July 14, 2024
Well written, exploring the true event and honouring the people that made the discoveries to make Martin survival possible. Recommend this book to everyone and anyone that will listen
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews