| CLASSIC DIVE BOOKS
Europe - Recreational diving.
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| For Hans
Hass titles.
For Phillipe Diole titles. For Robert Stenuit titles. For Philipe Tailliez titles. For Jacques Cousteau titles. For Vane Ivanovic titles. |
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BATHYSCAPHES et PROFONDEURS
A.Cloirec. Published 1955. Hardcover 110 pages with describtions and some with illustrations of diving apparatus: Le Prieur, Neufeld und Kuhnke, Piel, Denayrouze, Draeger etc. |
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BENEATH THE SEVEN SEAS.
Cornel Lumiere. First published 1956, Hutchinson & Co (Publisshers) Ltd, London. Hardcover, no dust jacket my copy, 240 pages, mono plates throughout. I have my doubts about this autobiography of a spearfisherman who likes to pose with pretty girls and speared fish as though such killings are the measure of a man, and the real trophy is the girl. But it does cover the natural sciences of the underwater world, and photography. [ps] |
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CAVES AND CAVE DIVING.
Guy de Lavaur. Translated by Edmund J. Mason from the French ‘Toute la Speleologie'. Hardcover, dust jacket, 175 pages, no photographs, several drawings and charts. First publsihed in Great Britain by Robert Hale (company), no date recorded. My edition Scientific Book Club Edition, no date - probably mid to late 1950s. Perhaps the first specialist book on cave diving. Covers potholes and underground rivers - the Nautical Expedition of 1929; sumps and Vauclusian Springs; the evolution of speleology. Although I hqve dived Mount Gambier, a dedicated cave diver would be better reviewing this specialist book, but gathering by the demand I have had for the book, it is very popular amongst the enthusiasts. [ps] |
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DAHLAK
With the Italian National Underwater Expedition in the Red Sea. Gianni Roghi and Francesco Baschieri, translated from the Italian by Priscilla Hastings. British edition: Nicholas Kaye Limited, London, 1956. (Cover left). US Edition: Published by Essential Books, Inc/New Jersey, copyrighted 1957. Hardcover, dustjacket, 280 pages, mono and colour photos (even a foldout colour plate of a shark underwater, a dull image - why? - to show that these guys dive with sharks!). "This is the true story of the Italian expedition to Dahlak and beneath the waters of the Red Sea. One of the author's held his own camera and spearfished. He saw and he hunted, and his long and detailed accounts of the movements of sharks are profoundly intersting, perhaps the best ever written. Here, too, are encounters with barracuda, moray eels and groupers, manta rays and jewel fish." Whats with these guys??? The colour photo opposite the title page shows Silverio Zecca with a dead moray eel, spear through the head (the moray's unfortunately, not Zecca's).... "The arrow of the spear-gun is still deeply embedded in the serpent's gills. These morays proved themselves among the more agtressive and dangerous animals of the Red Sea; their strength is enormous, their teper violent and their bite lacerating and poisonous". So - the best thing is to kill them!!!! At least the authors recognise that the manta rays has been "the subject of more ballyhoo than any other fish" and notes its 'terrible reputation is unjustified'. Fair enough. I don't know if it is mentioned in this book, but in another on the Italian Expedition it shows the spearing of a manta. I know times have changed and we now apprecite the underwater world for its beauty and the wonderful creatures that it harbours, but surley in the fifties there was some understanding that there is no need to kill just because it moves! [ps-UKed] |
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DANGER IS MY LIFE
Victor Berge. Translated from the Sedish by Mervyn Savill. First publishe April 1954. Hutchinson, London. Hardcover, dustjacket, 184 pages, a few mono photographs. Covers his life in 'the South Seas' where he was later captured by the Japanese during the Pacific War. He claims to have invented the diving mask 'now used in salvage operations all over the world', and 'one of the few men to have survived a fight with a giant squid. [ps] |
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FOTOSUB. Fotografia e caccia fotografica.
Alberto Romeo and Stefano Lo Presti. Pubished 1980 by Editoriale Olimpia, Italy. Hardcover (laminated boards), 136 pages, many mono prints, a few colour plates. The authors were pioneers in underater photography in Italy. The text is Italian - I don't believe there was an English edition printed. (Copy courtesy of Dr Alberto Romeo, with much appreciation). |
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FREE DIVING
Dimitri Rebikoff Translated from the French by Mervyn Savill. First published under the title Exploration Sous-Marine, by B.Arthaud, Paris & Grenoble, 1952. First published in this translation 1955. Sidgwick and Jackson, London. Hardcover, justjacket, 216 pages, mono plates throughout. Four pages of interesting dive equipment adverts at end of book. The author is a pioneer in underwater photography. 'Free Diving' means being free of a surface supply, eg scuba. Contains interesting descriptions and diagrams of early self-contained breathing equipment. [ps] |
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HUNTING BIG FISH. Marcel Isy-Schwart.
Translated by Paul Dinnage.
Burke Publishing Company, London. First published in 1954. How sad it is that even in the early days of venturing underwater we had to assert our superiority and demonstrate our machisso by killing the creatures of the sea. For food is acceptable, but to land ‘the biggest' or the ‘rarest' is unfortunate to say the least, and to do so for a ‘world record' is an indictment on our species - well, the make of the species anyway. But this is a good read of early spearfishing adventures in the Mediterranean, Brazil and Caribbean. Hardcover, dust jacket, 169 pages, mono photographs. |
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LORD OF THE SHARKS
Franco Prosperi. Translated by Camilla and Guido Roatta. First published 1955, Hutchinson & Co. (Publsihers) Ltd, LOndon. Hardcover, dustjackt, 216 pages, mono and colour plates. Diving in the Indoan Ocean from Ceylon. |
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MEDITERRANEAN HUNTER.
Bernard Gorsky. Translated by Denis Long. First published 1953 as Dix Metres Sous La Mer. English edition published April 1954 by Souvenir Press Ltd, London. Hardcover, dust jacket, 180 pages, mono plates. In three parts, covers 'Discovery of a New World'; Hunting the Fish, and The Oceans Yields its Secrets. I'm not too pleased with some of the images - how could anyone spear a dolphin for God's sake. They may be pioneering a new 'sport' that 'has captured the imagination', with 'thrills of stalking prey', but surely there must have been some understanding of the value of marine life half a century ago. Dr Henri Chenevee - shame on you. And since when has the Moray been 'a serpent, a dangerous unmanigable animal', and the octopus 'a hideous thing'. Thank God we have moved on from those days, but there is no doubt that these early divers were pioneers with courage, and perhaps set the stage for a greater understanding in later years. [ps] |
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MOANA RETURNS
Bernard Gorsky. London. 1959. Elek Books. 1st English edition of the 1957 original Expedition Moana. 264 pages with 1 map, plus 12 pages with 16 b/w photos. Cloth cover, dust jacket. Homebound voyage, from Tahiti to Saint Tropez, via Tonga, New Caledonia, Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea, in the forty-foot cutter Moana. Also: MOANA (Vastness of the Waters) London. 1956. Elek Books. 1st English edition of the 1955 French original. 239 pages with 1 map, plus 4 pages with 3 colour photos and 16 pages with 32 b/w photos. Eps: Maps between Saint Malo and Pappete. Cloth cover, dust jacket. (.Outbound voyage, from Saint Malo to Tahiti, via the Canaries Islands, the West Indies, Panama Canal, Galapagos, and the Marquesas, in the forty-foot cutter Moana. [These are not 'diving' books, but they are by a well-known freediving author. |
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MY ADVENTURES UNDER THE SEA
Jean Foucher-Creteau Translated from the French by James Cleugh. Copyright 1957. Translated from the French "L'Aventure Est Sous La Mer", published by Librairie des Champs-Elyses. Published in Great Britain by Frederick Muller Ltd. (No specific date). Hardcover, dust jacket, 162 pages, mono plates throughout. Four colour plates - one of a ‘magnificent moray' with a spear through its head, which I do not appreciate, nor understand why, even in these early days, one should wish to do such a moronic thing. Includes diving the Cape Verde Island, and the Red Sea. [ps] Also: PERLES REQUINS ET CORAUX (PEARLS, SHARKS AND CORALS). Jean Foucher-Creteau. |
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NEWNES COMPLETE GUIDE TO UNDERWATER
SWIMMING
Guy Poulet and Robert Barincou. First published in France under the title 'Connaissance et Technique de la Plongee', by Editions Denoel, Paris, 1962. English edition published 1964 by George Newns Ltd, London. Hardcover, dust jacket, 310 pages. Mono and a few colour photos. A rather comprehensive dive primer. |
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SOUTH FROM THE RED SEA
Haroun Tazieff. Translated by Naomi Lewis. Edition viewed is The Travel Book Club, London, no date - probably 1950s. Hardcover, dust jacket, 212 pages, mono plates in four sections. The author was with Cousteau when he explored the Red Sea, on the Calypso. [ps] |
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SPEARFISHING - A Handbook for Beginners.
I.S.Ivanovic. Publishers Nicholas Kaye Ltd, London, 1952. First published as "Sub-Marine Spearfihing" by Nicholas Kaye Ltd, 1951. Reprinted as "Spearfishing" in 1952. Hardcover, dust jacket, 80 pages, mono photographs and drawings. [ps] Also - MODERN SPEARFISHING and others. Van Ivanovic. Published by Henry Regnery Co, Chicago, 1975. For complete list, see notes on author. |
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THE BLUE CONTINENT
Folco Quilici First published in Great Britain in 1954. Weidenfeld and Nicholosson, London. Hardcover, dust jacket, 169 pages, 26 colour photos, 35 mono photographs. A documentary essay on the Italian National Underwater expedition to the Red Sea in 1952. "Quilici's material is so fascinating that it can be read with the greatest pleasure as a straight adventure story". [ps] |
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THE COMPLETE MANUAL OF FREE DIVING.
Philippe Tailliezz, Frederic Dumas, Jacques-Yves Cousteau (wow- he doesn't get top billing!!!), Jean Alinat, F.Devilla, R. Perrimond-Trouchet, P.Cabarrou: Members of the Undersea Research and Development Group of the French Navy. Copyright 1957.Publsihed by G. Putnam's Sons, New York. The original book, Diving in Diving Dress (Plongee en Scapandre), published in 1949 by Editions Elzevir, was written by tailliez, Dumas, Cousteau, Alinat and Devilla. The book under review iss a ‘revised edition' by the authors listed. Hardcover, dustjacket, 185 pages, sixteen mono plates centrally placed. The book is in great demand, due in part by its respected authors, its content, and its rareity (particularly in good condition with dust jacket). It covers et al, physiology, equipment (standard dress, closed and open circuit apparaatus), mixed gases, deco tables, u/w photography. [ps] |
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THE MARVELLOUS KINGDOM
Pierre Labat. Odham Press Ltd. London. Hardcover, dustjacket. 1956. "A true story of the first group of french boy scout frogmen. |
| THE SKIN DIVER
Elgin Ciampi. Published 1960. The Ronald Press Company. New York. 1960. I list this here as you may have ben looking for Ciampi as being a European diver. He was American. See listing under USA. |
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THE SPONGE DIVERS.
Charmian Clift and George Johnston. First published 1956, Collins, London Hardcover, no dust jacket my copy, 314 pages, no photographs. The authors are no strangers to the Australian literary scene of the mid 20th century, having several books between them, and he a respected journlaist also. They claim the book to be fiction, based on the island of Kalymnos in Greece, where they lived for many years, but no doubt there is ameasure of authenticity in their tales. [ps] |
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UNDERSEA EXPLORER
The Story of Captain Cousteau. Adventures of the Famous Aqua-Lung Diver and His Undersea Expeditions. by James Dugan. First published in Great Britain, 1957, by Hamish Hamilton Ltd, London. Hardcover, dust jacket, 125 pages, mono prints, colour plates. "Here is the true story, stranger than Jules Verne, of the undersea explorer who has thrilled the world with his discoveries." [ps] See also books by Jacques Cousteau. |
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UNDERWATER HUNTING
Dr Gilbert Doukan. Translated by Bernard Miall. First published Great britain July 1953, George Allen & Unwin Ltd, London. Translated from the French 'La Chasse Sous-Marine', Chantenay, Paris, 1948. Hardcover, dust jacjet, 162 pages, a few mono plates, drawings. Chapters include: No Novely; Where, When & How; Submarine Hunting; The Technique of Submarine Hunting; Different Methods for Different Fish; The Dangers of Submarine Hunting; Submarine Hunting throughout the World; The Gun and Accessories; Some Anecdotes; Legislation Affecting Submarine Hunting; By Way of Conclusion. Also Appendicies. [ps] |
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VASTNESS OF THE SEA:
ADVENTURE IN THE MYSTERIOUS DEPTHS
Bernard Gorsky Published by Little, Brown, & Co, 1957. Hardcover, dust jacket, 305 pages, mono photographs, drawings. Adventures of four Frenchmen on a 15,000 mile journey to some of the panets most remote tropical locations. Contents: Preparations, From St Malo to Tangiers, At Tangiers, To the Canaries, The Passage of the Atlantic, The West Indies, Across the Caribbean to Balboa, To The Galapagos Islands, The Crossing of the Pacific, The Atolls of Tuamotu, Tahiti. (Ebay description) |
