Bookshelf: Diving history

The early history of diving is filled with mavericks and adventurers, and continues with the development of ever-more sophisticated methods of exploring the deep. Find a good book here – you won’t be able to put it down.

Diving stories from the very early days of the aqualung:

• The Reefs of Taprobane – Arthur C Clarke
• The Coast of Coral – Arthur C Clarke
• Jacques Cousteau
• Deep, Dark and Dangerous – commercial diving
• Stars Beneath the Sea

Robert Ballard on the development of deep-water exploration by means of submersibles and ROVs:

• The Eternal Darkness
• Explorations
• Adventures in Ocean Exploration
• Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers

Tim Ecott’s brilliant masterwork covering all of diving and then some:

• Neutral Buoyancy

Development of the dive tables:

• The Terrible Hours
• SEALAB