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 enlarge | Author: Tim Ecott
Publisher: Grove Press
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy New: $5.74
You Save: $8.26 (59%)
New (25) Used (27) Collectible (2) from $4.87
Avg. Customer Rating:  27 reviews
Sales Rank: 349902
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 368
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.6 x 1
ISBN: 0802139078
Dewey Decimal Number: 797
EAN: 9780802139078
ASIN: 0802139078
Publication Date: June 6, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 A master wordsmith contemplates on the world underwater October 1, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Understanding Neutral Buoyancy requires understanding the author. Tim Ecott is a reporter and producer for BBC World Service and has been writing for numerous prestigious international magazines and papers. He is a certified divemaster and a marine environmentalist. However, unlike the ultimate expert divers that have authored other diving books, Ecott is almost a reluctant diver. His father was a military man, and so young Ecott, a sickly, bronchitic child in his early childhood Wales fared much better in Malaya where his father was stationed for several years. A return to Ireland was a return to "varying shades of grey" for him. Though a lifelong swimmer, he came to scuba relatively late and his first experience was "just, well, fine." That daramtically changed later, but it's clear that this is a man who views diving as an emotional thing much more so than macho daring, socializing, or a scientific quest.
Tellingly, those who picked up Neutral Buoyancy with the anticipation of finding educational or instructional content regarding that important and celebrated aspect of diving will find it described in just one paragraph, an introduction to a chapter. The technical aspects are incidental; this book is really a collection of a wide variety of thoughts on diving, recorded by a deep and different soul, organized by an experienced journalist's mind, and crafted in exquisite language. Ecott, unlike many diving book autors, is a true writer, a professional, a master of language. Journalists and writers master the art of reporting facts and perhaps adapting them to the medium in which they will be published. In this instance, the medium is Ecott's own book where he is free to not just report, but also give his thoughts his personal spin.
Neutral Buoyancy is organized into a dozen chapters that each center on one general aspect of of things under the sea. There's, for example, a 30 page chapter entitled "Organic Gold" dedicated entirely to the sponge. Another deals with underwater habitats. There's "Flickering Images" that centers around Austrian diving pioneer Hans Hass and his wife Lotte, whom he seeks out and interviews. There's "Diving Free" that examines breathdiving record attempts and the whole experience around it. Or "In the Shadow of the Fire God" that describes a trip Ecott took to the Bismarck Sea. "Advanced French" deals with the various findings and advances a number of French pioneers brought to diving, most importantly, though not necessarily in Ecott's eyes, Jacques Cousteau (who he largely sees as a publicity grabbing egotist). There are other chapters dealing with underwater dangers, diving history, underwater warfare, pioneers, all presented in beautifully crafted language.
Ecott is a true citizen of the world. His world only, for sure, but of the world nonetheless. He travels to the places he seeks, delves deeply into them. His research is not just academic, no, he seeks out and interviews the pioneers, visits the places where things took place, and weaves it all into his words and descriptions.
Despite all this, I found the book an acquired taste. During the first half, I was often put off by what I found an overly negative view of things, one dismissive of essentially anything that wasn't old and untouched or at least made in the olden ways. I tired of the endless references on man's cruelty and thoughtless carelessness, and the somewhat manipulative hangdog way those thoughts were presented. That led me to becoming an overly critical reader who approached each new chapter with some bias, to the extent where I began faulting the writer for putting clearly British words like "programme" into an American's mouth. I actually put the book down for several weeks.
Then I picked it up again and I am glad I did. Having accepted Ecott's deeply personal view of the world and his tendency to craft personal biases into his accounts, I was finally able to appreciate the true magic of this book, the wealth of information and experiences it conveys without ever once falling prey to that old authors' vice, that of talking down or showing off, at least not in a technical sense. Neutral Buoyancy can be read and enjoyed by people who do not know diving, have never dived. His skillfully crafted brief explanations of diving basics explain without putting off experts while his gift of describing details, of truly painting with words, of conjuring up pictures and thoughts in a masterful way, will thrill even the most advanced diver.
Neutral Buoyancy August 6, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have just purchased my second copy of Neutral Buoyancy because I gave my first copy to the Manager of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. This book is a must read for anyone who dives or is interested in the sea. Each chapter is prefaced by a dive story which either moved me to tears or laughter. I learned so much from Tim that I just had to get another copy of this wonderful book. Thank you Tim!
Great Surprise May 26, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
When I start reading this book I realized that this wasn't just (another) diving story. It was THE diving story. From the first man breathing below the surface to our days.
For those who like me, want to know the basics, where and how it all began, this is the book to read.
DIVE IN & ENJOY!!! March 29, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
What a great read!!!
Tim does an outstanding job covering the history of the development of scuba diving. By the time you've read all our ancestors endured in the pursuit of the "sport" it makes you really appreciate living in these modern times...WOW!!
Really nice reflections on the experiences encountered while in the blue (I'm not certified yet, but will be SOON) and the historical figures he interviewed were FASCINATING!!
JOLLY GOOD WORK TIM!
By the way, I'd love to dive with you one day, if you'll let me know where you're working...
Scott
Houston, Texas (USA)
moogman2@houston.rr.com
Awesome Book July 31, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Neutral Buoyancy by Tim Ecott is a very good diving book. Ecott gives a fairly detailed history of diving beginning with the ancient Greeks. He lightly discusses how diving effects a person's body (changes in pressure, decompression sickness, etc) and explains who the major contributors to diving were (nations and individuals). Scattered throughout the book are some of his personal experiences while diving.
The book isn't designed to be technical. Instead it's interesting to read about the developement of the sport and Ecott's personal feelings towards diving. This book is well written, reads fast, and has great entertainment value. I read this book before I was certified just out of curiosity, and it motivated me to enroll in open water class.
Two thumbs up.
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