• Silent Running

  • My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine
  • By: James F. Calvert
  • Narrated by: Kevin Patrick
  • Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,304 ratings)

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Silent Running  By  cover art

Silent Running

By: James F. Calvert
Narrated by: Kevin Patrick
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Publisher's summary

In this riveting personal account, an authentic American hero relives the perils and triumphs of eight harrowing patrols aboard one of America's most successful World War II submarines. Courageous deeds and terror-filled moments - as well as the endless hard work of maintaining and operating a combat sub - are vividly recalled in Calvert's candid portrait. From rigorous training and shakedown cruises off the coast of New England to tense patrols within shouting distance of Japan's major cities, the progress of the newly commissioned USS Jack parallels Calvert's own growth from callow ensign to charter member of one of the sharpest attack teams in the fleet. Silent Running is more than a masterful collection of war stories. The greatest drama takes place within Jim Calvert himself, as his values, his training, and his courage are put to test daily, both at sea and ashore. He must come to terms with a forbidden love, overcome fear and self-doubt, cope with the loss of comrades, and face the constant reality that each and every day at sea might be his last. Jim Calvert has created one of the most remarkable World War II memoirs to date.
©1995 by James F. Calvert, Vice Admiral, USN (Ret.) (P)1997 by Blackstone Audiobooks

What listeners say about Silent Running

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Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!!

This was a great mix of historical detail and heart-stopping suspense. I have enjoyed watching submarine movies like "Das Boot", "Crimson Tide", or "The Hunt for Red October" but this is the first book I have read/listed to about them. I am glad it was this one because it made me more interested about them. I just really cant say enough about this book.
EXCEPT:
The readers voice could be better. He has kind of an annoying lisp, but luckily I got used to it and after a while I dont notice it as much.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Even better than expected

James Calvert has a great story to tell and tells it very well. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story poor sound quality

I enjoyed the story very much but the sound quality was poor. I would recommend it if the sound quality didn't bother you

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great tales from the South Seas!

Well written and a great tribute to our sailors. Bless all our fallen troops.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very well told story of sailing on WW2 submarines

This book gets to the nitty gritty of what it was like to be a submariner in WW2. It tells of the challenges of getting to a war footing after Pearl Harbor and the successes that eventually occurred from the early beginnings after Pearl Harbor.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

incredible story..better than anybfiction

this man tells a story that every American should hear. brave..human and unforgettable .
.usaf vet here

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Read

He was a small cog in the great machinery of WW II but he had a front row seat, which he shares with us. This book gives a glimpse of what the war was like at the point of action. It is not only tremendously enlightening it is very entertaining. If you have an interest in naval military history as told from an individual combatant?s perspective, you should consider this book.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Experience the submarine life firsthand

I thought this was a great book. I disagree with one reviewer on the narrator; I thought the narrator did a fine job. The story is both exciting and personal. This ranks right up there with my other favorite WW II listens: The Phantom Major, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, and Shadow Divers (quasi-WW II.)

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

great story/narration acceptable

This is a really great story about the submarine service in WWII. What I found to be really interesting was the author's (Admiral Calvert) total honesty in terms of openly criticizing his professional and personal actions during the war. Can't say I've seen that before.
At the beginning, I was a bit annoyed with the reader (for the same reasons listed by others) but the story rises above the narration and I got so that I could just go with the flow. It didn't bother me going forward.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Story

Yes, yes, the narrator has a lisp, and who knows why he was chosen, but it's not distracting and the details and storytelling are top notch. If you've ever wanted to be aboard a WWII sub from training days to the heart of battle, this is a great book. High recommended.

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2 people found this helpful