A winter escape into the deep

Books are a great thing to get for Christmas. If your giver has chosen wisely, you'll have something to hold in your hands, get involved with, make a part of you.

The downside is, if it's a great book, the experience is over much too quickly.

That's the case in a book I re-ceived last Saturday.

On vacation a few years ago, I read an Outside magazine story about a father and son who died in a deep-diving accident to an unidentified German submarine, dubbed the "U-Who."

When I read a review of Robert Kurson's new book, "Shadow Divers," I knew I needed to know more about the story.

The author, a Harvard Law graduate and former Chicago Sun-Times features writer, has turned meticulous research into a deep (pardon the pun) examination of the motives, sacrifice and dedication of a small group of divers who were willing to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of a higher goal. Tough talking and rough living, they nevertheless passed up an easy chance to reach their goal of identifying the craft, choosing to risk more dangerous dives rather than rummaging through the remains of the ship's crew.

They felt a kinship with the 20-something German sailors who perished in the cold, dangerous Atlantic that threatened the modern explorers.

I've never had a chance to scuba dive, although it's always fascinated me. That, coupled with an interest in World War II and naval history, make the pages of Shadow Divers fly by. I'll be sorry when the book is finished.

A co-worker, Michelle Walkenshaw-Herrera, recommended a fun movie about a man who tied helium balloons onto his lawn chair and floated across Australia.

I've heard similar stories, although I'm not sure whether it really happened, or if it's one of those urban legends.

Anyway, with evening time to fill during the Christmas-New Years gap, my son and I stopped in at the movie rental place.

Perusing the shelves, I couldn't find the move Michelle had recommended.

"Lawnchair boy," or was it "Larry Lawnchair?"

Nope, nothing in the "L's."

A quick call to Michelle, and I knew I was in the wrong section. What would we do without cell phones?

We haven't had time to watch "Danny Deckchair" yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Have you read an interesting book or watched a unique, off-beat video lately? Write a few paragraphs about it, and I'll share it in this column, or in our "Preview" entertainment section on Thursday. You can e-mail me at editor@mccook-gazette.com or snail mail to: Reviews, c/o McCook Daily Gazette, P.O. Box 1268, McCook NE 69001.

Just remember the name better than I did.