A Time to Die: The Untold Story of the Kursk Tragedy Hardcover – January 14, 2003

Very well written and researched. I can only hope that the sailors who lost their lives did not die in vain and that ANY and ALL countries will accept help in a TIMELY fashion from this disaster onward. Russia's handling of this accident was abysmal and downright shameful.

In August of 2000, news media around the globe carried the drama unfolding in the remote waters of the Barents Sea as the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk, pride of the Northern Fleet, lay broken and dying on the sea floor. Russian reports of the cause of the accident were vague and sometimes contradictory at the time. Was it collision with an American submarine, as the Russian's subtly implied, or perhaps caused by an onboard accident? The would only begin trickling out several months after the tragedy.In "A Time to Die: The Untold Story of the Kursk Tragedy", British author Robert Moore unfolds these facts in a dramatic and compelling fashion. This well-researched book in rich in detail yet moves at the pace of a fictional thriller. This tale of heroism and sacrifice on-board is also a scathing indictment of the incompetence and secrecy of the Russian politico-military bureaucracy. While 88 of the crew were most certainly killed instantly, at least 23 survived for several days after the accident, waiting in vain for rescue while the Russian's tried to manipulate world opinion and Vladimir Putin vacationed on the Black Sea. As survivors were struggling to stay alive, Russian bureaucrats on shore hesitated and thwarted viable rescue attempts. Paranoia prevented the willing intervention of western assistance that most certainly could have saved the lives of many of the crewmembers that survived the on-board explosions of torpedoes while still in their tubes.One does not need to be military aficionado to enjoy the fast-paced, well written "A Time to Die". It is an important historical milestone, exposing the struggles faced by Russia in the post-Soviet Union period, and an insightful dissection of Russia's secrecy and mistrust of the west.

As a work for non specialists, "A Time to Die" is an excellent, well written, and thoroughly explained piece of journalism. It is written for laymen, yet does not condescend to people without a background in submarine operations. The K-141 'Kursk' sank on August 12, 2000 off northern Russia during a training exercise after an aged torpedo exploded in the bow of the boat, sinking the ship rapidly to the 350 foot deep seabed. 28 men survived in the aft of the ship and lived in a cold and dark environment for several days before being killed by a rapid flash fire.The elements that led to the tragedy are compelling. The Russian navy was (and is) in utter disrepair after the breakup of the USSR, and rescue submersibles were among the first budget cuts made. Only several days after the 'Kursk' sank was help from England and Norway solicited, due largely to national pride (and fear of espionage). The entire debacle happened only a few months into the Putin administration and proved to be a watershed in Russian politics.Moore tells the story from the viewpoint of the survivors, the would-be rescuers and the victim's families, with special emphasis on deteriorating Russian capabilities (and the preventable nature of the disaster) and the political forces that doomed the survivors to a sure death. Overall it is a superb telling of the salient points of the tragedy, its investigation, and aftermath. The photographs alone are worth the price of the book, particularly the pictures of 'Kursk' in drydock after the accident. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a general treatment of the technical side of the disaster and an in-depth covering of the political machinations involved.

This is an exceptional book on the devastating tragedy of the Russian nuclear submarine, the KURST, which occurred in the arctic waters off the northern coast of Russia in August 2000, only months after Mr. Putin's rose to power. This is a well-researched book by a journalist who reported the tragedy in real-time. The author presents the complex construction of a one of the biggest nuclear subs on the planet. Fortunately for the reader, he has been able to present clearly the highly complex information, the effects on the families (all hands were lost), and the political ramifications which are (almost) unbelievable. The author also shows us what international cooperation can achieve in those events that ripple round the world and effect all of us far too often. Superbly written book with firsthand knowledge on a difficult subject - an excellent, highly readable book which, in the end, shows hope and optimism for the future. I highly recommend this book and thank the author for making it readable for us all.

This book reads like a thriller. I couldn't put it down. Very tragic event that could have been handled differently. Well researched and felt like I was present as story unfolded.

Russian hubris and unwillingness to ask for help until it was too late. Russian denial of the missing sub and the way the Kremlin kept the families in the dark for so long.

A great book about a sad disaster. The Kursk was the pride of the Russian attack submarine fleet and one of the newest ships in the Navy. On an exercise in the Arctic Ocean, the submarine blew up and sank. Twenty six people survived the blast but died on the bottom of the ocean because the Russian Navy did not have adequate rescue facilities or did not want ask foreign governments for help. This was truly needless death.Moore does a good job of detailing the death of this submarine and the decline of the Russian Navy. Although the book is great to read, it does start off slowly, and the circumstances of the explosion is still in doubt. Some say the warheads of one of the torpedoes went off, while Moore states categorically that it was the fuel of the torpedo which caused a flash fire and set the other warheads off. The reason for the submarine exploding is still in doubt, but the aftermath is all too real in the suffering of the families of the crew members.I have read another book about this subject--Kursk Down, but this is a superior read.

Le 12 août 2000, en fin de matinée, le plus grand sous-marin russe fait naufrage, victime d’une formidable explosion. L’histoire passionnante d’un sauvetage qui échouera...

Absolutely fascinating account of the Kursk submarine disaster. Excellently written and based on solid facts. Would highly recommend to read.

I really liked this book. I knew a lot about the Kursk tragedy but of course only what was available to the public durnig those days. This book opens a huge window on what happened in the back lines and how the rescue was so bad organized by the russians. A must read if you want to know the truth.

Brilliantly told. Such a tragic and unnecessary outcome.

Il libro è avvincente, ben scritto e ben organizzato. L'autore mostra una ottima conoscenza dell'argomento e dell'ambiente navale russo.Essendo l'autore americano, mi chiedo se alcune critiche alla politica militare russa siano completamente meritate. Devo però dire che ho trovato il libro equilibrato e credibile