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Kursk

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Kursk

By: Robert Moore
Narrated by: Pete Cross
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About this listen

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Kursk: A Time To Die by Robert Moore, read by Pete Cross.

At 11.30 a.m. on Saturday 12 August 2000, two massive explosions roared through the shallow Arctic waters of the Barents Sea. The Kursk, pride of the Northern Fleet and the largest attack submarine in the world, was hurtling towards the ocean floor.

In Kursk (originally published as A Time to Die), award-winning journalist Robert Moore vividly recreates this disaster minute by minute. Venturing into a covert world where the Cold War continues out of sight, Moore investigates the military and political background to the tragedy. But above all, he tells the nail-bitingly poignant human story of the families waiting ashore, of the desperate efforts of British, Norwegian and Russian rescuers, and of the Kursk sailors, trapped in the aft compartnemt, waiting for rescue, as a horrified world followed their battle to stay alive . . .

©2018 Robert Moore (P)2018 Random House Audiobooks 21st Century Europe Expeditions & Discoveries Great Britain Military Modern Russia World War Submarine Cold War

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Critic reviews

It takes you through each nail biting moment, willing it to turn out differently. Heartbreaking, humane and, at times, all too vivid. I’ve rarely read such a gripping work of non fiction. (Colin Firth)
The Kursk was once the pride of the Russian navy and a symbol of state power . . . her story, harrowingly detailed . . . stands as a testament to the bravery and loyalty of men to a nation that failed them (Martin Robson)
Gripping . . . a moving tragedy redeemed by acts of extraordinary courage . . . has the plot, the tension and the excitement of a film (Orlando Figes)
All stars
Most relevant  
really interesting. I recommend. I was aware of the story but not the fine detail that this book explores

great read

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Incredible story of the Kursk and it's circumstances with some great sub stories to go with it.
Narrator generally OK but occasionally a bit flat.
Overall very good.

incredible and harrowing story.

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Enthralling story that most of us know the basics of, but probably not the finer detail.

As others have said the politics behind the delays set against the back drop of the time in Russia are horrifying and ultimately devastating for the sailors for whom time is quickly running out. The fortunate ones died instantly.

Seems wrong to say I enjoyed this book given the tragic end result, but the content is first class and it never lost my attention.

Well worth a listen.


An Incredible But Sad Story

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If you were gripped by the story of Chernobyl, you will be equally moved by this story of men who lost their lives to the incompetence, pride, complacency and self interest that is bred by an autocratic state; and of the bravery and compassion of the men who tried to save them.

A powerful story, brilliantly told

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A really enjoyable insight into a devastating piece of post cold war history.
Wonderfully read.

Great narrative

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Gripping from the outset, the bravery, the disregard the incompetence, the cover up, the truth.

Excellent listen

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A brilliantly told story of a terrible tragedy and the possible mishandling of the rescue.

Brilliant

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Anyone with even a passing interest in the Kursk disaster of August 2000 should consider purchasing this book. There have been multiple television documentaries and even a drama depicting the terrible disaster, but I found some interesting nuggets of information here I'd not seen anywhere else.

Alas, the Kursk tragedy was an accident just waiting to happen given the lack of investment, resources and above all, the old Soviet mentality that was still latent at the time in the navy and it was this aspect, in particular, that was responsible for the human tragedy that was the Kursk disaster. As one reads just how obstructive and bureaucratic the Russians were, it beggars belief!

If there was anything reading this book brought home to me, it was how changes to basic procedures when conducting naval exercises involving submarines could make a huge difference to the survivability of such submarine accidents. If, for example, the Russian navy had had a rescue vehicle on standby on a support ship during the exercise as well as the emergency buoys actually being rigged to-function properly on the Kursk, then the outcome may have been very different.
I would have liked it if the author had been able to return to the widows that were featured in this book now to find out how their lives had turned out many years later. Further, it would have been insightful to know how the Russian navy had improved their rescue vehicles and procedures since. Regardless, this is a well written and concise account of the events that took place and will hopefully put paid to the multitude of wild conspiracy theories that are out there.

Fascinating & Sad Account

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As relevant now as it ever has been. Fascinating how the incident highlights the Russian mindset, and how it was core to the disaster and the way it played out.

Eye opening history.

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Fantastic - thoroughly educational. Makes me thankful of all the things I take for granted.

A. Time to Die

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