NukeWorker Forum

Career Path => Navy Nuke => Navy:Getting In => Topic started by: confusedandlost on Jun 28, 2011, 11:51

Title: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: confusedandlost on Jun 28, 2011, 11:51
Has anyone read any of the following books and can comment on how well they do in portraying Nuke life? I'm probably going to buy these three books and read them. Does anyone have any suggestions of other books that are good reads on Nuke life in the Navy?


2190 Days: My Navy Adventure
Daniel Bil
http://www.amazon.com/2190-Days-My-Navy-Adventure/dp/1598860402/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309276035&sr=8-1

Tales from Nuclear Power School Aaron Mccarty
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419625527/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Tales from Nuclear Navy Aaron Mccarty
http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Nuclear-Navy-Aaron-Mccarty/dp/1419625519/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309276216&sr=1-2
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: Fermi2 on Jun 28, 2011, 04:03
Yeah there's a great one called Quit Your Whining NUB And Get Qualified by a guy named Mike. New chapters are written every day.
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: biloxoi blues on Jun 28, 2011, 04:13
Yeah there's a great one called Quit Your Whining NUB And Get Qualified by a guy named Mike. New chapters are written every day.
Yeah he thinks everything he writes is great.
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: Marlin on Jun 28, 2011, 04:26
Has anyone read any of the following books and can comment on how well they do in portraying Nuke life? I'm probably going to buy these three books and read them. Does anyone have any suggestions of other books that are good reads on Nuke life in the Navy?


2190 Days: My Navy Adventure
Daniel Bil
http://www.amazon.com/2190-Days-My-Navy-Adventure/dp/1598860402/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309276035&sr=8-1

Tales from Nuclear Power School Aaron Mccarty
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419625527/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Tales from Nuclear Navy Aaron Mccarty
http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Nuclear-Navy-Aaron-Mccarty/dp/1419625519/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309276216&sr=1-2

If you read experiences from people who post here I think you will find that "the journey" varies greatly from person to person and command to command. The best posts are those that say, it is what you make it. I have not read these books and they may be very accurate (or not) but you may be better served to be prepared for the "needs of the Navy", what was the norm yesterday may not be the norm of today. The most common thing I hear from fellow ex-Navy nukes is that they would never do anything like that again but they are glad that they did do it.

Might as well get use to the term "nub" and the admonishment to get qualified, you will hear this a lot.
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: Higgs on Jun 28, 2011, 04:38
Yeah there's a great one called Quit Your Whining NUB And Get Qualified by a guy named Mike. New chapters are written every day.

It is good because the chapters are short and to the point. :D
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: DadofMM-ELT on Jun 30, 2011, 11:40
As the Dad of a future nuke, I was interested in "nuke life" as well. I'll just note that the books you listed are all vanity projects - basically sea stories with an agenda. If you google around a bit you'll be able to get a handle on where the authors are coming from.

That said, if what you want are sea stories there's no need to pay money for 'em. You can get 'em here: http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,17568.0.html and at nifty sites like http://mooj.com/rxdept.htm

My son is currently about half way through power school and based on his comments to me:

Basic was kind of fun - just do it.
MM A-School was most definitely fun. Who knew there were so many different ball-peen hammers?
Power School (so far) is much more work but also more interesting.
Do what you have to do to stay on voluntary study hours
If you're under 21, know that there are Navy people EVERYWHERE
The fleet is 2 years in the future the day you report to Great Lakes. Forget about it.
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: Higgs on Jun 30, 2011, 01:03
I wish I would have thought about writing a memoir of my NNPP experience.

I wonder if anyone would read about the trials and tribulations of an SRO candidate? ;D
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: HydroDave63 on Jun 30, 2011, 01:50
I wish I would have thought about writing a memoir of my NNPP experience.

I wonder if anyone would read about the trials and tribulations of an SRO candidate? ;D

Is there a cool car chase scene and he gets the girl?  :P
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: drayer54 on Jun 30, 2011, 05:44
Now here was another good find mixed in with these depression-get it off my chest and dump it in the publishers box-type books. (http://www.amazon.com/Fuck-Navy-Fuck-System-Unpleasant-Things/dp/1419638688/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c)

And from the review:
I expected a few errors in this book after reading the other customer reviews but nothing could've prepared me for the vast amount of problems I found. First of all, the author completely missed his target audience. He says he's writing to inform the general public of some of the problems with the Navy, however, he uses so much "Navy jargon" that if you hadn't served yourself you wouldn't know what he was talking about 2/3 of the time. Also, the general writing is easily on an 8th grade level if not 7th. I was turning in papers in the 5th grade with less sentence fragments, misspelled words, and out of context remarks than THIS guy! Oh, and I couldn't get over the fact that he used the word "like" so many times in the read. For instance, "The RDC let me sleep until LIKE 7am that day" or "This guy LIKE completely should have proofread his work." Also, missing words? COME ON! You can't write a sentence and leave the NOUN out!
Some of this guys' subjects and topics were amusing. I think he would be a pretty good person to have a conversation with but definitely should leave the writing to people who have a basic understanding of the English language. Also, it's only 110 pages. It's 12 dollars. NOT worth that amount. You could easily pick up a paperback edition of a best seller and be a hundred times happier with your purchase. So I say, for the humor in the book I'll give this one 2 stars. That's all, no more.


I bet 3 to 1, he wrote it on watch in a little green book.

I didn't know they published crap like this. His description sounded like a BNEQ student with daddy issues who didn't like his job. On a side note, I have the typed up version in an email of one our ships list of things that he hates the most by a mad kid if you want it by PM. He was the first we had to actually go MAD, vice sad. Great parts runner though!

Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: GNowakowski on Jun 30, 2011, 09:05
I wish I would have thought about writing a memoir of my NNPP experience.

I wonder if anyone would read about the trials and tribulations of an SRO candidate? ;D

Sum (1) would.  Can't guarantee Sum (>2).


..Look forward to it in fact.
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: drayer54 on Jun 30, 2011, 09:19
Sum (1) would.  Can't guarantee Sum (>2).


..Look forward to it in fact.
Maybe 2 if I ever develop an appreciation for embellished fairy tales of submarine life!
Title: Re: Books about Nuke Life
Post by: Higgs on Jun 30, 2011, 09:23
My book would consist of "More class and study today. It sucks. Only 14 months to go."

...

"More study today. Only 11 months to go."

"Walked down the plant today. Only 8 months to go."

"Had my a$$ handed to me in the simulator today. More study. Only 5 months to go."

And so on and so forth. Throw in there some whining about the instructors and exams and it would be done.

I don't think it would be too interesting.