Best scuba books for beginners

[underwateraddict]

I have always wanted to scuba dive in a exotic and beautiful places, but I never had the chance due to Financial issues. Since I’m finally able to financially afford it, I’ve decided to travel to Thailand for exotic scuba diving and certification. My question is what are the best beginner guides and books to scuba diving. Also what is the best book about thailand diving. Unforuntally looking at amazon most of the books specifically about thailand are badly out of date. Dive thailand was released last year but I cant find any reviews and dont know how good of a guide it is. Im not sure if the lonely planet guide is a good choice because it has not been updated since 2007.
Any help would be appreciated

 

[drrich2]

I can't offer you a range of things I've tried, since my 'library' isn't all that diverse.

I certified with PADI. The basic 'entry' course for diving is the Open Water course and certification; I found the PADI manual for that class a fine, easy reading, easy-to-understand introduction to scuba diving. Obviously since you'll be reading the manual in the pursuit of getting certified, that's an added bonus. I would anticipate that the open water course manuals for competing agencies like NAUI, SSI & SDI would also be good.

After all, why buy another entry level book up front, when you've got to get one of these anyway? Find out which agency you'll certify with!

Have you seen the Book & Media reviews section of the forum yet? Here's a thread on books; mentions the Navy Dive Manual.

Some people like the PADI Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving, to get into the subject more so than the basic OW manual.

Richard.

 

[Thalassamania]

Each agency puts out it's own basic books and, frankly, most of them are pretty poor in that they barely skim the surface. If you want more complete information I recommend the NOAA Manual and U.S. Navy Diving Manual.

 

[TSandM]

Well, whatever class you elect to take will have an open water manual which you will have to buy.

If you want something more extensive than that, the PADI Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving is easy to read and has a lot of information in it. It's written for a third grader, but if you can get past the delivery, you can learn a lot.

Thal's book is far more information, but you have to be a bit more motivated to read it.

 

[Straegen]

I like this general one:

Amazon.com: The Certified Diver's Handbook: The Complete Guide to Your Own Underwater Adventures (9780071414609): Clay Coleman: Books

Can't help on the Thailand diving other than to ask around here.

 

[drrich2]

Each agency puts out it's own basic books and, frankly, most of them are pretty poor in that they barely skim the surface. If you want more complete information I recommend the NOAA Manual and U.S. Navy Diving Manual.

This brings up a subject that's a bone of contention on a number of topics on the forum; is it better to:

1.) Offer a simpler, easier 'beginners' approach' to a course or subject (open water, nitrox., etc...), where you read through, learn enough for what you want to do, then later, if interest or need arises, build on that knowledge with additional courses or books.

or

2.) Take a more in-depth, comprehensive course or book and delve into the subject matter in such depth that, if you persevere & master it, you don't really need as many additional courses, books, etc...

An analogous debate involves diver training; should the basic open water scuba course give people 'bare bones' basic training adequate for conservative diving in good conditions (perhaps without needing much navigation skill) and without much rescue training, or should it be much more thorough?

People have debated these issues enough to know there's no one right answer for everyone.

While it's hard to judge when you 'don't know what you don't know,' can you give us some idea how 'in-depth' you tend to get into things up front? Are you someone who wants to know enough to just dive in good conditions (at first), or do you want to know the detailed science and theory behind the recommended practices, etc...?

Richard.

 

[Thalassamania]

I think with books the answer is a bit easier, something that is highly incomplete and written at a 3rd grade level or something that is very complete and written for adults. All you have to do is remember that don't have to read the whole thing the first time out.

 

[wrybosome]

I'll second the NOAA manual. It's the only one I have that doesn't make me feel like I'm in a remedial class. It's also much more comprehensive than the others I've seen.

 

[Marek K]

written at a 3rd grade level or something that is [...] written for adults.

But... a lot of adults only read at the third-grade level...

I really do like Clay Coleman's book (Straegen's post #5). Written at a sixth-grade level , but it's got a lot of good information that goes beyond your basic Open Water manual and is fun to read. It's a bit dated (2004), and doesn't go over theory... but discusses almost everything else related to scuba past the entry level. (A lot of folks here won't agree with his viewpoints, particularly on equipment. He give the pros and cons of everything, but likes the Spare Air.)

 

[Thalassamania]

Spare air? That's an impeachable offense.