The Rapture of the Deep: And Other Dive Stories You Probably Shouldn't Know

Mike carefully crafts a "day in the life" of living on a tropical island on the dive instructor budget in a very easy to read format. This is not an instruction manual; it is about the daily life and (mis)adventures in and out of the water. The book is really a perfect read for those that like a light "travel adventure"/"personal account" read down the lines of PJ O'Rourke, with not a lot of hidden political messages. Suggestion - if you like diving, this is the great travel companion.

Forget the tourism brochures of exotic isles! Ingore the foreign resort owner's claims of adventure in paradise. This tale tells it as it really is from a professional SCUBA diver's perspective. Although this is basically a journal of his travels to these exotic locales, Michael Zinsley tells the story of his behind-the-scenes experiences in a truly humorous and honestly unabashed style. It's like getting a tour of Disney World's back lot, behind the facade of it's glitzy street-front attractions, and witnessing how the employees really talk and act when they're not with the tourists. In places it's almost like you can see him composing sections of his book while experiencing the very thing he's writing about. A bedtime reader, I would often keep my wife awake laughing so hard it made the bed shake. This book is a dive-travel guide to the Pacific Islands, Bermuda and the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia written by someone who actually lived there (not just visited), someone who experienced life among the natives (not only with the beach front resort vacationers). It was an honestly good read.

A great book to take with you while traveling or just lying around and relaxing - what a refreshing read. I can almost here Mike's voice telling the story himself.All divers, divemasters, instructors, and "tourists" that want to be divers, should read this well written book - and `learn' to watch how you might be handling yourself (awareness). For that matter `everyone' should just take the time and enjoy this work. It is a fun read - don't wait for a friend or buddy to finish the book to pass on to you - just buy the thing and enjoy your on copy. Who knows, you may be traveling and run into Zinsley - then you can have him autograph your very own copy! A few of the many good quotes- "The first sign of a nervous breakdown is when you start thinking your work is terribly important." -Milo"Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it." - Anonymous"Never argue with a fool. People might not know the difference." - Anonymous

I've been given several copies of this book as presents so far; my friends know me well.I'm personally undecided as to the effect this book had on me. I hesitate to say "inspiring" simply because the idea of travelling to unspoilt islands, getting paid to dive, living a beach-bum lifestyle, all of these already have a strong appeal for me. I think it was more simply addiction-satisfying; for a boy who grew up in the south pacific and lives-to-dive, sitting in land-locked Munich, this book certainly put a smile on my face. It didn't get me in the water, but it's truely the next best thing.I saw a reviewer comparing Zinsley to Kerouac; my personal opinion might stretch to a young Michener (Tales of the South Pacific most especially) or even to Hemingway - content-wise at least, if not so much the literary style / quality.This book is, unlike many other "books-by-divers", not just for SCUBA freaks. This will appeal to anyone who dreams of far away beaches and leaving the 9 to 5 rush.It'S a wonderful book - at least, the stories are. It won't win literary awards, but you'll read this again, you'll give it to your friends, but be warned it might send you to your travel agent sooner than you had planned. I am looking forward to hearing more adventures from Mr Zinsley.

Even armchair adventurers like me will find this book hard to put down. We are transported to a far away world, live vicariously on a shoestring, and experience the perils and pleasures of exploring underwater caves, reefs, shipwrecks, and sealife. The author writes in a clear, lively, and descriptive style and this book is full of interesting facts, colorful characters, and humorous anecdotes of the remote islanders, scuba students, and divers he has met on his journey through life. It is better than a plane ticket!