Big Red: Three Months on Board a Trident Nuclear Submarine

The first reporter granted an extended stay aboard a Trident nuclear sub (which has 24 multiple-tipped missiles as its strike force), veteran Time diplomatic correspondent Waller (The Commandos; etc.) brings the reader into the exclusive submariners' club as he details USS Nebraska's weapons, propulsion, communications and on-board electronic gadgets--as well as the lives and careers of the crew. Most of the book focuses on a patrol that began in May 1999, when the ""Blue Crew"" boarded the USS Nebraska and headed to sea. Everyday events ensue: a near-collision with a buoy, a seaman with an attack of appendicitis, simulated war games with other subs and planes, along with drills designed to keep the crew sharp and test its mettle. Waller closely examines the elaborate safeguards against a spurious nuclear launch, and, less gravely, delves into the sub's relentlessly miniaturized kitchen and meal preparation. Less action-oriented readers will be engrossed by the backstories of the men who pilot her and the intricacies of their interactions with each other in such close quarters. Captain Dave Volonino comes off as a formidable, fiercely and generously intelligent figure, while the 106 officers and seamen interviewed over the three months by Waller show remarkable depth of character. While the sub only ""pretend[s] to go to nuclear war,"" Waller perfectly dramatizes the perils even a routine steer through Connecticut waters can bring and the second-by-second adjustments captain and crew must make. 16-page photo insert not seen by PW. (Mar. 10) Forecast: While many readers won't recognize Waller's name, the idea of three months on a Trident will appeal to (male) readers of all stripes. But the lack of a broadly compelling story beyond the unprecedented access will keep this meticulous chronicle from Red October-like numbers.