Against the Tide

Rickover's Leadership Principles and the Rise of the Nuclear Navy

By: Rear Adm. Dave Oliver USN - Ret.

Narrated by: Joel Richards

Against the Tide is a leadership book that illustrates how Adm. Hyman Rickover made a unique impact on American and Navy culture.

Dave Oliver is the first former nuclear submarine commander who sailed for the venerable admiral to write about Rickover's management techniques. Oliver draws upon a wealth of untold stories to show how one man changed American and Navy culture while altering the course of history.

The driving force behind America's nuclear submarine navy, Rickover revolutionized naval warfare while concurrently proving to be a wellspring of innovation that drove American technology in the latter half of the 20th-century. As a testament to his success, Rickover's single-minded focus on safety protected both American citizens and sailors from nuclear contamination, a record that is in stark contrast to the dozens of nuclear reactor accidents suffered by the Russians.

While Rickover has been the subject of a number of biographies, little has been written about his unique management practices that changed the culture of a 200-year-old institution and affected the outcome of the Cold War.

©2014 Dave Oliver (P)2018 Tantor

In line with my experience

I was a Navy nuke for a little over 20 years, all of them after Admiral Rickover's death, hence after the Coldwar had been won, and I can say that much of what is detailed here was still true of how the program was being run when I left.

A very easy lesson about a very interesting man

I blew through this book quickly… It is well paced, well written, and well narrated. It’s unfortunate that ADM Rickover never wrote an autobiography or memoir, but this is a good primer on how the man helped to make the modern US submarine service into the vaunted and unmatched force it is today.

A new appreciation for the first Naval Reactors and his management style

As a Nuke myself, My early adult life was quite literally submerged in his culture. This gives me a renewed appreciation his morality and his the quality he instilled in the young men and women in his programs.

Great flow of the book and principles

Excellent blend of history and leadership lessons. Strongly recommend this book. It truly is enjoyable and easy listening

Great portrait of Admiral Rickover

This is a compelling discussion of Rickover’s management philosophy and the results he achieved with the nuclear Navy.