Preview
  • Silent Running

  • My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine
  • By: James F. Calvert
  • Narrated by: Kevin Patrick
  • Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,308 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Silent Running

By: James F. Calvert
Narrated by: Kevin Patrick
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.89

Buy for $15.89

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In this riveting personal account, an authentic American hero relives the perils and triumphs of eight harrowing patrols aboard one of America's most successful World War II submarines. Courageous deeds and terror-filled moments - as well as the endless hard work of maintaining and operating a combat sub - are vividly recalled in Calvert's candid portrait. From rigorous training and shakedown cruises off the coast of New England to tense patrols within shouting distance of Japan's major cities, the progress of the newly commissioned USS Jack parallels Calvert's own growth from callow ensign to charter member of one of the sharpest attack teams in the fleet. Silent Running is more than a masterful collection of war stories. The greatest drama takes place within Jim Calvert himself, as his values, his training, and his courage are put to test daily, both at sea and ashore. He must come to terms with a forbidden love, overcome fear and self-doubt, cope with the loss of comrades, and face the constant reality that each and every day at sea might be his last. Jim Calvert has created one of the most remarkable World War II memoirs to date.
©1995 by James F. Calvert, Vice Admiral, USN (Ret.) (P)1997 by Blackstone Audiobooks
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Silent Running

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    840
  • 4 Stars
    345
  • 3 Stars
    103
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    9
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    540
  • 4 Stars
    252
  • 3 Stars
    132
  • 2 Stars
    36
  • 1 Stars
    18
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    736
  • 4 Stars
    178
  • 3 Stars
    51
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

great story/narration acceptable

This is a really great story about the submarine service in WWII. What I found to be really interesting was the author's (Admiral Calvert) total honesty in terms of openly criticizing his professional and personal actions during the war. Can't say I've seen that before.
At the beginning, I was a bit annoyed with the reader (for the same reasons listed by others) but the story rises above the narration and I got so that I could just go with the flow. It didn't bother me going forward.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Story

Yes, yes, the narrator has a lisp, and who knows why he was chosen, but it's not distracting and the details and storytelling are top notch. If you've ever wanted to be aboard a WWII sub from training days to the heart of battle, this is a great book. High recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This has to be one of the finest navy books ever.

From a non navy guy, this has to be one of the finest navy books ever written, Calvert makes you feel like you're there, tells the big picture and then all the little stories that surround it and make it human.

Truly a great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great

The narrator's volume and tone changes frequently and was slightly distracting, other than that it was a great read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

well done

thankyou for this book and for your service. one of the best books I have read of ww2 silent service.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen

Certainly the best account of submarine warfare I’ve listened to or read. It brings to life the movies I saw as a kid and toes it all together.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible Story

I was reluctant to spend a credit on this book because of the audio quality, but I’m extremely happy that I did. The story of James Calvert as he navigated the personal, professional, and existential challenges of surviving a World War are overwhelmingly compelling and also incredibly human. I’m somewhat of a submarine non-fiction junkie and this one is easily top 5 among everything I’ve read so far.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story & presentation

A page turner; a lot of Pacific Theater histories cover the torpedo issues in limited ways & gloss over the diesel engine problems. This shows the true picture. It also shows how the submarine tactics developed in two short years to destroy Japan’s ability to project military power in the Pacific.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Engrossing wartime memoir

Reaching the end of Silent Running, I was sorry that the Second World War hadn't gone on for another couple of years so that Jim Calvert would have a few more sea stories to tell. It's an excellent read: informative, detailed, and yet highly personal. Calvert pulls no punches when analysing his own actions during the war, both in the submarine and out of it, and it's refreshing to find a war memoir where the author doesn't consider that he won the war single-handedly. I can't recommend Silent Running highly enough.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A great submarine story

As a fan of anything to do with submarines, I really enjoyed this riveting tale and could hardly put my iPod down until it was finished. The human side of the story is wonderfully told and the reader is excellent. This talking book is highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful