Book cover of Blind Man's Bluff : The Untold Story of Cold War Submarine Espionage

Book description

__________________________
Adventure, ingenuity, courage and disaster beneath the sea: the remarkable reality of Cold War submarine warfare

In Blind Mans Bluff, veteran investigative journalist Sherry Sontag and award-winning New York Times reporter Christopher Drew reveal an extraordinary underwater world. Showing for the first time how the American Navy sent submarines…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

3 authors picked Blind Man's Bluff as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I used to think there had been no epic naval battles during the Cold War, but this book made me reconsider: a decades-long battle, that’s what the cat-and-mouse game between U.S. and Soviet submariners appears to have been.

The intensity of the deadly contest played with very few rules is shocking, and I am still not sure what to make of all that recklessness. Perhaps great powers have a higher pain threshold than we tend to assume.

From Constantine's list on epic naval battles of the 20th century.

The Cold War wasn’t always so cold, especially not in the icy depths where American and Soviet submarines faced off on a daily basis.

Taking an anthology approach to narrative nonfiction, Blind Man’s Bluff covers the wildest, most ambitious, and deadly stories of the era, including tapping undersea cables, secret spying operations, nuclear close calls, and how the CIA enlisted eccentric innovator Howard Hughes to steal a sunken Soviet nuclear submarine off the bottom of the ocean.

Rarely are those outside the military and the intelligence community given accurate insight into submarine operations. This book provides accurate information on some of the activities U.S. submarines performed during the Cold War. Readers will learn where they went, the dangers their crews faced and the challenges they overcome. Much of the technology developed was used in other tasks such as determining what caused the nuclear submarine Scorpion to sink. 

As a retired Naval Officer and Naval Aviator, I can only begin to imagine the problems the authors had in (a) getting approval for many of the individuals to…

From Marc's list on U.S. Naval history.

If you love Blind Man's Bluff ...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Want books like Blind Man's Bluff ?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Blind Man's Bluff .

Browse books like Blind Man's Bluff

Book cover of Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
Book cover of The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea
Book cover of Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,366

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Blind Man's Bluff , you might also like...

Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Coyote Weather

Coyote Weather by Amanda Cockrell,

Coyote weather is the feral, hungry season, drought-stricken, and ready to catch fire. It’s 1967, and the American culture is violently remaking itself while the country is forcibly sending its young men to fight in a deeply unpopular war.

Jerry has stubbornly made no plans for the future because he…

5 book lists we think you will like!