Thirteen Lessons that Saved Thirteen Lives: The Inside Story of the Thai Cave Rescue

by John Volanthen

As depicted in Ron Howard's hit film THIRTEEN LIVES , this is the THRILLING account of the dramatic Thai cave rescue which saved the lives of thirteen people, FROM THE DIVER WHO LED THE RESCUE . 'A profound and thrilling read.' COLIN FARRELL
'Riveting...a powerful story written by a hero who lived it.' RON HOWARD, Oscar-winning director of Apollo 13 In this first-hand account , John Volanthen reveals how he pushed the limits of human endurance in the life-or-death mission to rescue the Thai youth soccer team trapped in the flooded cave. The world held its breath in 2018 when the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach went missing deep underground in the Tham Luang cave complex in northern Thailand. They had been stranded by sudden, continuous monsoon rains while exploring the caves after practice. With torrential rain pouring down and the waters still on the rise, an army of rescue teams and equipment was deployed, including Thai Navy SEALs, a US Air Force special tactics squadron, police sniffer dogs, drones and robots. But it was British cave diver John Volanthen and his partner, Rick Stanton, who were first to reach the stranded team and who played a key role in their ultimate rescue. As John's light flickered from one boy to another, he called out, 'How many of you?' 'Thirteen , ' a boy answered. After 10 days trapped in desperate darkness, the boys and their coach were all alive. Each chapter of Thirteen Lessons that Saved Thirteen Lives tells one part of the edge-of-your-seat mission from Tham Luang but also imparts a life lesson , gleaned from John's previous rescues and record-breaking cave dives, that can be applied to everyday obstacles and challenges. In this story of breathtaking courage and nerves of steel , John reveals how responding positively to the statement, 'But I can't...' by stating, 'I can, ' led to one of the most incredible rescues of all time. He hopes that his story will inspire the superhero in you. Meanwhile, he is always on standby for the next rescue.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir, Adventure, History, Asia

304 pages, Paperback

Published July 26, 2022

About the author

John Volanthen began caving with the scouts at the age of 14 and is now a world record-holding British cave diver who has been at the forefront of underground rescue and exploration for over twenty years. Best known as the first diver to locate and contact the missing youth Thai soccer team with his diving partner Rick Stanton, he also planned and participated in the children's rescue, carrying three children to safety. John has been involved in search, rescue and recovery operations as well as mapping caves worldwide. His many awards include the British and Commonwealth George Medal, Royal Humane Society Bronze medal and Scientific Exploration Society Pioneer with Purpose. With a background in medical electronics, John has invented underwater mapping devices, communications systems and state of the art, micro rebreathers, allowing divers to stay underwater longer than was previously possible. In 2005 at Wookey Hole in Somerset, Volanthen and Stanton advanced the British cave diving depth record to 90 m (295 ft). As part of an international team, he set a world record for the longest cave dive from the surface, reaching over 10km (33,000 ft) in the Pozo Azul cave system in the Rudrón Valley in Spain. John lives in Bristol and continues to explore and document underwater caves throughout the world. He is always on standby for the next rescue.

Reviews

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen Lessons That Saved Thirteen Lives is the enthralling inside story of the Thai Cave Rescue from one of the men at the centre of the mission. In July 2018, twelve boys and their football coach disappeared into Tham Luang Cave in Thailand. Trapped miles beneath the surface, not even the Thai Navy SEALs had the skills to bring them to safety. With the floodwater rising rapidly, time was running out. Any hope of survival rested on Rick Stanton, a retired Midlands firefighter with a living room full of homemade cave-diving equipment and his partner. As unlikely as it seemed, to those in the know, Rick and his partner, John Volanthen, were regarded as the A-team for exactly this kind of mission.

The Thai Cave Rescue was the culmination of a lifelong obsession, requiring every ounce of skill and ingenuity accumulated by Rick over a four-decade pursuit of the unknown. While the world held its breath, Rick, John and their assembled team raced against time in the face of near-impossible odds. There was simply no precedent for what they were attempting to do. An edge of your seat story of courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds in the most remote and unforgiving of landscapes. The rescue was extremely dangerous and these experienced divers knew that one wrong move and it could be their last. A compulsive, fascinating and inspirational read, this is a captivating yarn that is well worth your time.

[Sean Peters (A Good Thriller) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thirteen Lessons that Saved Thirteen Loves

The amazing true story of the rescue of the twelve pupils and one teacher at the Thai Caves.

John Volanthen began caving with the scouts at the age of 14 and is now a world record-holding British cave diver who has been at the forefront of underground rescue and exploration for over twenty years. Best known as the first diver to locate and contact the missing youth Thai soccer team with his diving partner Rick Stanton, he also planned and participated in the children's rescue, carrying three children to safety. John has been involved in search, rescue and recovery operations as well as mapping caves worldwide. His many awards include the British and Commonwealth George Medal, Royal Humane Society Bronze medal and Scientific Exploration Society Pioneer with Purpose. With a background in medical electronics, John has invented underwater mapping devices, communications systems and state of the art, micro rebreathers, allowing divers to stay underwater longer than was previously possible. In 2005 at Wookey Hole in Somerset, Volanthen and Stanton advanced the British cave diving depth record to 90 m (295 ft). As part of an international team, he set a world record for the longest cave dive from the surface, reaching over 10km (33,000 ft) in the Pozo Azul cave system in the Rudrón Valley in Spain. John lives in Bristol and continues to explore and document underwater caves throughout the world. He is always on standby for the next rescue.

So why do I review this book with only three stars. A few reasons, but let me explain the true story the bravery, the task the massive accomplishment of the divers is an incredible story, but this book could have been much better.

I often felt I was reading the autobiography of John Volanthen, his story, his life and not the Thai Caves rescue. When you felt the story was building the author would start with "This reminds me of this rescue, so many years ago, and you lose where you were with the story.

In fact so many rescues of this author are mentioned that maybe half the book is about the rescue of these children and teacher.

I am not taking away the amazing job all the divers involved did an amazing rescue with a large team and help.

This is just my observation reading this book, so three stars.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How many of you?” “Thirteen?” “Brilliant!” In 2018 that flickering video clip of those ghostly faces, that the world had been holding its breath for, flew around the world. The voice? British cave diver John Volanthen, who along with his long-term dive partner Rick Stanton was the first to locate the Wild Boars youth football team and their coach, missing for days in the Tham Luang caves after unexpectedly early monsoon rains cut off their escape. This is Volanthen’s book about his experiences - part factual account of those terrifying days in Northern Thailand, part practical self-help advice about how to face up to challenges in everyday life, from someone who has learned invaluable lessons exploring some of the world’s most complex underwater caves, and been involved in many rescues.

We listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author, over a couple of car journeys. Beginning with his description of actually finding the boys, then going back to the beginning of the story of their involvement after being called to Thailand on the recommendation of local British expat caver Vern Unsworth. The Thai Navy SEALs running the rescue operation were initially sceptical that two (his words) middle-aged blokes could be of use, but as the dangers of the rapidly rising floodwaters became apparent, they were allowed in - and the rest is history. The book discusses how at each stage, one key lesson made an important difference - from changing your mindset, “I can’t” to “Why not?”, to “time slicing” - 3 seconds, 3 minutes, 3 hours, and covering the sometimes contradictory dilemma of when to listen to your inner voice - and when to silence the inner critic.

I clearly remember avidly following the rescue during those tense days in July 2018 - we had visited Thailand earlier that year, and my work in travel medicine and previous open water diving experience meant the unfolding drama felt painfully real. (I had zero interest in cave diving before, and even less afterwards!) Mentions of the successful rescue still bring me to tears. I’d previously read The Boys in the Cave, and we recently watched The Rescue, the excellent National Geographic documentary about it. I am now looking forward to watching the Hollywood version, Thirteen Lives, apparently inspired by this book. Each time I feel I learned something new, but this book necessarily limited the perspective to Volanthen’s own experience. I still felt that I wanted to know more - he is very diplomatic in his descriptions of some of the individuals involved and their sometimes self-serving behaviours.

Where the book slowed down for me was in the descriptions of previous cave diving anecdotes, which are probably of more interest to those with an interest in the sport. Some of the self help sections got a little repetitive, and his audiobook delivery came across as rather emotionless. I wanted more about his thoughts and feelings about the situations they encountered: at one point he mentions his son, but only in the context of later meeting the then Prime Minister, apart from this there was no mention of his family life and how the potential impact on them factored in to his decision-making in the life-threatening situations they were facing. He comes across as a private, thoughtful and self-deprecating individual uncomfortable being in the spotlight, so I appreciate that writing a book like this meant leaving some things out. His sense of humour is also so dry that I suspect only fellow Brits may pick up on some of his jokes!

Overall this was a fascinating insight into the most amazing human interest story most of us will ever encounter. Had I not known the outcome in advance, I would’ve found it an impossibly tense read, so I still can’t believe these brave men lived through it. Just hearing about the challenges they faced was stressful - those boys were so very lucky that the right people answered the call.

Thanks to NetGalley and W.F. Howes for the audiobook review copy. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Thirteen Lessons that saved Thirteen Lives is available now.

[Kayley Cossey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this book had more detail about the cave rescue and less self-help! I normally get bored reading self-help but this was a good mixture of self-help, caving stories & the Thai cave rescue.

[T.J. Dallas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the film, which is why I was drawn to this book. (I continued to imagine Rick Stanton as Viggo Mortensen though 🤣) However full credit to all those divers!! The risk involved, the dangers, and the psychological scarring that 'could' have occurred were harrowing. The way John described the fear of surfacing in cave 3 (dive base) with the corpse of a young boy was powerful. Excellent book on storytelling, cave diving, and lessons to live by.

[Stevejs298 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The genesis of my interest in this book was to learn more about the risk and that was certainly satisfied. It was an amazing accomplishment that these boys were able to be found and safely rescued. The portions of the book on the thirteen lessons were a real bonus. I had not expected to be interested in them. But, ultimately found them interesting and potentially helpful in any number of situations. Nothing that is ever going to get me into cave diving though! Even reading this book from the safety of my home I had to tamp down the burgeoning feelings of claustrophobia and panic as the author described his various experiences.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! it's a bit of a crossover between a therapy book and a disaster movie, so was always going to be up my street, and it's cleverly done with just enough in-depth information to keep you hooked and invested but not so much that you feel bombarded or overwhelmed.
I especially loved how John's previous dives were woven in to the narrative, and I thought the set up of the thirteen lessons was really smart - the tone got it spot on too; this isn't a cheesy self-help manual but contains practical and replicable insights into managing panic and tricky situations.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narration and Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
John did an amazing job re-telling this incredible story of the cave rescue. I really enjoyed hearing it from his point of view and no one can deny that all the people involved in this are absolute heroes for risking their own lives.

The only thing I personally didn't enjoy was the self help aspect, but that has more to do with me and my hatred for the self help genre especially when it's not from a medical professional.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gripping. I was captivated by The Rescue (the 2021 documentary film) and so this book was an insta-buy. John Volanthen's insights into the infamous Thai Cave Rescue are presented alongside his “13 lessons”, it’s a self-help book with a real world backdrop, and I loved it! It’s simple (but wise) life advice delivered with depth and practicality. It’s so readable, I read this book in less than a week (which is fast for me currently) and in the weeks since I finished it I keep bringing it up in conversations. This book will stay with me for a long time.

🤿 some notes and quotes:

Start with why not. Ignore the inner critic. -pg 42

Listen to the warning signs, that voice in your head that says "It'll be alright" (when things are starting to go wrong). In cave diving especially, stay so far away from crossing the line that the line is still a dot to you. If you cross the line it’s probably too late, when things go wrong in the cave they go wrong fast. The flip side is recognising that everything in life is a risk to some extent and you cannot be too risk-averse or every plan will be thrown out the window. pg 54-55

Focus and attention are needed and valuable but there is a danger in overfocusing. Don’t get fixated. When we become too focused on one thing we can miss other things and that can create more problems then we solve. pg 63

Recognise fatigue and take time to decompress when needed. pg 100

In intense situations, when things are going wrong, break it down into three seconds, three minutes and three hours and take it one at a time. “By following this procedure, it’s possible to avoid a psychological overload, even during the most challenging of circumstances. Above all, it’s important to remember just one thing: breathe.” - pg 119

There is great stuff about John’s library of plans and his “blue folder”. I found that particularly relevant to my work and feeling the need to prepare for every possible eventuality. “All too often, our processes become needlessly overcomplicated, factoring in a myriad of “what if’s” - many of which might never occur in reality.” He says “an excessively cautious approach tends to create systems, or processes, with so many options, branches and safeguards that their parts begin to interact in a way that the designers never foresaw. Balance of remaining as uncomplicated as possible while ensuring predictable problems or catastrophes can still be dealt with effectively. - page 193
Acceptance is the first stage of dealing with an unexpected situation.
The blue folder is “a portfolio of solutions for a manner of problems.”
“Except curved balls. Be flexible.
Go to the Library of Plans. Borrow from the closest option.” - pg 138
"Think what’s the worst that could happen? Prepare for it." This may seem counter productive to the earlier speel about not getting distracted by what-ifs that might never happen BUT he explains well that visualising how situations might plan out and problem-solving is a key element of staying calm in a crisis and being properly prepared. It's a case of balance and control as well as right place, right time.

Taking responsibility and having honesty. This is a huge life lesson that more people should understand and embrace. It is important to be honest with yourself and with others, especially when working as part of a team. That includes knowing when you have skills to utilise (like with John putting himself forward to be involved in the cave rescue) and knowing when you are not the most capable person in the room, or you have made a mistake.
Honesty of strength: if you have a strength own it and be there to use it
Honesty of weakness: if you are not the most capable person in the room don’t take over
Honesty of situation: when things are going wrong and you need help, ask for it
Honesty of consequences: don’t say it won’t happen to me, accept the risks involved
Honesty of action: if you make a mistake that carries implications for others, own it as soon as possible
- Pg 152

Good leadership. Better to under-promise and over-deliver.
“As a person, I’m generally validated internally, and though I like the respect of my peers, I don’t need it. I have always felt that respect and trust are earned, rather than bought, or built by bullying. As far as I’m concerned, leaders achieved much better results by under-promising and over-delivering, by being respectful and reliable, and by working towards a group goal. It is not vital for them to always steer the ship - or grab the glory.” pg 171

Practised mantra “I’m psychologically ready. I can do it. Stay calm.” pg 187

Hurry up and do… nothing.
“Allow volatile situations to settle. Don’t stir the silt.
Take action only if it moves you towards your goal.
Otherwise, pause.
Embrace uncertainty. Remember, the zero-risk option doesn’t exist.” - pg 191
This reminded me of a quote from John Green I will never forget. When he was a chaplain in a hospital his supervisor told him “Don’t just do something. Stand there”. When we become uncomfortable we feel the need to do something, say something, take action, but often it is far more valuable to pause, pay attention, and consider - whether that be at the bedside of someone seriously ill, or facing equipment malfunction in an underwater cave.

Focusing too much on the end game can be joyless and counter productive, give you a false sense of security. Focus on the actions and techniques required to reach that successful outcome. Picture those. Enjoy the process.

Happiness is a strange thing to define. Society tells us it is a THING that can be defined, once found is ours to keep forever. “But nothing could be further from the truth. To me, life is about balance: it’s important for us to appreciate the good times, but also to accept the dark moments when they arrive, because our existence can often swing between the two in the most unexpected ways. Without valleys, there can never be peaks. Embracing both helps us move between them.”
Don’t be too fixed or inflexible. “Reality almost always ends up differing from what we imagined - not better, not worse, just different. But if we take the time to accept and enjoy whatever life gifts us, both the downs as well as the ups, then perhaps a quieter happiness is possible, maybe without all the bells and whistles, but instead with a calmness and acceptance."
Quiet personal satisfaction is more fulfilling than continual chase of approval from others. "What I have learned is that we are the inventors of our benchmarks and targets, in effect the goals we hope will make us happy." - pg 276

[Katherine Coble · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sort of book a guy writes to give out as part of a motivational speaking package. The fact that he mentions at the outset that he was an unpaid volunteer seems to be a subtle way to sell himself as a consultant. And that’s fine. That’s what seemingly half of Ed Viesturs’ mountaineering books are. Motivational speaking seems to be where the money actually is for all types of adventure-athletes from Olympians to, well, cave divers.

I worked for a long time in the risk management branch of insurance and for another long time in the marketing division of a publisher and gift company. I’ve seen more motivational books than most, been up to my eyeballs in consultants who write a book to market themselves to men in business and ghost written a few myself. So it’s not Mr. Volanthen’s fault that this book was so uninteresting to me. I’m not really its audience.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good book to read. But not as thrilling and gripping as I would have thought it would be. But it provides lots of details and interesting facts which you would not be able to learn from the movie (this event is filmed by national geographic)

[Bleu · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fair to say that a selling point for many will be seeking the firsthand experience of someone from the Tham Luang cave events. The book, as a whole, features much of that narrative but adds in context from other dives, as well as anecdotes and explanations.

There is a reflective tone used throughout the book and learning the detailed thought process behind the actions undertaken in Thailand, as well as the country's political and societal views, is compellingly interesting. Volanthen's honesty about the experience is heartening to read; he recognises the vital role of everyone involved but also critiques their actions, as well as his own, as to areas where they were less effective or even, in hindsight, wrong.

Whilst all of the lessons, presented as pieces of advice, are important and useful, none of them are revolutionary. As Volanthen discusses, it is not about trying to reinvent the wheel to solve every problem; it's about building the emotional, mental and/or physical strength to deal with them when they arise.

Some of the lessons have more tangible links to Tham Luang events than others but they all have corroborating cave diving stories. Each lesson is given a handful of everyday examples- an equivalent that is more relatable to the average reader. While some feel like a stretch (their link to that chapter's lesson seeming far-fetched), they are all realistic scenarios and are treated with the same respect as the life-threatening caving situations. This is a credit to Volanthen; he recognises that the weight of a problem changes only when your scale changes. As such, a major incident for one person could be insignificant in comparison to another's but should still be given the appropriate consideration.

Volanthen narrates the audio himself and is a good example of writers doing so as they understand the tone and nuances of the text. His humility but also his pride shine through his narration and it's endearing to learn the details of his experience and beliefs in this way.

[Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

very self helpy for a cave diving book

[Tanya R · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued when I came across this book. I remember this event and how scary it was just watching the news reports on TV but couldn’t remember how the situation ended. Did they all make it out? What happened? I just couldn’t remember.

This book tells the story from one of the main diver’s point of view. It was chilling reading his experiences. There were times when I felt claustrophobic and completely stressed out knowing that this actually occurred and that the rescuers had to put themselves at risk, over and over again, to try and rescue the boys and their coach.

Finding out how they actually completed the rescue was amazing and so intensely scary.

The challenge I had with this book is that it tried to wrap up these thirteen lessons along with the story. It made sense, as it was written, but it wasn’t really what I wanted to read about. I would have been more engaged with the book all the way through if it wasn’t broken up with the lessons and instead, just focused on the story of the rescue.

But overall, it’s still a good book and definitely worth the read!

Thank you to #Aurum and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love it. The idea of telling the amazing real life story of the cave rescues along with life lessons learned from repeated experiences of intense risk is so interesting. But some of the detail and repetition got boring for me.

[Michelle Birkby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just the story of the Thai cave rescue (and other cave diving stories) but also a list of lessons for life - and for once, these life lessons are actually useful. And the story of the rescue is gripping.

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is half self-help book and half documentary. If that’s what you’re looking for, it’s a fine book. However, I wasn’t looking for the self-help part, so I wasn’t a fan of the pace. I liked Aquanaut by Rick Stanton much better.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a self help guide, go ahead. If you want a comprehensive account of the Thai cave drama, this ain’t it.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three years ago (2018), 12 Thai members of a boys’ soccer team got stranded by flood waters two miles in a cave. It took nearly two weeks to find and rescue the boys and their coach. A major player in that rescue, John Volanthen, has written THIRTEEN LESSONS THAT SAVED THRTEEN LIVES: THE THAI CAVE RESCUE. It’s an excellent book on several levels.

John Volanthen as a cave diver stays methodical and avoids as much as possible being emotional in his exploration and rescue efforts. He wrote this book the same way – almost clinical, minimizing the emotional. This National Geographic film preview clip VIDEO: National Geographic Debuts THE RESCUE Documentary Trailer (broadwayworld.com) shows that even the most clinical cannot diminish the impossible challenges these divers faced getting the boys. There’s nature. And, of course, there’s politics.

Even so, I got squeamish when Volanthen is about to shove a heavily sedated boy face first into the waters of a dark cave knowing he had to carry him about two miles on a three hour “swim” through all kinds of hazards. Three pages later he admis he wished he hadn’t started it. The task of getting the boy out alive seemed impossible even as he was doing it.

Forty percent of the book is finding the boys. Sixty percent is figuring out how to rescue them, and actually doing it.

They had to overcome a lot of human, shall we say, miscalculations and poor judgments. One bit sticks with me. Some Thai workers took a nap inside the cave and got caught in flood waters. Volanthen and his partner purely by accident found them. Rescuing them was going to be a challenge. As they were ready to try, the workers refused to go until Volanthen and his partner retrieved the workers’ cellphones!

One of the most humanizing aspects of the book occurs when Volanthen arrives at the cave entrance and sees the boys’ bicycles there. That these were simple, innocent. young boys hit home hard.

All that is part of the book. About half the book is life lessons that Volanthen had to resort to, often against more irresponsible peoples’ clamorings. He illustrated them by incidents in his previous cave diving and rescue efforts, and how they were critical in rescuing the soccer team, and how the lessons can be applied in other situations. I found I do most of them naturally, but some I’ll keep in mind for future times.

I rate “Thirteen Lessons that Saved Thirteen Lives” five stars.

My only wish is Volanthen had given the young team’s young coach more credit for keeping the boys alive while waiting for a rescue that may never come.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirteen Lessons That Saved Thirteen Lives begins each chapter with a short thought or lesson and then tells how that lesson applies to the rescue of the 13 from the cave that flooded in Thailand.

In the summer of 2018, twelve boys and their soccer coach decided to explore the Tham Luang cave complex in northern Thailand. But when it flooded, their escape was impossible. And even with the Thai Navy SEALs help, there seemed no way to rescue the 13.

That’s when this story really begins. It is filled with 13 chapters, each starting with titles such as these

A. Start With Why Not

B. Listen To the Quiet Voice, and

C. Zoom In, Zoom Out

After each short lesson is described, the cave rescue story continues. A story I didn’t want to stop reading. The descriptions kept me on the edge of my seat. The ability to save these individuals seemed impossible and horribly stressful. But putting myself in the place of the trapped, hungry, scared individuals didn’t feel good either. It seemed that both the rescuers and the trapped were in difficult situations. The possibility of rescue felt hopeless.

Though I knew the outcome from watching the news, the story still kept my heart pounding and the pages turning. It's one thing to know the outcome, and another to actually read the details.

My Concerns
Nothing.

Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this book. In fact, the lessons and story were so interesting that I kept thinking that the book would make a perfect graduation gift. I say that only because in many ways it’s a challenge to reach out and embrace life.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ability to read this book and write a review with no stipulations.

[Kasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book over several days (the dates are not exact) and truly enjoyed listening to John narrate his book himself. I gained an enormous amount of respect for him and Rick Stanton because of their incredible role in the Thai Cave rescue. After reading a book earlier this year written by a journalist, I became very interested in rescue, survival, and adventure literature, memoirs, and movies. I appreciated reading about the rescue from a journalist’s perspective (I have mad respect for journalists), but I really wanted to read John and Rick’s accounts of the event as well. However, seeing as how my now 8-month old son needs a lot of darkness to fall asleep and stay asleep, having enough light to read a paperback - and free hands to read it - is not super practical or helpful for rocking him to sleep, which is more or less the only time I have to read these days. Therefore, I got the audiobook. Then after finishing it and Rick’s, I bought the paperbacks because I liked them so much.

Also, because even though I LOVED listening to these memoirs, I did fall asleep several times while rocking my baby and listening to these books, so I did miss some parts. Luckily, I enjoyed them both so much that I intend to relisten, and probably read as well.

Realization:
I may need to come back and edit this review - I’m quite tired, but it’s already been over a month since I’ve been meaning to write this review!

[Junie Bot · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are expecting the whole story about the rescue of thirteen lives of Tham Luang Cave, you have got it wrong. This book is indeed from Volanthen's perspective and how he mitigated the challenges and risks that came forth with the rescue and lessons that one can use in their daily lives. If you want a detailed account of the rescue, please watch the NatGeo documentary instead.

As a scuba diver with a wreck speciality (unfortunately had not done much of wreck diving), I resonated well with this book. There are limits that I can push and there are some that I can't. With the limits that I can't stretch myself, I questioned myself "why am I being so chicken about it?" and then feeling bad about not taking chances. The fact that whatever I was feeling is just normal; that we tend to doubt our capabilities and then feeling like s**t about not accomplishing it. This book makes you not feel like p**p. On the contrary, it makes you feel worthy of yourself. As a person though, I am willing to take step by step measures to tackle my daily nightmares. I feel like a superhero underwater but on land, I feel meh. Like I know how to operate underwater but life, living it...hell, I am clueless.

So, I am highly motivated to take charge after reading this amazing book. Thank you, John Volanthen for this insightful book, being you and your cave diving experience.

[Sally Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3.5 ⭐️

I actually enjoyed this read. I found it quite boring but that’s not uncommon for me when reading “self help” books such as these and it doesn’t mean that I don’t value the time I invested in reading them.

This was exactly what it said it was going to be. 13 lessons. This author is clearly a type A personality and I didn’t appreciate his random pieces of advice that weren’t in his expertise/scope (like healthy eating etc. etc.) I did enjoy the parallels in his line of work with that of my own as an ICU Nurse.

Because of my professional background I would have enjoyed a more in depth overview regarding the sedation management, critical thinking and crisis management plans involved in the anaesthetist’s role in the cave dive rescue.

The most valuable lesson for me was the intentional worst-case scenario visualisation strategy to pre-process emotions and feelings. Although we do this practically in the ICU, I don’t think I’d ever seen the value in visualising and FEELING a scenario to prepare for unknown variables. Rather I’d written this off as intrusive thoughts and had learned to unhook from thoughts and emotions such as these, before it would send me into a negative, anxiety spiral.

However this helped me see the value in this exercise and it’s definitely a strategy I will employ and teach (appropriately) in my career going forward.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is a renowned cave diver from England who has been called out to many cave rescues, but the most publicized was the rescue of twelve boys and their soccer coach from a cave system in Thailand during monsoon season with the caves filling with water. The rescue was an international effort and the teamwork was as impressive as the rescue. Against the backdrop of a recounting of the entire event is a defined and applied list of life lessons appropriate for everyone.
1. Start with why not?
2. Listen to the quiet voice
3. Zoom in, zoom out
4. Rest, and decompress
5. One breath at a time
6. Expect the unexpected
7. Step up and step back
8. Harnessing teamwork and trust
9. Hurry up and do…nothing
10. Keep it simple(simple and reliable delivers success)
11. Rehearse. Then repeat
12. Make success a habit
13. Define your own happiness (It's OK to do OK)
I've read two other books about the monumental task, but this one is back drop to things everyone ought to know. EXCELLENT!
I requested and received a temporary digital ARC of this book from Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion and Aurum Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Tweedledum · Rating 5 out of 5]

If, like me you were riveted to the Thai cave rescue story back in 2018 you will definitely want to read this book, written by one of the four divers who ultimately led the rescue plan and personally brought out 3 boys to safety. However, fabulous and gripping as that story is in itself, John Volanthen has crafted a book that can speak to us all in our life journeys offering lived wisdom through the insights his own adventures and daring have taught him.

I have an additional reason for being fascinated by this story. My brother, who sadly died from a brain tumour in 1984, discovered the challenge and joys of pot-holing and caving in his late 20s, going on to initiate and run a caving club for boys and the occasional girl. He developed training packages, coached them and led them on expeditions up to the time when he fell ill. The kids rapidly developed a confidence and independence as they acquired new skills that they never knew they could have. 10 years younger and preoccupied with college, marriage and a baby I was unable to truly appreciate at the time how much he had inspired those young people. Volanthen’s descriptions of how caving inspired him as a young teen gave me a whole new insight into this.

[Chris Rands · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone reading this book near to its release date will remember vividly the media coverage that surrounded this unique rescue cave diving operation of the 13 boys from the Thai caves of Tham Luang. It is a gripping read from one of key the British divers, that describes not only the rescue, but also the planning, atmosphere, and politics outside the caves in those tense and chaotic days before the boy were finally extracted. It is not without tragedy unfortunately, as a Thai Navy Seal, Saman Kunan, lost his life while helping to re-stock supplies on a dive. The actual rescue itself, carried out after the boys were sedated with Ketamine (a horse tranquilizer) to keep them calm, is breathtaking to read from this firsthand account.

The text is also somewhat of a self-help book with the "Thirteen Lessons"- although the advice seems logical, for me, this didn't really add anything to the book and I hurried through the latter pages of each chapter to get back to the main plot of the rescue operations. Nonetheless, the events are remarkable and I believe the book documents them very well, although probably with a subjective touch- a great read.

[Nolan Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. Listened to it on audiobook after listening to an Ologies podcast about Speleology, the study of caves, and hearing the book referenced within that context as a good resource from a competent diver.

Pros: The author did a great job linking things one HAS to do in a life or death situation with things one CAN do in other situations to one's personal benefit. He clearly has strong values and priorities, and seeing how those clearly bled into his actions made for a lovely read, in my opinion. A glimpse into the mind of a professional, and a view of the often fatal world of cave diving.

Cons: The author read the book and while I did appreciate that, he could have used some coaching before doing so. Some of the sentences were halting, breathing was a bit much sometimes, and I would classify the quality of the voice as 'reserved'. Sounds like recordings from a college lecture to a degree.

Solid book, would recommend to anybody interested in real life adrenaline situations similar to mountain climbing or survivor situations. Most likely will not read again.

[Katie Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this engrossing book. ‘Thirteen Lessons That Saved Thirteen Lives’ is written by John Volanthen, one of the British cave divers who assisted with the rescue of the boys and their coach stuck in Tham Luang cave in Thailand in 2018. It’s completely fascinating and gripping hearing John’s account both of how he came to be involved in the rescue operation and the actual rescue of the boys which is so much more complicated than many of us will have realised. The author uses what he has learned from the cave rescue and applied this to lessons for everyday life. It’s a really interesting approach to telling the story. For me the book really picks up pace in the final few chapters. It’s such an incredible story and John is methodical in his detail of his experience. What stuck with me most is how he felt he could help with the rescue mission at the outset and so put himself forward. John’s words of wisdom to ignore your inner critic and say ‘why not?’ is a good life reminder to us all.

[Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very entertaining book about the recuse of children by some pretty awesome cave divers. There are lessons to be learned about cave diving, rescue, facing challenges, and life. I liked this book a lot and appreciated the author's focused and logical approach while facing very challenging problems.

A few things. Serious cave diving and rescue seems pretty dangerous to me, so I probably will never do it. When faced with challenges John stayed focused and logical. I appreciated the way he didn't want to rush into things and sought simple and reliable solutions. The quote from the back cover gives a clear message, "Panic is death in a cave."

I like his rule of the threes - 3 seconds, 3 minutes, and 3 hours. How they find the trapped boys and the method used to get them out of the cave is quite amazing.

I enjoyed the layout of bullet points to summarize the lessons from the chapters. The questions at the end are thought provoking and I will probably watch the two shows listed at the end.

[Tony Styles · Rating 2 out of 5]

More about other dives than this one…

I watched Ron Howard’s movie before reading this and perhaps I made a mistake and should’ve read it first. It’s a shame that a life spent rescuing people from dangerous and life threatening situations couldn’t have been told better in print. After a gripping introduction a pattern developed; setting the scene then delving into flashbacks to previous dives in which there was far more detail. Of course the author uses lessons to tell the story of his experiences learning those lessons, but he’s not a good storyteller. The story itself is brilliant, but narrated poorly in my opinion. Disappointed to say the least but having said that his gift is in rescuing not writing, and in that we should all be extremely grateful.