WERNER, HERBERT (18-1983) "IRON COFFINS"

Hardbound edition first published by Holt, Reinhart & Winston in New York in 1969, containing 329 pages, 76 photographs. A book club edition contains 364 pages and is similar in size.

Paperback edition published by Bantam Books, New York in 1969 containing 417, no photographs. Specially illustrated edition, part of Bantam War Book series, appendixes and glossary added that were not in the hardbound edition.

Paperback edition published by Paperback, New York in 1971, containing 429 pages, 19 photographs.

WERNER's book tells the story of his wartime career, which culminates with the command of U-953. He entered the Navy well after the war began and survived the late war years with their very high attrition rate of U-Boats. His story tends to emphasize these losses and some of the other negative aspects of the time. The title sets the mood of the book. However, his descriptions of U-Boat life both aboard ship and ashore are quite detailed, and the book is well written and highly readable.

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The Book

In KTB #108, we asked if any Members had a spare copy of this truly great U-Boat book, would they please let us know if they would sell one copy to us.

First, let me say that we are pleased that a number of Members (about six Members) just sent a copy here to us as their gifts.

Secondly, let me tell you that only one was needed for our SHARKHUNTERS LIBRARY - the others will go to CHARTER MEMBER HERBERT WERNER (18-C-1983), the author of this great book. Why does he need one? He simply did not have even one copy of his book left! So if you are one of those Members who sent a copy of IRON COFFINS, you have a five in six chance that your book is in the hands of the author himself.

The Movie

Over the past couple of years, we have given bits and pieces of this news item, that a movie called 'IRON COFFINS' after the book, will be made. The author, HERBERT WERNER (18-C-1983) will also be the producer of the movie, and it is HERBERT'S absolute goal to make the movie as technically excellent as 'DAS BOOT' or even better. And he plans to stick exactly to the text of the book, usually not done when a book goes into a movie.

There is progress although slight, at this time and we have no doubt this movie will come to pass within the next few years. As we have new information, and when we have the GREEN LIGHT from HERBERT to release this information, you'll read it first on the pages of our KTB

The Offer

Thanks to our request for the book IRON COFFINS, we were contacted by a SHARKHUNTERS Member who is also a book dealer, and he has a number of copies of this great book in pristine condition so we had a great idea.

The author, HERBERT WERNER (18-C-1983) was so pleased to get those five copies of IRON COFFINS that he has agreed to sign book-plates for us to insert into these other, pristine books so we could make them available to you, our Members.

Have you ever wanted a copy of IRON COFFINS that is HAND SIGNED be the author, HERBERT WERNER? Now you may have one, but there will be a mere handful available as HERBERT said he will sign ONLY 18 book plates! Because he will sign so few copies, these books will be EXTREMELY rare so when you get the flier that lists these books for sale - ACT FAST before they are gone. Remember, these are not the books that were donated by our Members. Those have already gone to HERBERT. These are brand new quality books, located in a book warehouse by our Member who is a dealer in rare and hard to find books.