The diver’s world
A personal view of a demanding naval role, seen from inside the working life behind the uniform.
A LIFE BELOW THE SURFACE ROYAL NAVY · CLEARANCE DIVING
THE MEMOIR BY MARK D. HOLROYD
Some stories
run deeper.
Extraordinary danger. Unshakeable humour.
A life lived at the edge of the imaginable.
A ROYAL NAVY MEMOIR✳COURAGE UNDER PRESSURE✳HUMOUR IN THE DARK✳MARK D. HOLROYD
01 / THE BOOK
Truth can be
the wildest tale.
A look inside the world of a Royal Navy clearance diver, where composure matters and humour carries its own weight.
Frog Tales brings Mark D. Holroyd’s service experiences to the page. The memoir spans four decades of diving operations around the world, with Channel swimming and triathlons woven into a life of adventure.
- GENRE
- Military memoir
- FIRST PUBLISHED
- 17 April 2013
- PRINT EDITION
- 458 pages
- ISBN
- 9798272767240
INSIDE THE WORLD OF FROG TALES
Pressure. Perspective.
A very particular kind of humour.
Three ways into a memoir about life in an exceptional line of work.
Keeping your head
Composure, judgement and the human experience of working where the stakes are unusually high.
Finding the funny
Dark humour gives these recollections their distinctive texture, alongside the seriousness of the job.
FROM THE READING COMMUNITY
“Some hilarious, others worryingly serious.”
Ross · Reader review · 31 March 2025
03 / READ A LITTLE DEEPER
Bring a good
conversation
to the surface.
For independent readers and book clubs.
Original discussion prompts to use after reading.
01 What stays with you?+
Which recollection stayed with you most strongly? What made it memorable: the danger, the people, or the way the story was told?
02 Where does humour help?+
How does humour shape your response to serious situations? Does it create distance, build connection, or reveal something about the storyteller?
03 What does service look like?+
How did this personal account change your understanding of naval service? Which everyday details surprised you?
04 How is trust earned?+
Where do you see trust, judgement or teamwork mattering most? What can a reader outside the military take from those moments?
04 / THE BOOKSHOP
Make room
for a good story.
A copy of Frog Tales for your bookshelf.
MARK D. HOLROYD
PRINT EDITION · PAPERBACK
Frog Tales
Mark D. Holroyd
458 pages · English
ISBN 9798272767240
15.24 × 2.64 × 22.86 cm
Books subtotal
DeliveryFrom $4.95
Demonstration shop · Sample USD pricing and shipping. No payment is taken and no order is sent.
BEFORE YOU DIVE IN
A few useful details.
What is Frog Tales about?+
A memoir of diving, naval service and a life of adventure. Its stories combine dangerous work with dark humour, alongside Channel swimming and triathlons.
Which book is shown here?+
The cream and olive cover features a clearance diver and the name Mark D. Holroyd. The paperback shown has 458 pages and ISBN 9798272767240.
Can I order a copy now?+
You can explore the complete demo ordering experience here: choose your quantity, enter a sample delivery address and review your order. This preview does not take payment or create a real order.
Where can my copy be delivered?+
The demo checkout lets you preview standard and express delivery. All delivery prices and timeframes are illustrative and will be confirmed before the shop launches.