Audiobooks by Michael J. Tougias

The Power of Positive Fishing: A Story of Friendship and the Quest for Happiness

Michael Tougias and Adam Gamble had good lives: married with two children each, nice homes in the suburbs, jobs that paid the bills, and frequent fishing trips out on the ocean. But those comfortable lives had cracks in them and soon they found themselves hit by a rogue wave of divorce, financial hardship, addiction, and career upheaval. What kept them going—and helped them navigate the rough waters of middle age—was fishing and friendship. Alone on the ocean they not only learned some of the successful secrets of striped bass fishing, but they were also brutally honest in their advice for each other. They began to see their time spent on Adam’s boat, the Scout, as a way to explore new ways of thinking and dreaming big. The two not only discovered ways forward but achieved goals far beyond what they thought possible.

Adam Gamble, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Malcolm Hillgartner, Traber Burns (Narrator)

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Rescue of the Bounty (Young Readers Edition): Disaster and Survival in Superstorm Sandy

Book six in the True Rescue series for young readers, this pulse-pounding account of disaster and survival at sea follows the HMS Bounty whose fateful course through Superstorm Sandy would lead to one of the most heroic Coast Guard rescue missions ever. On October 23, 2012, with Superstorm Sandy fast approaching, Captain Robin Walbridge made the fateful decision to sail the HMS Bounty from New London, Connecticut, to St. Petersburg, Florida, believing the wooden ship, a replica of the original, famous Bounty, would fare better at sea than at port. He told the crew that anyone who did not want to come on the voyage could leave the ship and there would be no hard feelings. No one took the captain up on his offer, and this decision would have fatal consequences. Four days into the voyage, Superstorm Sandy made an almost direct hit on the Bounty―sending the crew tumbling into the ocean filled with crashing thirty-foot waves. Some were swept far from the ship, others found themselves tangled in the rigging, while others were trapped below the surface by the masts and spreaders. What ensued was one of the most complex, dangerous, and massive Coast Guard rescue missions in history. Rescue of the Bounty is a gripping, inspiring, and unforgettable account―the perfect choice for young adventure-seekers.

Douglas A. Campbell, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Alex Boyles (Narrator)

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The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition): The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue

On the night of February 18, 1952, during one of the worst winter storms that New England has ever seen, two oil tankers just off the shore of Cape Cod were torn in half by the force of the storm. This middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book tells the story of the shipwreck and a harrowing Coast Guard rescue when four men in a tiny lifeboat overcame insurmountable odds and saved more than thirty stranded sailors. This is a fast-paced, uplifting story that puts young listeners in the middle of the action. It’s a gripping story of heroism and survival with the same intensity as The Perfect Storm.

Casey Sherman, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Alex Boyles (Narrator)

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The Waters Between Us: A Boy, a Father, Outdoor Misadventures, and the Healing Power of Nature

A charming and delightful reminiscence of growing up loving the woods, waters, fields, and fauna of Massachusetts by Michael Tougias, New York Times bestselling author of The Finest Hours, Overboard!, and Fatal Forecast. Untamed. Unsupervised. Uncontrolled. Boyhood in the 1960s and '70s was a time for exploration and mischief. Author Michael Tougias found more than his share of misadventures in the woods and on the water: some life-threatening but others innocently hilarious. Over time-and after reading a multitude of adventure books-these experiences took shape in his quest to be a mountain man, owning a cabin in the forest and living off the land. Part of that dream would come true but only after a family tragedy that shook his world and forced changes in his life. This is also a story of a complex and strained relationship between father and son, the efforts at understanding, and ultimately respect and devotion. In The Waters Between Us Tougias channels Bryson's A Walk in the Woods to mix laugh out loud humor with insight into the natural world through the eyes of a curious boy.

Michael J. Tougias (Author), Michael J. Tougias (Narrator)

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Attacked at Sea: A True World War II Story of a Family's Fight for Survival

Attacked at Sea is a riveting account of survival at sea, book four in the True Rescue series from Michael J. Tougias, the author of the bestseller The Finest Hours. On May 19, 1942, during World War II, a German submarine, a U-boat, in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. The submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia. Most onboard were merchant seamen, but there were also civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina and their two children. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, chaos ensued-and each family member had to find their own path to survival.This inspiring historical narrative tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.

Alison O'leary, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Alex Boyles (Narrator)

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King Philip's War: The History and Legacy of America's Forgotten Conflict

The harrowing story of one of America's first and costliest wars-featuring a new foreword by bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick At once an in-depth history of this pivotal war and a guide to the historical sites where the ambushes, raids, and battles took place, King Philip's War expands our understanding of American history and provides insight into the nature of colonial and ethnic wars in general. Through a careful reconstruction of events, first-person accounts, period illustrations, and maps, and by providing information on the exact locations of more than fifty battles, King Philip's War is useful as well as informative. Students of history, colonial war buffs, those interested in Native American history, and anyone who is curious about how this war affected a particular New England town, will find important insights into one of the most seminal events to shape the American mind and continent.

Eric B. Schultz, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Tom Perkins (Narrator)

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Into the Blizzard: Heroism at Sea During the Great Blizzard of 1978

In the midst of the Blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals in Salem Sound off the Massachusetts coast. When the Coast Guard heard the Mayday calls, they immediately dispatched a patrol rescue boat. But within an hour, the Coast Guard rescue boat was in as much trouble as the tanker-both paralyzed in unrelenting seas. Enter Captain Frank Quirk who was compelled to act. Gathering his crew of four, Quirk plunged his forty-nine-foot steel boat, the Can Do, into the blizzard. Perfect for fans of the I Survived series ready for a longer-form account, this middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book chronicles the harrowing journey between Captain Quirk and the Coast Guard as they struggled in the holds of a radical storm. It's an epic tale of heroism and bravery at sea.

Michael J. Tougias (Author), Shawn Compton (Narrator)

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So Close to Home: A True Story of an American Family's Fight for Survival during World War II

A true story of men and women pitted against the sea during World War II?and an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human spirit. On May 19, 1942, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles away from New Orleans. Captained by 29-year-old Iron Cross recipient Erich Würdemann, the submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia with fifty-nine souls on board. Most of the crew were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of civilians, including the Downs family, consisting of the parents, Ray Sr. and Ina, along with their two children, eight-year-old Ray Jr., nicknamed "Sonny," and eleven-year-old Lucille. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no notice that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, Ina and Lucille became separated from Ray Sr. and Sonny. An inspiring historical narrative, So Close to Home tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast. "Tougias, a writer who specializes in survival stories, and journalist O'Leary impressively render the grim early period of US involvement in WWII, when U-boats wreaked havoc in American waters...Readers will enjoy learning about a half-forgotten incident from the early months of WWII."-Publishers Weekly

Alison O\'Leary, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Elijah Alexander (Narrator)

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Rescue of the Bounty: Disaster and Survival in Superstorm Sandy

Rescue of the Bounty is the harrowing story of the sinking and rescue of Bounty—the ship used in the classic 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty—which was caught in the path of Hurricane Sandy. On Thursday, October 25, 2012, Captain Robin Walbridge made the fateful decision to sail Bounty from Connecticut to Florida. Walbridge was well aware that a hurricane was forecast to travel from the Caribbean toward the eastern seaboard. Yet he was determined to sail. As he explained to his crew of fifteen: A ship is always safer at sea than in port. He intended to sail “around the hurricane” and told the crew that anyone who did not want to come on the voyage could leave—no hard feelings. No one took him up on his offer. Four days into the voyage, Superstorm Sandy hit Bounty. The vessel’s pumps could not keep up with the incoming water. The ship began to lose power as it was beaten by hurricane winds that spanned eight hundred miles. A few hours later, in the dark of night, the ship suddenly overturned ninety miles off the North Carolina coast, sending the crew tumbling into an ocean filled with towering thirty-foot waves. The Coast Guard then launched one of the most complex and massive rescues in its history, flying two Jayhawk helicopter crews into the hurricane and lowering rescue swimmers into the raging seas again and again, despite the danger to their own lives. In the uproar heard across American media in the days following, a single question persisted: Why did the captain decide to sail? Through hundreds of hours of interviews with the crew members, their families, and the Coast Guard, the masterful duo of Michael J. Tougias and Douglas A. Campbell creates an in-depth portrait of the enigmatic Captain Walbridge, his motivations, and what truly occurred aboard Bounty during those terrifying days at sea. Dripping with suspense and high-stakes drama, Rescue of the Bounty is an unforgettable tale about the brutality of nature and the human will to survive. “Riveting…breathtaking…Tougias and Campbell build tension slowly and methodically…a sound strategy that pays off when they reach the storm itself. Then, the book becomes a white-knuckled, tragic adventure experienced by recognizable and sympathetic figures.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

Douglas A. Campbell, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Tom Weiner (Narrator)

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A Storm Too Soon: A True Story of Disaster, Survival, and an Incredible Rescue

A heart-stopping true-life tale of maritime disaster, survival, and daring rescue from a master storyteller Seventy-foot waves batter a torn life raft 250 miles out to sea in one of the world’s most dangerous places, the Gulf Stream. Hanging on to the raft are three men, a Canadian, a Brit, and their captain, Jean Pierre de Lutz, a dual citizen of America and France. Their capsized forty-seven-foot sailboat has filled with water and disappeared below the tempestuous sea. The giant waves repeatedly toss the men out of their tiny vessel, and JP, with nine broken ribs, is hypothermic and on the verge of death. The captain, however, is a remarkably tough character, having survived a brutal boyhood, and now he must rely on the same inner strength to outlast the storm. Trying to reach these survivors before it’s too late are four brave coast guardsmen battling hurricane-force winds in their Jayhawk helicopter. They know the waves will be extreme, but when they arrive they are astounded to find that the monstrous seas have waves reaching eighty feet. Lowering the wind-whipped helicopter to drop a rescue swimmer into such chaos will be extremely dangerous. The pilots wonder if they have a realistic chance of saving the sailors clinging to the broken life raft and if they will be able to even retrieve their own rescue swimmer from the towering seas. Once they commit to the rescue, they find themselves in almost as much trouble as the survivors, facing one life-and-death moment after the next. Also caught in the storm are three other boats, each one in a Mayday situation. Of the ten people on these boats, only six will ever see land again. Spellbinding, harrowing, and meticulously researched, A Storm Too Soon is a vivid account of the powerful collision between the forces of nature and the human will to survive. Author Michael J. Tougias, known for his fast-paced writing style and character-driven stories, tells this true saga in the present tense to give the reader a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat immediacy. A Storm Too Soon is Tougias at his masterful best and a heart-pounding narrative of survival, the power of the human spirit, and one of the most incredible rescues ever attempted. “Tougias spins a marvelous and terrifying yarn…This is a breathtaking book.”—Los Angeles Times

Michael J. Tougias (Author), Charlie Thurston (Narrator)

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The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue

In the winter of 1952, New England was battered by the most brutal nor'easter in years. As the weather wreaked havoc on land, the freezing Atlantic became a wind-whipped zone of peril, setting the stage for one of the most heroic rescue stories ever lived. On February 18, while the storm raged, two oil tankers, the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer, were in the same horrifying predicament. Built with "dirty steel," and not prepared to withstand such ferocious seas, both tankers split in two, leaving the dozens of men on board utterly at the Atlantic's mercy. The Finest Hours is the gripping, true story of the valiant attempt to rescue the souls huddling inside the broken halves of the two ships. The spellbinding tale is overflowing with breathtaking scenes, as boats capsize, bows and sterns crash into one another, and men hurl themselves into the raging sea in a terrifying battle for survival. Not all of the eighty-four men caught at sea in the midst of that brutal storm survived, but considering the odds, it's a miracle-and a testament to their bravery-that any at all came home to tell their tales. "The Finest Hours recounts the incredible heroism of the Coast Guard, who risked their lives to save others. A gripping read."-James Bradley, New York Times bestselling author

Casey Sherman, Michael J. Tougias (Author), Malcolm Hillgartner (Narrator)

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Overboard! A True Bluewater Odyssey of Disaster and Survival

In early May of 2005, Captain Tom Tighe and first mate, Loch Reidy, of the sailboat Almeisan welcomed three new crew members, two men and a woman, for a five-day voyage from Connecticut to Bermuda. While Tighe and Reidy had made the journey countless times, the rest of the crew were paying passengers learning about offshore sailing-and looking for adventure. Four days into their voyage, they got adventure but nothing that they had expected or had any training to handle. A massive storm struck, sweeping Tighe and Reidy from the boat. The remaining crew members somehow managed to stay aboard the vessel as it was torn apart by wind and water. Overboard! follows the simultaneous desperate struggles of boat passengers and the captain and first mate fighting for their lives in the sea.

Michael J. Tougias (Author), Malcolm Hillgartner (Narrator)

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