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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A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition): A Remarkable True Survival Story in 80-Foot Seas

"When a forty-seven-foot sailboat disappears in the Gulf Stream in the throes of a disastrous storm, it leaves behind three weary passengers struggling to stay alive. This middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book tells the story of the four intrepid Coast Guardsmen who braved this ruthless storm in the hopes of saving them. A spellbinding tale of courage and survival from the author of The Finest Hours."

Michael J. Tougias (Author), Alex Boyles (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 the adult nonfiction book, a New York Times bestseller, tells the story of the shipwreck and a harrowing Coast Guard rescue in which 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. Michael J. Tougias’ book is the basis for a major motion picture from Disney, starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck."

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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Ten Hours until Dawn: The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy aboard the Can Do

"During the height of the blizzard of 1978, a tanker foundered on the shoals off the Massachusetts coast. The Coast Guard dispatched a patrol boat that was soon in trouble, too. A pilot-boat captain, Frank Quirk, heard of the Coast Guard’s plight on his radio. He gathered his crew of four, readied his forty-nine-foot steel boat, the Can Do, and entered the maelstrom of the blizzard soon to be known as the Storm of the Century. Encountering one of the most monstrous seas ever recorded, Quirk struggled through the night to keep his boat from sinking, maintaining contact through his hand-held battery-powered radio. The Can Do stayed afloat past three a.m. Then there was silence. Through dozens of interviews as well as recordings of the radio communications exchanged between Quirk and the Coast Guard—actual recordings included here in this audiobook—Michael J. Tougias provides us a devastating, true account of bravery and death at sea."

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

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