Deadliest Sea: The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in Coast Guard History by Kalee Thompson
This had been on my “to read” shelf for so long that I’d forgotten why it sounded so familiar when someone lent me a copy of the book. I have a soft spot for maritime tragedies, and for heroics as well. This has both tragedy and heroics, as it recounts the sinking of a fishing boat in the Bering Sea and the efforts of the Coast Guard to save them before drowning or hypothermia did the stranded sailors in.
Thompson references the television show “The Deadliest Catch,” which I have not seen but believe is about snow crab fishermen. If you like the television show, you may get more out of this book than I did. Like the best non fiction books, Thompson includes personal information about the victims and survivors of the sinking, information about the industry, and factual information about hypothermia and the equipment used to cure or prevent it.
I enjoyed this book very much. It was not the very best maritime tragedy book I’ve ever read, but it was excellent and a riveting read.
