SOLE SURVIVOR

Poon Lim, a Chinese steward aboard a British merchant ship during WWII, survives for 133 days on a raft after his ship is sunk by a German torpedo. SOLE SURVIVOR was first released as fiction and later reissued as nonfiction. The epilogue explains why. The tale of Poon Lim’s ordeal, including his thoughts and dreams, are told in Johanna Ward’s soft, pleasant voice, as though she were reading a child’s bedtime story. Her taciturn descriptions of the taste of fish eyes and the intestinal contents of sea birds are not for the squeamish and would be a good awakening for youngsters who won’t eat their vegetables. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]