TEN HOURS UNTIL DAWN The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do

Tales of nautical misadventure are always popular. This true story is worthy listening even for those only mildly interested in the sea. Chronicled is the ill-fated final voyage of the Can Do, a harbor pilot boat that, in the Blizzard of ’78, left port to aid a floundering Coast Guard cutter. Tougias uses actual radio transmissions from that night--excerpted liberally throughout the audiobook--to reconstruct the complex disaster. He also interviews the Coast Guard survivors and radiomen on shore, and paints a vivid and heroic portrait of the doomed men on the boat. Joe Barrett’s crisp reading propels the story, and his voiced reenactments of radio transmissions aid clarity. The author reads a long note at the end, explaining his methods and motivations. T.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]