BIG MIRACLE

Reporters raced to the top of the world when three whales were stuck in the Alaskan ice in October 1988. Tom Rose's take on the story, which he helped cover for Japanese TV, is anything but sentimental. Peter Berkrot deftly maneuvers between three perspectives and tones. First, there's admiration for the hard work of the people involved in the rescue and for the whales' will to live. Second, there's cynicism toward the government, the media, and environmentalists. Third, there's sheer lunacy in reporting from a place where reporters' earpieces can freeze painfully to their ears. The result may not have listeners considering priorities exactly as Rose intends, but it's a fascinating blend of hilarity and real-life drama. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]