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The Raft
The Robert The Pyramid FIRST First Edition Thus, 3rd Printing. Published by Pyramid, 1961. Octavo. Paperback. Book is very good with price whited out on front and back covers and spine. 100% positive feedback. 30 day money back guarantee. NEXT DAY SHIPPING! Excellent customer service. Please email with any questions. All books packed carefully and ship with free delivery confirmation/tracking. All books come with free bookmarks. Ships from Sag Harbor, New York.Seller 336563 Pulp Paperbacks We Buy Books! Collections - Libraries - Estates - Individual Titles. Message us if you have books to sell!
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1942
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
June 1, 2015
Three naval airmen from a downed plane spend over a month in an open raft upon the South Pacific Seas with no food, water or cover from the sun and live to tell the tale. Wow. I need to stop bitching when I get a little sunburn or miss lunch.
This memoir was put together by Robert Trumbull in 1942 soon after Harold Dixon, Gene Aldrich, and Tony Pastula underwent their trying ordeal. It's told from Dixon's perspective. He was the pilot and senior to the other two. He gives his opinions relatively freely. His descriptions of their journey are novel-worthy, making for one heck of a nail-biting read.
Some of the details, like what they were doing and where it took place, had to be left sketchy because the war was still ongoing. But that doesn't detract from the essence of their story. I've read a few sea survival biographies and this ranks right up there with its storms, sharks, deprivation, hope and despair. Heck, this even includes an encounter with natives, like it was some kind of fanciful 18th century adventure tall tale. At times I felt like I was reading of Captain Bligh's post-mutiny survival voyage or a better version of Robinson Crusoe.
If reading The Raft doesn't sound like your thing, perhaps you might watch it? It was recently made into a movie, Against the Sun, starring Malfoy...
This memoir was put together by Robert Trumbull in 1942 soon after Harold Dixon, Gene Aldrich, and Tony Pastula underwent their trying ordeal. It's told from Dixon's perspective. He was the pilot and senior to the other two. He gives his opinions relatively freely. His descriptions of their journey are novel-worthy, making for one heck of a nail-biting read.
Some of the details, like what they were doing and where it took place, had to be left sketchy because the war was still ongoing. But that doesn't detract from the essence of their story. I've read a few sea survival biographies and this ranks right up there with its storms, sharks, deprivation, hope and despair. Heck, this even includes an encounter with natives, like it was some kind of fanciful 18th century adventure tall tale. At times I felt like I was reading of Captain Bligh's post-mutiny survival voyage or a better version of Robinson Crusoe.
If reading The Raft doesn't sound like your thing, perhaps you might watch it? It was recently made into a movie, Against the Sun, starring Malfoy...
February 7, 2012
The perfect book to read while solidifying in subzero weather is The Raft by Robert Trumbull. And one look at the cover will suggest that another bite of that fat laden steak is well-worthwhile.
Trumbull retells the story of 3 aviators whose plane went down in the Pacific. They had a rubber raft and little else because the plane sank so quickly. They were adrift for 34 days and traveled over 1,000 miles. The raft was about four by eight feet. It was so small that no one could stretch out. "Imagine doubling up on a tiny mattress, with the strongest man you know striking the underside as hard as he could with a baseball bat, twice every three seconds, while someone else hurls buckets of cold salt water in your face." The raft also had a nasty tendency to overturn when waves got a little high, or the occupants moved incorrectly. Their clothes were often wet from spray. They were very hot during the day and cold at night. They had no food, and, after the several flips of the raft, only a penknife and themselves for company.
It's always amazing how resourceful people can be under trying circumstances. Harold Dixon, who had the most navigational experience, managed to calculate about where they were and where they needed to go, more or less, and then figured small ways to steer the craft to go in that particular direction.
Squalls were viewed as a mixed blessing. Rain was their only source of drinking water (which they gathered by wringing out their clothes. But squalls brought wind and waves which might turn them over.
Finally, after being tossed by the winds of a passing hurricane they sighted an island toward which they frantically paddled, The natives were astonished to see them for they managed to float through the surf of a coral reef that the natives considered impenetrable in their canoes. They were slowly nursed back to health and then eventually rescued.
Trumbull retells the story of 3 aviators whose plane went down in the Pacific. They had a rubber raft and little else because the plane sank so quickly. They were adrift for 34 days and traveled over 1,000 miles. The raft was about four by eight feet. It was so small that no one could stretch out. "Imagine doubling up on a tiny mattress, with the strongest man you know striking the underside as hard as he could with a baseball bat, twice every three seconds, while someone else hurls buckets of cold salt water in your face." The raft also had a nasty tendency to overturn when waves got a little high, or the occupants moved incorrectly. Their clothes were often wet from spray. They were very hot during the day and cold at night. They had no food, and, after the several flips of the raft, only a penknife and themselves for company.
It's always amazing how resourceful people can be under trying circumstances. Harold Dixon, who had the most navigational experience, managed to calculate about where they were and where they needed to go, more or less, and then figured small ways to steer the craft to go in that particular direction.
Squalls were viewed as a mixed blessing. Rain was their only source of drinking water (which they gathered by wringing out their clothes. But squalls brought wind and waves which might turn them over.
Finally, after being tossed by the winds of a passing hurricane they sighted an island toward which they frantically paddled, The natives were astonished to see them for they managed to float through the surf of a coral reef that the natives considered impenetrable in their canoes. They were slowly nursed back to health and then eventually rescued.
April 6, 2023
Amazing true story! The book has a few typos, but that’s not a big deal.
June 21, 2012
I found this book as I was cleaning out a bookcase in my parents' home. Mom belonged to the Book-of-the-Month Club during the WW II years, and this 1942 copy still has the review and synopsis by the Club News inside. It is the true story of three US navy-men who took off from a carrier on a bombing mission, ran out of gas, and had to ditch in the ocean somewhere in the South Seas. They, unfortunately, end up in a small rubber raft with no food or water and little else, floundering and supporting each other for 34 long and painful days. This is an adventure story that couldn't be invented, and one that will leave you amazed at the steadfastness of the human spirit!
October 5, 2019
I found out about this story when I went to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola where there was a display (replica?) of the raft. This is an amazing, fast-moving story about three airmen who lose their plane in the South Pacific and survive at sea for over a month. I'm always intrigued by survival stories. What makes a survivor? If I were in a similar situation, would I survive? Why don't people give up? I mean, I'm sure that happens, you just don't get to read the story. But do you KNOW when to throw in the towel and shuck off the mortal coil? Fascinating tale full of details and human grit. Well worth the read.
October 6, 2016
Every once and a while one finds things that prove to be a real treasure. I rarely browse this one used book store close by with the hopes of a worthwhile find. This place is a hodgepodge of battered paper backs strewn on overstuffed shelves and collapsing piles, but I have by luck found several unforgettable reads in the past. This one kind of stood out, it was old and yellowed with that musty dry smell of old newspapers, but in pristine condition. In fact I doubt it had ever been read. The price on the cover was 60 cents, early 1960's, but the cover art and the title drew me right to it..... I love these type stories, man against nature and hardship. I am always humbled by the sheer power of man's will to survive and ability to endure and overcome the most unforgiving situations and occurrences. Just when you think it can't get any worse it does, and even then it gets much darker. I add this little story to my list of some of the best true life sea survival stories I have read. Just imagine yourself and two others adrift in a 4x8 (outside dimension) rubber raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no food, no water, one small pocket knife, and very little else. Would you be scared, would you be pessimistic, would you be amiable to your fellows, would you crack as the thirst dried you up from the inside and your body steadily devoured itself? The sun baking you black as your clothes rotted off your body exposing every inch of you to the blazing equatorial heat. Such is the power held in this true tale of survival. A very good read, indeed!
August 11, 2023
An absolutely mesmerizing tale of hardship and survival at sea, “The Raft” is an 81 year old narrative of three WWII Naval aviators who were cast adrift in a life raft for over a month without food or water after they were forced to ditch their aircraft.
I listened to the audiobook version of this 1942 classic, superbly read by Grover Gardner.
I listened to the audiobook version of this 1942 classic, superbly read by Grover Gardner.
September 23, 2018
A true story about three men staying alive in a small sized raft. After the plane carrying them crashed at the pacific ocean. It is surprising to know how much human can withstand pain and hardship just to stay alive.
June 24, 2018
The true story of 3 Navy men who survive 34 days in the Pacific with no food.
October 5, 2019
A true, no-nonsense, first-person account of three American soldiers' survival on a raft in the Pacific with zero emergency supplies during WWII. It reminded me quite a bit of Redford's All Is Lost – just when you think it can't get any worse, it does. Six days without water. Two hurricanes. Sharks. One of the more light-hearted moments was when Dixon punched a shark in the face.
We ate perhaps two-thirds of the meat at this one sitting. None of us had a mind to deny ourselves a good bellyful. The meat was tough, and had a peculiar flavor, sort of an ammonia taste. It was not at all pleasant or palatable. It tasted like—well, like shark, if you've ever imagined how a shark would taste. I would not care for shark meat as a steady diet.
After 34 days at sea they miraculously land on Pukapuka in the Cook Islands, at which point their main fear becomes whether or not the island is Japanese-occupied (meaning they would be tortured for information then killed). The sum of their possessions upon landing: the 4'x8' rubber raft, two wallets, a police whistle, and the sole of one shoe. Not even a scrap of clothing on their backs.
"I thought of the sea, but not as an enemy; I was unable to personalize so vast a thing. The sea was everything; it was all; it was as big as—as God."
In 2015 this story was made into a movie called Against The Sun costarring Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) as one of the soldiers (muggles). Wikipedia lists a total box office revenue of $4,646 as of 2019. Guess we prefer superheroes.
May 12, 2024
Wow. Just wow...how these three men survived in 1942 in the open sea for 34 days is a tremendous miracle. I greatly enjoyed the addition of the forward and afterword notes, they added more understanding to the tale. This story is of course a real, non-fiction account of what happened and how the three men managed to survive. It is told in the pov of petty officer and pilot Harold Dixon and is written in a very matter of fact manner. I first heard about The Raft from a show called Mysteries of the Museum. In the book the photos show the actual Raft at the Naval academy in Annapolis MD, but it has since been moved to a more permanent exhibit at the Pensacola Naval Museum which is where I saw it and found out about the book. It's also interesting to note that because of their survival many improvements were made in regards to communication and life rafts in general. A quick read if you are able to get a copy.
July 30, 2018
After seeing the movie (Against the Sun) based on this story, I was intrigued and decided to track down the real story. I thought, surely the movie embellished most of the scenes in the film - surely most of it was fictionalized. It's an excellent movie, by the way - I highly recommend it. Come to find out, the movie was pretty accurate (with the exception of a few things).
Survival/endurance and WWII stories are my favorites, and this one is an absolutely incredible story. I really enjoyed the style of writing and the way the author described the sea. Just hearing what the men went through and how they were able to go as long as they did was amazing. Plenty of readers have already rehashed the details of the story, and I don't want to spoil anything.
I'll just leave it at this: I highly recommend this read if you can find a copy of the book.
Survival/endurance and WWII stories are my favorites, and this one is an absolutely incredible story. I really enjoyed the style of writing and the way the author described the sea. Just hearing what the men went through and how they were able to go as long as they did was amazing. Plenty of readers have already rehashed the details of the story, and I don't want to spoil anything.
I'll just leave it at this: I highly recommend this read if you can find a copy of the book.
September 4, 2019
Three Navy men go down in a plane in the Pacific. It is near the beginning of WWII. They survive 34 days in a raft and lived to tell their remarkable tale. This book (except forward and afterward) was written while the war still raged on so the men weren't allowed to talk about exactly where they went.
This is an Audible Kid's production, which I didn't realize when I bought this. It's an excellent book, except it seems like glossed over war propaganda and therefore I gave it 4 stars. It would be great for kids learning about WWII, maybe fourth grade and above because it doesn't contain the strong language that these men may have spoken.
I listened to this as part of my Summer Reading Around the World and I've got just one more book to go.
This is an Audible Kid's production, which I didn't realize when I bought this. It's an excellent book, except it seems like glossed over war propaganda and therefore I gave it 4 stars. It would be great for kids learning about WWII, maybe fourth grade and above because it doesn't contain the strong language that these men may have spoken.
I listened to this as part of my Summer Reading Around the World and I've got just one more book to go.
August 8, 2020
Based on a true story, which I found to be quite inspiring of 3 men stuck at sea for 34 day in a raft the size of a claw foot tub.
Overall it was a quick read and found some value in it. Holds the attention and makes you think about what these men actually went through.
Only negative, which is to be expected was I found it to be a little repetitive at some times, but what else are 3 men going to do on a raft for 34 days.
If you make it through the first half of the book, the ending is worth it.
Happy reading and enjoy!
Overall it was a quick read and found some value in it. Holds the attention and makes you think about what these men actually went through.
Only negative, which is to be expected was I found it to be a little repetitive at some times, but what else are 3 men going to do on a raft for 34 days.
If you make it through the first half of the book, the ending is worth it.
Happy reading and enjoy!
May 10, 2021
An astonishing, true story. Simply and non-sensationally told, it doesn't take long to read, but will stay with you. Given my copy was a reprint, I would have liked an epilogue - about their initial recovery, their families (who presumably were told they had died), their later war experience and what lasting effects (if any) the experience had. Also perhaps any learning for the airforce. Maybe that all exists in another edition, but, if not, perhaps someone will consider researching and adding it.
January 19, 2025
Three naval airmen from a downed plane spend over a month in an open raft upon the South Pacific.
When the plane first lands on the water, they should have time to get all the survival gear off, but sadly it sinks straight away, so they have very few supplies. The book tells of how they managed to get some food, keep each others spirits up and avoid the circling sharks. It was such a great book and I could really imagine what horrors they went through. We also are told at the end of the book what happened to the men after they were back on dry land.
When the plane first lands on the water, they should have time to get all the survival gear off, but sadly it sinks straight away, so they have very few supplies. The book tells of how they managed to get some food, keep each others spirits up and avoid the circling sharks. It was such a great book and I could really imagine what horrors they went through. We also are told at the end of the book what happened to the men after they were back on dry land.
February 5, 2018
At first I wanted to compare this book to Unbroken, and it is similar. This book was written by the person that experienced the raft, not by a professional author so the style is pretty straightforward, nothing fancy.
They suffered immensely. They went for days without food or fresh water, but all three men survived. What they suffered could have made them break down, want to harm one another, or simply give up, but they fought to stay alive and positive.
They suffered immensely. They went for days without food or fresh water, but all three men survived. What they suffered could have made them break down, want to harm one another, or simply give up, but they fought to stay alive and positive.
February 2, 2020
I really loved this book and the vintage writing style was just the thing to add it to my Favorites List of 2020. The story is the true account of the harrowing event that three naval airmen who's plane went down in the Pacific Ocean after running out of fuel and their 34 days at sea in a raft during WWII. What I loved most about this story is how they braved it out together and the forever bond they would have. I highly recommend this book!
April 13, 2022
A truly remarkable survival story about 3 men adrift at sea for a full month without food or water. This true story from 1942 does a really good job of describing the mental challenges of this ordeal as well as the physical challenges. I appreciated the brutal honesty about the experience.
I didn’t know that this book was made into a movie in 2014 until reading that today in someone else’s review here on Goodreads. If you are interested in the movie version, it’s called Against the Sun.
I didn’t know that this book was made into a movie in 2014 until reading that today in someone else’s review here on Goodreads. If you are interested in the movie version, it’s called Against the Sun.
June 26, 2024
3.5, really. I loved the book and the candidness it captures, but, in that same vein, our protagonist (Dixon) fancies himself the superhero and I think being the sole recipient of the naval award went to his head. Good book, good read. It is a more adult survival story that would probably appeal to way more people than lord of the flies or a historic account with a bunch of citations, and I think the candidness helps with that.
May 18, 2017
This is a fantastic true story about survival, I read this book a few years ago, and even got to see the real lifeboat in person at the National Museum of Naval Aviationin Pensacola, Fl while on vacation.
They made a movie about it "Against The Sun" never seen that though. Give the story a chance, it's one you will never forget.
They made a movie about it "Against The Sun" never seen that though. Give the story a chance, it's one you will never forget.
December 31, 2020
Fascinating tale of the miraculous survival of three Navy sailors adrift in the South Pacific for 34 days in 1942. Also an interesting snapshot of the lingo and culture of the day as it's related in a conversational manner, as told by the senior officer present to the author. A quick and worthwhile read.
October 16, 2021
Short historical memoir of 3 men who's Devastator torpedo bomber ran out of fuel and was ditched in the Pacific in January 1942.
The amazing story tells of their 34 days adrift on the ocean with no food and no water.
They eventually landed on a small island in the Cook Island group called Pukapuka (formerly Danger Island).
An amazing true story.
The amazing story tells of their 34 days adrift on the ocean with no food and no water.
They eventually landed on a small island in the Cook Island group called Pukapuka (formerly Danger Island).
An amazing true story.
November 18, 2023
While most will enjoy this book for its obviously detailed depiction of people trying to hold things together under the most perilous of situations, I equally enjoyed the details about how one would attempt to navigate and maintain course on a large raft with little else aboard. This is a good riveting read and not a large book.
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July 28, 2020I own a first edition copyright 1942 edition of The Raft. I could feel the pain, the hunger, and the yearning the author sought to convey to the reader. The book was a hard read for me, yet, with an ending that brought hope and closure.
October 4, 2022
A fascinating account of the lengths three men endured to survive thirty four days at sea. I was particularly intrigued and impressed with them being relative strangers initially and bonding over time. It is a testament to leadership, staying the course and faith.
March 9, 2025
WW2 era story of 3 Navy flyers who had to discharge their aircraft in the South Pacific and floated in a small raft for 33 days. First written in 1942. As told to a reporter and related in third person by the chief petty officer pilot.
December 1, 2017
Great, quick read... enjoyed the narration and pace
May 9, 2018
An engaging true story of survival adrift on the open sea written in the blunt style of mid-twentieth century pulp fiction. Spoiler alert: around day twelve, bowel movements are discussed.
June 9, 2019
Read this in High School and enjoyed it a lot back then. Don't know how I would feel about it now though. (Date read is an approximation).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews