One Wave at a Time

by Billy Bryan Brown

It was March 2nd, 1969. Sixteen-year-old Billy Brown paced the floor of the housed he shared with his parents and sister in an affluent Fort Worth suburb. They were scheduled to be home by noon and were now several hours overdue in their return by private plane. Billy was becoming very concerned for he knew the dangers of flying in Texas thunderstorms. Thunder shook the house over and over as it chased every blinding strike of lightning that sliced through the black clouds that rolled angrily across the skies. Every minute that passed seemed like an eternity to young, privileged, pampered and protected Billy, who now faced a fear like he had never known. At a little after ten that night, the phone rang and his fears became a reality. "They are all gone" was all that he remembered from that call that changed his life forever. The few months following the death of his entire family are still a blur to him to this day. Suffice to say that the trauma that he experienced that dark, stormy, night set into play a three-decade series of events that make this book so much more than a story of loss. After a decade of a near maniacal-like search for something he couldn't even define, Billy found himself, literally, in the wilderness of the last frontier. Stranded on an uninhabited island off the coast of Alaska for nearly 18 months with his wife and two small children, Billy began to look within himself for the strength and skills necessary to bring his new family through their ordeal. Once rescued from Mosman Island, having survived bears, wolves, killer whales and two Alaskan winters, the Brown family found they had grown comfortable with the bush and went on to live another 20 plus years under conditions that most of us cannot even imagine and they thrived individually and as a family. This book is the true adventure of Billy and Ami and their seven children as they approached life head-on and turned tragedy and trials into triumphs and victories "one wave at a time". This is a true story of loss, pain, fear and survival; of dreams, determination, courage and love, and an adventure packed testament to the incredible power of love, trust and the strength of family.

Genres: Nonfiction

228 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2007

Reviews

[Clara Babinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I watch the show with this family and I'll admit it is why I bought this book. I am torn between wanting to shake Billy Brown's hand and just wanting to shake him until his teeth rattle!
I am amazed at all the family has survived and all that Ami has gone through and stayed by his side. I'll be honest, she's much tougher and stronger than I, for I would have put my foot down or in his rear end after the first two years!
That being said, I still have to admire him. I admire that he never stopped seeking what he needed. I admire that the family has chosen to work as a single entity for the greater good of them all. I admire the love that he and Ami feel for each other and I really admire that she homeschooled seven children all while living in tents and cabins of boats.
I love that Billy buried the bear with dignity and respect and that he knew he had broken the rules by bringing animals in the bush that were not meant to be there.
I am enough of a realist to know that I could never live in the "Bush" but I'll admit if I were younger and healthier it would be tempting to me.
This is an uplifting story of love and loss and redemption. Billy may be nuttier than a fruit cake, but he has created something in his family that will long outlive him and Ami. The love they have for their children and that the children have for them will be passed down for generations.
I really enjoyed the book, but I want to know more...how did they do with the books? Are they available for purchase? Were they ever published? How long did they stay in the lower 48? Billy, you need a follow up book!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband met this family and I wish I had. Their story reflected in this book is a true adventure. A very engaging story.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: One Wave at a Time A True Story
Author: Billy Bryan Brown
Publisher: VIP Partners
Author's Web site: [...:]
ISBN: 978-1-60145-300-6
Pages: 213
Reviewer: Yvonne Perry ([...:])
Review date: October 6, 2007


One Wave at a Time tells of a miraculous true life adventure only ninety-nine percent of us could ever dream of, let alone live and survive. Billy Bryan Brown has done just that. Brown articulates vivid living imagery in a colloquial style as though you're sitting with him beside a fire, seeing the colors of the flames and smelling the aromas of the burning wood.

Brown starts the journey as he describes the loss of his family in a tragic accident, followed by the complete destruction of the privileged life he had always known. Suddenly, at sixteen years of age, Billy Bryan Brown was cast into a world of unknown. Wandering the countryside from Canada to Mexico, he worked odd jobs, unable to find that "something" to fill the churning emptiness he describes. Then, he saw Ami. It was love at first sight.

This modern day pioneer, lead by a stirring deep in his soul and supported by his equally adventurous wife Ami, took off one day for the wilds of the Alaskan bush country with little more than their blind enthusiasm and love for one another. Page after page, Brown relentlessly pours out one harrowing story after another about their seemingly fool-hearted quest. All the while, one slowly gathers an appreciation for their inner strength and developing awareness of the wild land and scary sea they call home.

One Wave at a Time is a story of trust, of surviving on the most basic of needs: meat, warmth and water. As mankind has done since his arrival on this planet, the Brown's learned how to adapt to their ever changing environment. They become hunter-gatherers in order to overcome one obstacle at a time, discover valuable life lessons, and ascertain that life's simplest treasures are the ones that truly make life worth living.

Like the Beverly Hillbillies on steroids, the Browns become the consummate Alaskans as they live the Alaskan creed: take only what you need, use all that you have, when you no longer need it, give it to someone who does. Brown weaves his tale just as he had lived it with straight-forward, simple, honest talk. There is no need to embellish these heroic tales when it comes to describing the hair-raising horrific sounds coming from the monsters in the night, or standing face to face with a twelve-foot tall grizzly bear ready to demolish them, or a raging bull moose ready to push the entire family over a cliff. From fishing boats on the roughest Pacific seas to the remotest spot of land in North America, day after day the Browns tackle seemingly insurmountable odds. Whether it was finding wood, food, water, medical care, or their house burning down, where there was a will, there was a way, One Wave at a Time.

[Sharynlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was interesting when it focus on the family and less so when it focused on the writer alone. The writing is poor and it is clear it was never proof read!

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this story. The title could not be anymore fitting. Brown and his family are true survivors and bring to light the importance of family, especially during trying times. I was enraptured by how close and connected him and his family are, and how they work together as a team to survive, and manage to live a happy fulfilled life in an unforgiving but beautiful land. I wish more families could find the beauty and importance within their own families.

[Donna Lightbown]

I'm trying to get hold of a copy of this book for my 75 year old dad's birthday. He loved watching the series in TV and has been trying to find the book in bookstores for a while.
I've tracked a few down on ebay but in USA and v expensive. We live in the UK. If anyone is interested in selling please contact me: d.lightbown@gmail.com
Thx

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved This book.

[Cheyenne Stenlake · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was meh. I only enjoyed the audio because of Bam 🫶🏼