Courage

by Alan Littell

The Year is 1950. In the North Atlantic west of Ireland the destinies of two ships fuse. One, an English tramp, breaks apart in a winter storm. Five survivors cling to the wreckage. Chance puts the novel's central character--an officer of a nearby liner--at the helm of a boat that must battle its way through the mountainous waves in a desperate attempt to reach the castaways. In this evocation of the life of the sea, author Alan Littell has created a world of isolation, frailty and endurance whose overarching theme is the test of courage.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published November 25, 2008

Reviews

[Paul Peterson]

Sketch of a sea rescue...

"To confront the terror of the sea required humility. The sea was not a lark. The sea cared not a fig for him, for the boat, for his ship, for the tramp. The sea was insensate. ... It was a force beyond all reckoning. And so there flickered in the second mate's mind an awakening of humility: the moral surround of command."

[Anne Hennessey]

Exceptionally well written and full of atmosphere. This story seems utterly true to the era and to the setting. It is a perceptive portrayal of what ordinary people think and feel when placed in extraordinary circumstances. Should be of extra interest since 9/11 as we have used the word "hero" with abandon. This slim book should be a worthwhile read for anyone who is interested in the ferocity of nature in a storm, working ships as they ply the seas or human behavior and personality.

[Roxanne]

Superb read. Beautifully written in the language of sailors, some of which I had to look up/figure out. The master of the tramp is cool and focused, his crew follow his lead. The sailor charged with the rescue proves his mettle in the end...and they all do what they must.

I could never be a sailor

[Corto]

Interesting vignette about merchant mariners and a rescue at sea. A little too anticlimactic for me. Given the depth of knowledge Littell has on the subject (derived from years of first-hand experience) a lengthy memoir from him would probably be a pretty fascinating read.