Thursday, July 8th at 7pm
KALEE THOMPSON
author of
Deadliest Sea:
The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in Coast Guard History

A gripping new book by Kalee Thompson recounts the tragic sinking of the Alaska Ranger and one of the most remarkable rescue missions in maritime history.

Well before dawn on Easter morning in 2008, a fishing trawler called the Alaska Ranger was out in the Bering Sea -- more than 100 miles from land -- when it began to take on water. Over the next few hours the entire crew of 47 abandoned ship and the 200-foot trawler sank beneath the frigid waves. Though some had made it into a life raft, most of the fisherman were adrift in 36 degree water, battling snow storms, gale-force winds, 20-foot seas, and total darkness. The Coast Guard was their only hope.

In this riveting, true-life survival story, Kalee Thompson recreates the extraordinary events of that Easter morning, introduces the people on both sides of the rescue who survived that harrowing day, and pays tribute to the courage, tenacity, and skill of dedicated service people who risk their lives to save others.

Kalee Thompson is a magazine writer focused on science, environmental, and travel stories. She was formerly a senior editor at National Geographic Adventure and Popular Science magazines, and has contributed to publications including Women's Health, Wired, and Popular Mechanics. She lives in Los Angeles, CA.