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Alone: Orphaned on the Ocean Audiobook
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(3.03) - 300 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A tanker steaming through the deep Northwest Providence Channel of the Bahamas comes across a shocking sight: a lone dinghy carrying Captain Julian Harvey and the body of a young girl. They are all that remain of the ketch Bluebelle, a handsome sixty-foot sailing yacht chartered by the Duperrault family of Green Bay, Wisconsin. But their happy family vacation went terribly wrong when, according to Harvey, a violent and unexpected squall smashed the giant main mast, killed Harvey's wife and the others, and sank the boat. Harvey found the child floating dead and, as far as he knows, he is the only survivor. Or is he? Four days later, just as Captain Harvey is testifying at a Coast Guard hearing about the tragic accident, amazing news of another survivor arrives. Eleven-year-old Terry Jo Duperrault has been found barely alive on a flimsy cork-and-canvas float with no food or water. Harvey takes the news calmly, finishes his testimony, and leaves...to commit bloody suicide. This is the chillingly detailed inside story of what really happened during that trip and the decades-long courage of the sole survivor of a murderous crime.
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"I was expecting it to be more of a personal memoir (instead it read more like a third person, bullet-pointed "report" or investigative journalism), but it was still an incredible story! "
— Mary (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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A genuinely harrowing, wrenching and deeply memorable account of survival against all odds.
— Ron Franscell, bestselling author of The Darkest Night
Alone Listener Reviews
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Nola, 5/1/2022
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" Ditto to the other reviews. Great story, writing and editing needed some work. "
— Lisa, 2/6/2014 -
" Non fiction--chilling detailed story of the tragedy that occurred during the Dupperrault's family vacation on a yacht in the Caribbean. Told by the lone survivor--their 11 year old daughter. "
— Carol, 1/22/2014 -
" This story is really interesting and was worth reading about. The first half was pretty good. The last half could use some help. Just not written terrifically, but I did like it. "
— Cherie, 1/17/2014 -
" Inspiring and amazing what this girl went through and overcame. Made me almost cry at the end, which few books compel me to do. "
— Jessica, 1/10/2014 -
" I did not remember this event that happened in 1961, the year I graduated from high school. True story of a chartered yacht that sunk in the Carribean, killing an entire family and the wife of the captain. Who as it turned out murdered everyone and sank the boat. Except one lone survivor - the 11-year old daughter. The writing was not very good - was more like a newspaper article. But my heart went out to all the victims. Reminded me of watching 20-20 or 48 Hours Mystery -- could have been told in 15 minutes or 15 pages. "
— Pat, 1/10/2014 -
" The story of Tere (Terry Jo) Duperrault is fascinating and compelling, but the quality of writing is so terrible that it's distracting. I enjoyed the book, because the tragic and miraculous survival story of Tere is so engaging in its own right. However, the writing... oh the writing. So bad. "
— Dayna, 1/2/2014 -
" Interesting, quick read. Probably won't read it again. "
— Kcastro, 12/31/2013 -
" Book 91/150 "
— Morgue, 12/19/2013 -
" interesting true story...sad but uplifting "
— Charlene, 12/7/2013 -
" An interesting, true story, written in a factual style. The author pulled together information from many sources to put the whole sordid tale in one place. I wold have enjoyed reading more from Tere herself. "
— Wendy, 8/29/2013 -
" A quick read, and interesting enough. "
— Rose, 8/15/2013 -
" A strange story, not very well written, based on speculation and the testimony of an 11-year-old survivor who nearly died adrift at sea for 4 days. And, the information revealed by giving her truth serum as an adult is certainly not reliable. Probably true, but we will never really know. "
— Kathy, 6/30/2013 -
" Interesting and informative. True story about a child (now a grown woman) left to die at sea. "
— Bonnie, 3/9/2013 -
" I read this book in a little over 24 hours. It captured me right off the bat knowing it was a family from the Green Bay area who had to deal with this tragedy! Definately a must read! "
— Brooke, 2/19/2013 -
" Interesting true story. I wondered if with todays technology they could have answered some of the "unanswered questions"? An easy and short read. "
— Angela, 11/12/2012 -
" A very interesting true story about a girl who survives drifting in the ocean for 4 days after her entire family is killed. I will not tell you how they die so I don't spoil it. Great story of survival, strong will and evil. It is a short book and a very quick read. I enjoyed it very much. "
— Leslie, 10/29/2012 -
" true story and fascinating! I had never heard the story before-a survival story- a little girl who is found floating in the ocean- "
— Liana, 10/20/2012 -
" Not the most well-written book I've read, but such a captivating, tragic story. I would recommend just because of that! "
— Rachael, 9/25/2012 -
" One of the most heart-breaking true stories I have ever read. The story of "brave little Terry Jo" and her family is unbelievably tragic. "
— Keeri, 9/1/2012 -
" I was expecting it to be more of a personal memoir (instead it read more like a third person, bullet-pointed "report" or investigative journalism), but it was still an incredible story! "
— Mary, 6/16/2012 -
" This was a very sad but interesting book. It's a true story although I had never heard of this girl. "
— Jessica, 4/9/2012 -
" Great book but hard to read about such a tragedy to this family including the children. "
— Brent, 2/1/2012 -
" Non-fiction story that was captivating and a bit sad. "
— Ally, 12/21/2011 -
" I would give it 3 & 1/2 stars...interesting real account. "
— Bev, 5/26/2011 -
" Very interesting true story but a badly written book. "
— Ciara, 4/28/2011 -
" Great story....it is sad what this little girl had to go through but she has turned out to be a positive women. "
— Kristen, 4/6/2011 -
" This is so creepy because it's bloody and true. "
— Naveen, 3/15/2011 -
" A quick read, and interesting enough. "
— Rose, 1/12/2011 -
" A very interesting story not well told. "
— Christophile, 12/30/2010 -
" This was a very sad but interesting book. It's a true story although I had never heard of this girl. "
— Jessica, 11/8/2010 -
" Non fiction--chilling detailed story of the tragedy that occurred during the Dupperrault's family vacation on a yacht in the Caribbean. Told by the lone survivor--their 11 year old daughter. "
— Carol, 10/27/2010 -
" Interesting, quick read. Probably won't read it again. "
— Kcastro, 10/25/2010
About the Authors
Richard Logan, PhD, holds an AB degree in anthropology from Harvard University and a doctorate in human development from the University of Chicago. An expert in the psychology of solitary survival, he is the author of Alone: A Fascinating Study of Those Who Have Survived Long, Solitary Ordeals. He has also been a guest on A&E and the Discovery Channel. Dr. Logan lives with his wife, Carol, in Minneapolis.
Tere Duperrault Fassbender lives with her husband, Ron, near the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Her three children and her grandchildren live nearby. Fassbender is retired from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, where she built a career protecting the waterways and the near-shore areas from being overdeveloped and altered.
About the Narrators
Johnny Heller, winner of numerous Earphones and Audie Awards, was named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile magazine in 2019. He has been a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award winner from 2008 through 2013 and he has been named a top voice of 2008 and 2009 and selected as one of the Top 50 Narrators of the Twentieth Century by AudioFile magazine.
Jo Anna Perrin is an audiobook narrator whose readings include Disarming the Narcissist by Wendy T. Behary, You Lost Me There by Rosecrans Baldwin, American Freak Show by Willie Geist, and many others.