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The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure Audiobook
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(3.08) - 115 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Whaling in the Arctic waters off Alaska’s coast was as dangerous as it was lucrative in 1897. In that particular year, winter came early, bringing with it storms and ice packs that caught eight American whale ships and about three hundred sailors off guard. The ships were imprisoned in ice with no hope of escape. With limited provisions on board the ships that hadn’t been crushed by the ice, there was little hope that these men could survive until warmer temperatures arrived at least ten months later.
Martin Sandler tells the incredible true adventure story of three men who were ordered by President McKinley to carry out an overland rescue that covered 1,500 miles of treacherous Alaskan terrain in the dead of winter. Their mission was to drive two herds of reindeer the distance to feed the starving men. With their own survival in the balance, these men battled raging storms, killing cold, injured sled dogs, and their own will to continue to bring relief to the stranded whale men. Entries from the journals of two of the rescuers and photographs taken by the third key member of the unlikely expedition dramatically document every mile of their heroic, unprecedented journey.
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"When I saw this at the library, I couldn't resist, naturally--I'm a little bit of a sucker when it comes to Arctic/Antarctic survival tales, and this is a great one. Sandler did an excellent job of setting up the story and making the people involved really stand out as individuals, and the photographs are a fantastic addition. Definitely recommended for teens and adults interested in survival/adventure stories."
— Warnie (5 out of 5 stars)
The Impossible Rescue Listener Reviews
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" Exhausting just to read about what they endured. Shackleton's feat still stands as the most compelling story, but these men and their animals come close. Great photos, but a bit more detail than I wanted. "
— Caro, 2/1/2014 -
" Brilliant, right up my alley. Rescue mission, cold, reindeer! I loved the story, I loved the pacing, I loved the extra data at the end, I loved the audio version. The only thing is that now I want to see the print version so I can look at the photos! "
— Stacey, 1/30/2014 -
" An incredible story bolstered by wonderful writing, excellent photographs, and the words of the people involved. Has its dry spots, but overall a good tale of adventure and history. "
— Amy, 1/24/2014 -
" I enjoyed this true rescue story, but I wonder if audiobook was really the way to go. The narration was fine and the story compelling enough that I stuck with it, but it's my understanding that there are many photographs in the book, so I will have to check it out and take a look at them. "
— Abby, 1/17/2014 -
" Engaging narrations in this informational book. Each chapter draws readers in to the journey of Arctic rescue with vivid pictorial evidences that I almost feel like I was told stories from the rescue team. "
— Yoo, 1/8/2014 -
" Interesting rescue story I hadn't heard about before. "
— Stephanie, 12/5/2013 -
" A great true tale of survival -- especially when we start getting all those nonfic requests for kids in preparation of those wretched gov't mandated tests! "
— Anna, 10/31/2013 -
" A very interesting and deserving story that is told in a not-too-engaging way. It took me about a month to get through, so I'm not sure how kids will do with it unless it's a topic that really interests them. "
— Gwen, 8/21/2013 -
" A harrowing, true story of shipwrecks, survival, and daring rescue. Great use of period photographs. "
— Edward, 8/16/2013 -
" Great story, great design/layout, great photographs and supporting documents, great timeline and follow-up at the end - but the narrative STINKS. Your booktalk would be far better than the book itself. "
— Stacy, 8/15/2013 -
" Fascinating story, great photos and primary source material, but very dense for all but the most dedicated and interested middle grade reader. "
— Adam, 8/5/2013 -
" I didn't think that I would like this topic when I started but it ended up being heart pounding at times. Great historical journey. Make sure to take the time to read the epilogue. "
— Karen, 3/26/2013 -
" So I knew about Shackleton's amazing story of survival and rescue, but I knew nothing about this very similar rescue story in the Arctic in 1897. Seriously incredible! And the first-hand accounts from these men's journals and photographs just add to the storytelling and amazingness. "
— Naomi, 2/21/2013
About Martin W. Sandler
Martin Sandler has received many honors, including winning the 2019 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature; two Pulitzer Prize nominations; a Boston Horn Book Award; and seven Emmys. His Library of Congress American History series has been a national bestseller, and he is one of the few historians to have published with the Library of Congress. Sandler was creator and cowriter for the twelve-part This Was America tv series. He has taught American history and American studies at the University of Massachusetts and Smith College. Sandler lives in Cotuit, MA.
About Malcolm Hillgartner
Malcolm Hillgartner is an accomplished actor, writer, and musician. Named an AudioFile Best Voice of 2013 and the recipient of several Earphones Awards, he has narrated over 250 audiobooks.