Sole Survivor: A Story of Record Endurance at Sea (Paperback)

~ Ruthanne Lum McCunn (Author) "In his quarters high above the Benlomond's engine room, Lim lay on his bunk, one leg braced against a rib in the bulkhead..." (more)
Key Phrases: water tank key, flagged oar, canvas bedding, Hong Kong, Tien Hau, Gee Han (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This is a fictionalized account of an actual event: 22-year-old Poon Lim's 133 days alone at sea following the WW II sinking in the South Atlantic of the British freighter on which this Chinese steward worked. Based on interviews with Poon, the reconstruction shows us a meek, dependent person who is suddenly thrown on his own resources to remain alive. Although he finds a lightly-stocked emergency raft in the debris of the sunken ship, he immediately encounters the first of many challenges: English-language labels on food cans, flares and other items. Through tortuous trial and error, Poon survives after the supplies run out. He learns to fish with a nail, to collect rainwater and to keep alert despite storms, blazing sun and nighttime cold. Five months later, when he washes ashore in Brazil, he is a matured man. Poon's experience makes for a dignified, uplifting adventure tale. Dolphin Book Club alternate. November
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA The British merchant ship Benlomond was torpedoed by a German U-Boat off the coast of Brazil on November 23, 1942. Of the 55 crew members on board, only a 24-year-old Chinese second steward survived. To this day, Poon Lim holds the Guinness world record for survival at sea. McCunn, who interviewed Poon Lim in 1982, 40 years after this remarkable ordeal took place, presents an exciting account of how Poon Lim stayed alive from the time his ship was sunk until 133 days later when he was picked up by fishermen just off the coast of Brazil. Because of the time lapse, McCunn has written his story in the form of a novel. There are black-and-white photographs of Poon Lim's tools, raft and of him just after his rescue. A vivid account of how one man used his intelligence and ingenuity to survive against incredible odds. Pat Royal, Prince George's County Public School System, Md.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 231 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807071390
• ISBN-13: 978-0807071397
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #807,922 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic detail, August 7, 2000

By	Lynelle (USA) - See all my reviews

I read this book when I was eleven years old. Now, at twenty, I still remember it as a fascinating account of day to day life lost at sea. The accounts of sores and the raging thirst that the man experienced were mesmerizing as well as repugnant. This book made the utter lonliness of being lost at sea almost real.I especially enjoyed the strict attention to detail and descriptions of how the main character dealt with obtaining water and fish.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spine tingling, November 28, 2008

By	Calochortus "aroid" (San Luis Obispo, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Must have been a very good book, read it almost straight thru, stopping only for lunch. The author has spun a marvelous tale out of minimal information, many years after it happened. Could Poon Lim ever eat fish again? A diagram of the raft and a better description might have helped the reader, at the start. It wasn't that complex, but somehow the author made it overly complex, with wells, ledges, and so forth. Otherwise a fine book.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Bad Hair Day, September 11, 2002

By A Customer

Great story and well written. Gives good insight into Asian culture of the time. Don't miss this one.