Save on pre-loved headphones
Ships from
Amazon
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Sold by
Tenta5
Tenta5
Sold by
Tenta5
Returns
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

Michael J. Tougias
Follow
Alison O'Leary
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

So Close to Home: A True Story of an American Family's Fight for Survival During World War II Hardcover – May 3, 2016

by Michael J Tougias (Author), Alison O'Leary (Author)

Purchase options and add-ons

A true story of men and women pitted against the sea during World War II—and an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human spirit.

On May 19, 1942 a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles away from New Orleans. Captained by 29-year-old Iron Cross and King's Cross recipient Erich Wurdemann, the submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia with fifty-nine souls on board.

Most of the crew were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of civilians, including the Downs family, consisting of the parents, Ray Sr. and Ina, along with their two children, eight-year-old Ray Jr., nick-named “Sonny,” and eleven-year-old Lucille.

Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no notice that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, Ina and Lucille became separated from Ray Sr. and Sonny.

An inspiring historical narrative, So Close to Home tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pegasus Books
  4. Publication date
    May 3, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1681771306
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1681771304
Next slide of product details
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Through their meticulous research, Tougias and O'Leary take you where few historians dare, into the dark sea where an American family is floundering to stay alive, and onto the steel-planked deck of the German U-boat that put them there. This is priceless history—two hundred pages of 'you-are-there.'" -- Adam Makos, New York Times bestselling author of "A Higher Call"

"They don't come any better than Michael J. Tougias. His latest, So Close to Home, is a truly gripping, deeply affecting saga of undersea warfare and an extraordinary American family caught in the crosshairs of history." -- Alex Kershaw, New York Times best-selling author of "The Longest Winter" and "The Few"

"Gives a solid perspective of the hardships endured by ordinary people." ― Library Journal

"A little-known story — told from multiple points of view — about how World War II got a lot closer than most people think." ― New York Post

"A harrowing adventure story at sea, a surprising recovery of frightening historical material that had been shrouded in obscurity, and an unexpected, humanizing look at the enemies—the U-boat commanders—who turn out to be quite different from the conventional Nazi monsters of most WWII representation." ― Washington Independent Review of Books

Tougias (The Finest Hours), a writer who specializes in survival stories, and journalist O’Leary impressively render the grim early period of U.S. involvement in WWII. ― Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Michael Tougias is the author and co-author of twenty-three non-fiction books, including several true survival-at-sea adventures, such as Rescue of the Bounty, Fatal Forecast, Overboard!, A Storm Too Soon, and The Finest Hours (soon to be a major motion picture by Disney). Ten Hours Until Dawn was selected as one of the American Library Association's "Best Books of the Year."

Alison O’Leary is a former reporter for the The Boston Globe, a magazine editor, and a freelance writer. Her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 3, 2016
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1681771306
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1681771304
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #2,639,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Michael J. Tougias

    Michael J. Tougias

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    I've written and co-written 30 books for adults and have been fortunate enough to land on the NY Times Bestseller list and had a Disney movie made on The Finest Hours. I've also written several books for children age 8-13, some of which are part of my "True Rescue Series" with MacMillan Publishing, and others part of "True Survival Series" with Little Brown. You can learn more about me and see videos related to my books and my presentations at www.michaeltougias.com.

    Some of my previously out of print books are back on Amazon but they can be tricky to find. So after the name of the book write Michael Tougias Communications in the search for Blizzard of 78, River Days-CT River, Nature Walks in Central MA, Until I Have No Country: A Novel of King Philip's War, New England Wild Places

    My latest books are:

    1) Extreme Survival: Lessons From Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds

    2) No Will Set You Free: Learn to Say No, Set Boundaries, Stop People Pleasing

    3) The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father, Outdoor Misadventures, and the Healing Power of Nature. A coming of age story, a father/son relationship, my Dad's courage in the face of years of adversity, and finally a celebration of nature at my remote cabin in Vermont. While the book has it's serious side it also has laugh out loud humor like A Walk In The Woods.

    4) Claws (This is a kids book age 9-14. Think "Jaws" only this time its a 7 foot lobster! See the spot on review by Midwest Book Review when you search for the book here on Amazon.

    5) Abandon Ship: The True WWII Story About the Sinking of the Laconia

    I write on a variety of topics which could roughly be grouped as follows:

    TRUE SURVIVAL & RESCUE STORIES: my books include "Overboard!", "Ten Hours Until Dawn", "The Finest Hours" (now a Disney movie), "A Storm Too Soon", "Rescue of the Bounty", "Fatal Forecast", and "So Close to Home"

    HISTORY: "King Philip's War" (co-author), "Quabbin", "The Blizzard of 78", "Above & Beyond: JFK and America's Most Dangerous Spy Mission"

    HUMOR AND THE OUTDOORS: "There's a Porcupine in My Outhouse: The Vermont Misadventures of a Mountainman Wannabe"

    MEMOIR & OUDOOR ADVENTURE: "The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father, Outdoor Misadventures, and the Healing Power of Nature.

    YOUNG ADULT/MIDDLE READER: "Attacked at Sea", "The Finest Hours", "Into the Blizzard", "A Storm Too Soon", "Claws", "In Harms Way" "Rescue of the Bounty" "Abandon Ship"

    I'm not sure what I'll do next. But I'll follow my intuition. And, of course, the topic has to be something I feel passionate about. I give presentations about my books across the country and also give inspirational talks for businesses on decision-making and reaching difficult goals. You can learn more at www.michaeltougias.com Thank you for all your support! Michael Tougias

    See more on the author's page
  2. Alison O'Leary

    Alison O'Leary

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Alison O'Leary is an author, public speaker, and freelance journalist. She is co-author of Inns and Adventures, Best Day Hikes Near Boston, So Close to Home, Attacked at Sea, and Abandon Ship. See www.alisonoleary.com for more info.

    See more on the author's page
Next page