Abandon Ship

Daniel Foss, the lone survivor of the Negociator, who lived for five years on a small, barren island in mid-ocean without shelter and with very little food, became the living counterpart of his fictional hero, Robinson Crusoe. Captain Kurt Carlsen became the object of an international vigil when he chose to remain on the sinking Flying Enterprise rather than abandon his domed ship. The Birkenhead tragedy became the classic example of discipline at sea and set the rescue tradition of "women and children first."

Stories like these, of amazing courage and startling excitement, emphasize the mystery of the sea and the indomitable spirit of man. But maritime history has not been without its villains, and ABANDON SHIP! also includes tales of negligence, incompetence, murder and cannibalism.

ABANDON SHIP! captures the adventure that is the sea, its glory and infamy. The chronicles of seventeen of the most tragic and unusual ship disasters in the maritime history make compelling reading as Hal Butler explains the circumstances surrounding each disaster and documents the accounts with personal observations, testimony, and official reports.