THE PERFECT STORM

In October 1991, a confluence of weather conditions combined to form a killer storm in the North Atlantic. Caught in the storm was the sword-fishing boat Andrea Gail. Magnificent foreshadowing and anticipation fill this true-life drama while minute details of the fishing boats, their gear and the weather are juxtaposed with the sea adventure. Journalist Junger carefully researched the New England fishing industry and created a fascinating account of the fated ship and her crew. The story is superbly read by Stanley Tucci. Tucci expresses the human drama and the cold facts with a brilliant presentation. It’s quite subtle, but the shifts in tone and focus keep listeners mesmerized. A parallel story of the plight of a 32-foot sailboat and an amazing sea rescue by the Coast Guard gets shorter treatment, as does the meteorological data. Despite the obvious abridgment, the central story of the Andrea Gail is hair-raising enough, especially its chilling description of drowning. Tucci succeeds, not only because the story is vividly written, but also because his artistic choices in the narration match the intention of the author so precisely. R.F.W. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 97]