New York Times bestselling author Michael Tougias will perform two Zoom slide presentations on the events in his book “The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue.”
Hancock Town Library will host Tougias at 7 p.m. July 14, followed by Dublin Public Library Aug. 2 at 5 p.m. To sign up for the Hancock presentation, send email to hancocklibrary@comcast.net, with “Finest Hours” in the subject line, or call 603-525-4411. To sign up for the Dublin presentation, send email to librarypublicdublin@myfairpoint.net. The programs are free and open to the public.
On Feb. 18, 1952, a nor’easter split in half a 500-foot long oil tanker, the Pendleton, approximately one mile off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass. Twenty miles away, a second oil tanker, the Fort Mercer, also split in half. On both fractured tankers, men were trapped on the severed bows and sterns, and all four sections were sinking in 60-foot seas. Of the 84 seamen aboard the tankers, 70 were rescued, and 14 died.
Tougias will use slides of the storm, the sinking tankers, the rescues, the victims, the survivors and the rescuers to tell the story of this event. He will describe the attempts to rescue the seamen, focusing on four young Coast Guardsmen who saved the lives of 32 crewmen stranded aboard the stern of the Pendleton.
Disney has made a movie based on the book, starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck. Tougias will also discuss the making of the movie and working with the screenwriters. He will also share funny stories about the actors and his cameo in the movie.
Tougias has released two new books. The first is a self-help book titled “No Will Set You Free: Learn to Say No, Set Boundaries and Live a Fuller Life.” The second book is a memoir titled “The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature.”
The Hancock Town Library has received a grant from New Hampshire Humanities to present “The Finest Hours.” To learn more about New Hampshire Humanities, visit nhhumanities.org.